Q&A with Dr. Dr. Maggie Lincoln, Dr. Annam Abbasi, and Dr. Maggie Sager
VPFW is fortunate to have Dr. Maggie Lincoln, Dr. Annam Abbasi, and Dr. Maggie Sager joining our team of over 30 women’s health care providers this fall. Dr. Abbasi and Dr. Sager are seeing patients at our St. Francis and Prince George offices, and Dr. Lincoln is seeing patients at our West Creek and St. Mary’s offices.
Each brings their own unique personality and areas of expertise, and they’re all excited to offer the standard of care you’ve come to expect at VPFW. We’ve asked them a few questions to help you get to know them a little better!
Tell us a little about your background.
Dr. Abbasi: I come from a lot of different places and am excited to finally settle down in Richmond to hopefully start a family with my new husband. I was born in New York and my heritage is Pakistani, but I grew up in Saudi Arabia. My childhood exposed me to people of many cultures, which helps me empathize with my patients no matter their needs. I ultimately moved back to the east coast and spent the last 15 years between Nashville where I met my husband in medical school and the Washington DC/Maryland area where we did our residencies together.
Dr. Lincoln: I was born and raised in Richmond and had a feeling that one day I’d end up back here, where most of my large extended family lives. I went to St. Catherine’s for 13 years and then to William and Mary where I played lacrosse for 5 years. After returning to Richmond for medical school at VCU, I moved to Savannah, Georgia, for my residency, where I met my husband within 2 months.
Dr. Sager: I was born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia. I have lived in many different places, including Vermont, Boston, Kentucky, and NYC, and am excited to return to Virginia after many years spent living elsewhere.
Why did you want to be an OB/GYN?
Dr. Abbasi: Truthfully, I hated all my rotations in medical school except OB/GYN haha… but I LOVE my job and am overjoyed by every birth, enjoy the complex thought process behind surgery, and enjoy interacting with my patients in the office. I like to empower women to voice their opinions and concerns, and I believe in helping women take charge of their bodies and their own health care.
Dr. Lincoln: I went into medical school thinking that I was going to be anything but an OB/Gyn. I was always interested in surgery, but it wasn’t until I helped deliver a baby while on my third year medical school rotation that I realized how special the field of OB/Gyn is. Getting to know that patient and being involved in her labor and delivery experience made me realize that I wanted to help deliver babies and take care of women for the rest of my professional career.
Dr. Sager: I have always been passionate about being an advocate for women and women’s health and fell in love with the specialty while in medical school. It was during this time that I realized the tremendous breadth of care that an OBGYN provides — we can provide for women in all stages of life and in many ways: in the office, operating room and delivery room. Having the opportunity to care for my patients in so many ways and be able to advocate for them is what excites me most about this specialty.
What areas of women’s health are you most passionate about?
Dr. Abbasi: Making each woman’s pregnancy her own by individualizing her prenatal care and ensuring that she is fully informed of the breadth of possibilities over the course of 40 weeks, advocating for policy change that positively impacts women, working with women to regulate pain and abnormal bleeding until they are happy and celebrating gains – however big or small.
Dr. Lincoln: Part of the reason why I love our field so much is how much variety there can be on a day-to-day basis: you can go from a 32-week prenatal visit in one room to an annual visit in the next. But with that being said, I definitely gravitate towards obstetrics, and in particular, I feel very comfortable with “high-risk” obstetric patients. I love delivering babies and being on the Labor and Delivery unit, where you never know what may come through the door next. I am also very passionate about contraception education, and I enjoy working with and taking care of young women who are just reaching the age of needing to see a gynecologist.
Dr. Sager: I am most passionate about forming important, trusting relationships with my patients, and educating and empowering them about their health. As OB/GYN’s, we have the unique ability to follow a woman’s care throughout her lifetime, and I am so excited to form those relationships with my patients here at VPFW. I am also particularly interested in helping women navigate the challenges of pregnancy and the postpartum period, especially regarding perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
What are you looking forward to about living in Richmond?
Dr. Abbasi: I’m looking forward to settling down and starting a family here, being close to family, exploring, buying a house, and eating all the food.
Dr. Lincoln: It’s a great city to call home and start our own family in the future. We are excited to be back in a place where there are seasons, where outdoor activities are the norm, and where there is an amazing food scene! It’s so fun knowing that one of the hospitals where I’ll be delivering (St. Mary’s) is also where I was born!
Dr. Sager: One of the biggest reasons why we decided to move to Richmond is to be closer to family. We now live down the street from my sister and brother-in-law and cannot wait to spend more time with them! Richmond also has so much to offer in the way of food, the arts, and the park systems. We are so excited to get out and explore the city as a family.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Dr. Abbasi: I love doing Barre3, reading Harry Potter and anything from Reese’s Book Club picks, and traveling to new cities and countries to find new adventures.
Dr. Lincoln: I love doing outdoor activities like running and biking!
Dr. Sager: Having minored in dance in college at University of Vermont and played the cello, I enjoy attending performances any chance I can get. Practicing yoga and Pilates keeps me active. I am also an absolute foodie – my husband and I make pizza almost every weekend, and we have been working on perfecting our technique for over 10 years!
What’s your favorite TV Show or Movie?
Dr. Abbasi: I love watching Marvel movies and Greys Anatomy/Friends/Gilmore Girls on repeat
Dr. Lincoln: Bridesmaids; Favorite TV show is much harder! My favorite comedy is definitely Schitt’s Creek (with Parks and Rec and the Office as close seconds). My favorite drama is challenging because I’m very into true crime and dramas: so Breaking Bad, Ozark, Mindhunter, Bloodline are all up there!
Dr. Sager: I must admit…my guilty pleasure is the Real Housewives of New York City!
Why are you excited to work for VPFW?
Dr. Abbasi: I’m really excited to meet my patients, grow with them, promote their health, celebrate their goals, and be there for them when they need me.
Dr. Lincoln: I’m looking forward to joining VPFW for several reasons. First, the reputation of the practice is unbeatable: I know many patients of the group, and I have never heard a bad thing about anyone here. Second, I felt an immediate connection with everyone I met during the interview process: it was comfortable, and they made me feel like family. Third, there is an emphasis on creating a good work-life balance at VPFW, which I value tremendously. And fourth, I’m excited to practice at two wonderful hospitals, with great reputations, support, and technology, where I will be fully equipped to provide necessary and comprehensive care for all my patients.
Dr. Sager: One of the things that drew me most to VPFW was how happy everyone is. I feel so lucky to be working alongside these wonderful physicians!
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Abbasi, Dr. Lincoln, or Dr. Sager, call us at 804-897-2100 or set an appointment at vpfw.com.