Janet L. Abrahm, MD

Janet L. Abrahm, MD

Former Chief, Division of Adult Palliative Care, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital

Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Educational and professional experience
1966-1969 University of California, Berkeley
1970 BS, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Medical School
1973 MD, UCSF Medical School
1973-1974 Straight Medical Intern, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston
1974-1976 Medical Resident and Fellowship in Hematology, MGH
1976-1977 Chief Medical Resident, Moffitt Hospital, UCSF
1977-1980 Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP)
1980-2000 Staff Physician, HUP and Philadelphia VA Medical Center
1994-1996 Chief, Medical Service, Philadelphia VA Medical Center
1996-1997 Associate Chief of Staff, Primary Care and Consultative Medicine, Philadelphia VA Medical Center
1997-2000 Fellowship Director, Palliative Care Fellowship, HUP
1998-2000 Director, Education and Research and Medical Director, Wissahickon Hospice of the University of Pennsylvania Health System
2001- Staff Physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH)
2001-2007 Director, Pain and Palliative Care Fellowship, BWH and DFCI
2001-2008 Director, Pain and Palliative Care Service, DFCI/BWH
2001-2011 Associate Professor, Medicine, Harvard Medical School (HMS)
2008-2013 Division Chief, Adult Palliative Care, DFCI/BWH
2011- Professor, Medicine, HMS
Current teaching and research interests

Janet L. Abrahm, MD's teaching and research concentration within palliative care is pain and symptom management of patients with cancer.

The fourth edition of her book, A Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care For Patients with Cancer, was published in 2022 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

She was a co-investigator of R01 and PCORI-funded studies designed to improve oncologists' ability to provide better symptom control for their cancer patients and to enhance patient self-management of symptoms. She also teaches about difficult conversations and has a great deal of experience in palliative care program development.