April 12, 2017

Dear University of Miami Community,

I am delighted to announce that Edward Abraham, M.D., has been named dean of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. He will start this important responsibility on July 1, 2017.

Dr. Abraham, who is now dean of the Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, brings a spectacular range of experience to this critical position. In addition to his role as chief academic officer for the Miller School of Medicine, he will simultaneously serve as physician executive of the University of Miami Medical Group. Therefore, he will not only play a leading role in the advancement of education, research, and patient care, but will also help steer our medical enterprise through the rapid and profound changes reshaping health care delivery.

Dr. Abraham is an internationally renowned pulmonary medicine and critical care physician and an accomplished scientist who has received extensive National Institutes of Health funding for more than 25 years. As an administrator, he has a proven record of accomplishment, breaking down silos and building teams, coupled with a savvy business acumen and thoughtful decision-making.

Over the last six years at Wake Forest, Dr. Abraham has overseen the academic enterprise and led a number of key initiatives, which include development of a new faculty compensation plan and a strategic vision for research in the School of Medicine. He also opened a new medical education facility and built a powerhouse of clinical and basic science chairs, senior associate deans, and center directors. At the Miller School, he will have significant input on the business of medicine, bringing his keen sensibility and experience to our practice plan.

He joined Wake Forest from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he was chair of the Department of Medicine. During his five and a half years at UAB, the Department of Medicine increased research funding by 25 percent and initiated many innovative programs enhancing diversity, mentoring, and collaboration. Before moving to UAB, he spent 13 years at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where he was head of the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine and vice chair of the Department of Medicine.

Dr. Abraham received undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University and trained in internal and critical care medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. His first faculty appointment was at UCLA, where he held a number of leadership roles in pulmonary and critical care medicine.

He has published more than 350 original research articles, reviews, editorials, and book chapters. Dr. Abraham's research has focused on inflammation, neutrophil biology, acute lung injury, and sepsis.

Dr. Abraham will report to Dr. Steven Altschuler, senior vice president for health affairs and CEO of UHealth on all matters related to the medical enterprise. He will also report to the executive vice president and provost on academic matters.

As the search for the new dean progressed, it became increasingly apparent that the University requires someone with the strategic vision and financial expertise to navigate the complex challenges and opportunities facing health care, research, and education. It also became apparent that Edward Abraham is just that person.

In the coming months you will have a chance to meet Dr. Abraham and hear more about his ideas to advance the Miller School and the academic health system. I want to extend a special thanks to the distinguished search committee, chaired by Gregory J. Shepherd, dean of the School of Communication, for their hard work identifying strong candidates for this position. Their insight and advice are greatly appreciated.

We all extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Laurence Gardner for his exemplary service as interim dean. Among his many milestones has been leadership of the extensive preparation for the recent accreditation site visit of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Dr. Gardner is a true innovator, and we are fortunate that his far-reaching, passionate contributions to medical education will continue at the Miller School.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Abraham and welcoming him to the University of Miami, where he will help us reimagine and build the future of medicine.