Robert Palmer Howard (1912-1990) was the son of McGill graduate Dr. Campbell Palmer Howard (1877-1936) and Ottilie Wright (1892-1976). He was the grandson and namesake of distinguished McGill professor and dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 1882-1889, Robert Palmer Howard (1823-1889) and Emily Severs Howard (1840-1892). Howard's father, Campbell Palmer Howard, was the godson of William Osler (1849-1919) and Howard himself was godson to Olser's son, Edward Revere Osler (1895-1917).

Howard received his medical degree from McGill University in 1932. Upon graduation, he worked at McGill and also at Montreal General Hospital. He spent most of his career as a physician and researcher at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, affiliated with the University of Oklahoma. Howard was always particularly interested in the history of medicine and later became the director of University of Oklahoma's History of Medicine Program. Upon retirement, he moved to Iowa City, IA to become Director of the History of Medicine Society at the University of Iowa.

Howard is the author of The Chief: Doctor William Osler published by Science History Publications in 1983. The bibliographical work provides a detailed account of the close relationships and correspondences between the Osler and Howard families. Howard married Muriel Howard and is the father of Caroline Howard Mast.