Robert Henry (`Bob') Strong was born in Melbourne, the son of William Strong who was later Lord Mayor of Melbourne, and his wife Eliza. He went to Carlton College where he did well and excelled at cricket and other sports. After graduating in medicine in 1893 he was appointed resident medical officer at the Melbourne Hospital in January 1894. The same year he took up an appointment at King's College Hospital, London. Later he studied at Cambridge and at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.

Returning to Melbourne he was appointed honorary physician to outpatients at the Melbourne Hospital in 1902. In 1920 he was made honorary physician to inpatients and clinical lecturer in medicine (University of Melbourne). He retired from the active staff in 1928 and was made an honorary consultant physician, a post he held until his death in 1948.

In 1915 Strong sailed to England and enlisted as a captain in the RAMC. He was made physician in charge of the medical section of 27 General Hospital at Moudros. In 1916 with the rank of major he was placed in charge of the medical division of 21 General Hospital at Alexandria and subsequently he was made temporary commanding officer. In 1917 he became consultant physician to the Egyptian Expeditionary Forces. He was awarded the OBE for his military services in 1918 and was twice mentioned in dispatches. On his return to Melbourne he resumed his medical practice at 110 Collins Street and his visiting post at the Melbourne Hospital. He had several overseas trips in the years to come and it is said they often coincided with test matches played in England. In his younger days he played regularly in the Government House cricket team and in Dr W Moore's team as an excellent bowler and a strong batsman. His later interests were the theatre, reading, golf and gardening at his Ferny Creek home.

In 1921 he married Edna Adrienne Boyd, daughter of Dr Hugh Boyd of Bendigo. His wife predeceased him in 1930. They had no children. He was described as handsome, debonair and, in his top hat and frock coat, the best dressed man in Collins Street. He was kind to his patients, and meticulous in caring for them. His main teaching interest was therapeutics and he was described as a master of the art of prescription writing - a necessary accomplishment for a good physician in those days.