There is no industry or sector of business that can operate effectively without some level of trust. Every professional must have the trust of their clients, their team, and their shareholders if they are to succeed in today’s world, and that trust cannot exist without integrity and personal accountability. That kind of critical integrity cannot exist without the capacity for self-reflection and analysis. This applies to every professional in any field, whether they’re a C-suite executive managing a multimillion dollar company, or a doctor working hard to improve their patients’ lives.
As a former interventional gastroenterologist and medical leader, Dr. Asif Choudhury understands this truth on a personal level, and has striven for it throughout his decades-long career. As Section Chief of his division at Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, Florida, Dr. Choudhury worked hard to advance patient care and support underserved communities. Over the course of his career he performed some of the highest recorded volumes of ERCP and advanced endoscopic procedures in his health system, with specific acclaim for his work placing esophageal stents, helping patients recover from life-threatening injuries to their airways and digestive tracts. Service, leadership, and care have been the hallmarks of his career—three core pillars built on a foundation of integrity and personal accountability.
From the early days of his career to today, Dr. Asif Choudhury has taken care to consistently reflect on his journey—his experiences, victories, and failures—and try to learn from them. Every individual is built, piece by piece, from these things; few recognize how important it is to closely examine themselves in order to control the person they become. As a leader, a medical expert, and a professional, Dr. Choudhury knows better than many how important it is to take ownership of what has, might, and will come to pass. Rooted in his family and his faith, and formed through two decades of service, Dr. Choudhury’s commitment to reflection and improvement is clear—there is no way to improve if one can’t see where they are.
“I found sticking strongly with meditation and spirituality really guides people to think the right way,” he says. “Embracing a mindset to do good to the people, and keeping yourself humble, helps lead you to doing the right things.”
Integrity Through Intensive Study
Every doctor’s education and early career is hugely influential on their later decisions, and Dr. Asif Choudhury is no exception. He trained at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester after immigrating from Bangladesh, and was published in major gastroenterology journals by 1995. He completed his clinical fellowship in gastroenterology from the State University of New York at Brooklyn, as well as a one-month interventional gastroenterology training in Hamburg, Germany under the tutelage of Professor Suhendra. These foundational experiences would define his later practice as an interventional gastroenterologist, and define him as a medical professional known for his skill, attention, and compassion.
“The long-term healing and recovery of many of these patients is something I am proud of,” says Dr. Choudhury. “I’m particularly proud of my successful gastroenterology procedures, especially placing esophageal stents in patients with perforations and pneumomediastinum.”
However, studying and learning does not—and should not—stop at the receipt of a diploma or the acceptance of a job posting. Trust requires competency and consistency, which demand long-term learning for any professional, which goes double for a doctor. The only way to overcome errors and establish one’s integrity in a complex, evolving field is to be constantly learning, and that’s what Dr. Choudhury does, even now that he’s stepped away from active practice. Fortunately one of the best ways to learn, is to teach.
“I want to teach and provide training to medical graduates in Bangladesh, and support villages where medical access is limited or nonexistent,” he says. “I plan to help more people learn healthy living practices focused on exercise and diet.”
Reflections On Family Influences
To say that Dr. Asif Choudhury is a family-oriented man would be accurate, but inadequate. Much of his integrity and his commitment to service is rooted in his familial experiences, both as a youth and as a father today. Encouraged by his father, driven by his grandmother’s suffering from Alzheimer’s, and given direction by his mother’s struggle with progressive Parkinson’s disease, the medical field seems all but an inevitability for Dr. Choudhury in retrospect. After needing to place his mother’s stomach tube himself and caring for her firsthand, it’s no surprise that he would turn to gastroenterology and learn how to better care for people with unique needs.
He would go on to adopt an attitude of community service for over twenty years, treating uninsured patients weekly (often at no cost), and personally helping many secure medications and follow-up care when financial barriers stood in their way. Paired with free Friday medical consultations at his local mosque, and health-focused speaking arrangements at numerous Bangladeshi cultural and religious programs, Dr. Choudhury established himself as a trusted community health leader. His family’s legacy of public service continues in him.
“Helping people is a core value I was raised with,” he explains. “My maternal grandfather was a respected legislator in the Indian subcontinent, and my paternal family were doctors who focused on helping the poor. Their example shaped my belief that I should always help those in need; my goal in life has been to serve the needy as much as I can.”
Today, while his professional work has come to an end, his community service work continues. His efforts turn to his community, and to ensuring his children are able to live healthy, happy, and successful lives. Dr. Choudhury has learned much from both his career and his family, and he hopes to internalize those lessons and share them broadly, to help as many people as possible.
“If you work hard you will achieve your dreams,” he says. “Failure is the key to success. Try to avoid any controversies and just do your job at your best. If you make a mistake, reevaluate the situation and try to make changes toward whatever you feel the best. Making mistakes is normal for the human race.”
