For more than two decades, Dr. Asif Choudhury built a medical career defined by skill, compassion, and a quiet but unwavering sense of duty. As an interventional gastroenterologist, he performed some of the most complex procedures in his field, from repairing life-threatening esophageal perforations to placing hundreds of feeding tubes for cancer and trauma patients.
“I have always believed that medicine is a calling,” Dr. Choudhury said in a recent interview. “When someone is in pain, your role is not only to treat the body but to restore their hope.”
Before retiring from active practice in 2017, Dr. Choudhury served as the Section Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, Florida. Under his leadership, the department advanced in both volume and innovation, offering minimally invasive procedures that reduced patient recovery times and improved outcomes.
Throughout his 20-year career, he set aside time each week to treat uninsured patients, often free of charge.
“There were people who came to me with no means to pay,” he recalled. “I could never turn them away. That was never an option.”
Asif Choudhury’s philosophy of service traces back to his family’s history in Bangladesh, where he was born and raised. His maternal grandfather was a respected legislator in the Indian subcontinent, and his paternal relatives were physicians dedicated to caring for the poor. Their example, he says, instilled in him a lifelong sense of responsibility.
“I grew up watching my family help people in every way they could,” he said. “That spirit of giving became part of who I am. It is something I carried with me into every stage of my life.”
After earning his medical degree from the Institute of Post Graduate Medicine and Research in Dhaka, Choudhury came to the United States for further training. His journey led him from Prince George’s Hospital in Maryland, where he completed his internal medicine residency, to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for gastroenterology research. His work there resulted in publications in major clinical journals and helped shape his analytical approach to medicine.
He later completed an advanced clinical fellowship at the State University of New York at Brooklyn and specialized training in interventional gastroenterology in Hamburg, Germany, under world-renowned professor Suhendra.
From each place, he took lessons that would stay with him: precision from Mayo, perseverance from New York, and humility from his mentors abroad. When he returned to Florida to begin his career, he carried all three.
To Asif Choudhury, MD, healthcare has never been confined to a hospital setting. He spent more than two decades serving his local community in Florida, offering free medical consultations at his mosque every Friday and guiding patients through difficult decisions.
“Many people are afraid when they hear the word diagnosis,” he said. “Sometimes they just need someone to listen and explain things simply.”
He also worked tirelessly to ensure that patients without insurance had access to medication. Through partnerships with drug companies and charitable programs, he helped hundreds secure lifesaving prescriptions and follow-up care.
His approach to medicine was always personal. He knew his patients’ stories, remembered their families, and took time to understand their fears.
That level of compassion earned him deep respect within the community and among peers. Yet for Choudhury, it was never about recognition. “My goal has always been simple,” he said. “To help as many people as I can, wherever I can.”
Even after stepping away from clinical practice, he remains active in community life.
He has delivered talks at Bangladeshi cultural programs and faith gatherings, often blending medical insight with messages of faith, resilience, and prevention. He also maintains affiliations with the Bangladesh Medical Association of North America, the American College of Physicians, and the Bangladesh Association of South Florida.
“I see education as a form of healing,” he said. “If someone learns how to prevent illness or take better care of themselves, that knowledge ripples out to their family and community.”
Today, Dr. Choudhury’s focus is on giving back globally, particularly to underserved regions in Bangladesh where medical resources are scarce. He plans to return to his home country periodically to train new medical graduates and support rural clinics that lack specialized expertise.
“The need is tremendous,” he said. “There are villages where people have never seen a gastroenterologist. Some conditions go untreated simply because there is no access to care.”
His goal is to bridge that gap through education and mentorship. “If I can help one young doctor learn to perform a safe endoscopic procedure or manage a complex case, that knowledge can save many lives,” he said. “That is the kind of impact that multiplies.”
For Choudhury, global volunteering is not just an act of charity. It is a continuation of a lifelong commitment. “When you practice medicine long enough, you realize that skill alone is not enough,” he said. “It is compassion that sustains you. It is empathy that keeps you human.”
He believes that doctors, regardless of where they live or work, share a universal responsibility to serve beyond borders. “The world is more connected than ever,” he said. “Health challenges are global, and so should our response be. Every time a doctor shares knowledge or helps build capacity somewhere new, the entire system grows stronger.”
Dr. Choudhury’s story is one of quiet perseverance and purposeful reinvention. From his early years as a medical student in Dhaka to his leadership in Florida’s healthcare system, his guiding principle has never wavered: serve those in need.
Outside medicine, he remains deeply involved in cultural and social life. He enjoys soccer, cricket, and music festivals, where he finds joy in community and creativity. He continues to advocate for healthy living through exercise, diet, and preventive care, reminding people that wellness begins long before illness appears.
When asked what motivates him after a lifetime of achievement, his answer is simple. “Gratitude,” he said. “Every patient, every opportunity to help, has been a blessing. I just want to keep giving back. Helping others is not just a part of my career,” he said. “It is my life’s purpose.”
