In the Spotlight: Dr Naz Choudhury
I was born in a small village in rural Bangladesh (East Pakistan as it was then) but I don’t know in which year. This is not so unusual, the village did not even have electricity and nobody kept any official records.
I came to England with my parents in 1965; started school and registered as a 5 year old so that I could start in Reception and learn English. Dad was part of the Pakistan diplomatic service. I went to 16 schools up and down the country but finally ended up at Thomas Magnus School, Newark, Nottinghamshire, where, as luck would have it, I met my wife Lynsey and got my A-Levels to enter medical school.
Leicester Medical School
I started at Leicester Medical School in 1980 and then went on to do my junior doctor’s training in Leicester, Peterborough and Kettering.
Lynsey and I went backpacking around the world for a year and a half which included working in Melbourne, Australia for five months. We started in Nepal and India and then travelled overland through South East Asia before arriving in Australia. After a couple of months in New Zealand we finished our journey with a four month road trip across America and Canada having bought a car in a L.A. Youth Hostel, from an Aussie couple. It was a life changing trip.
On returning to England, I started working at the Kibworth Health Centre in September 1991 and became a Partner in February 1992. I have had nearly 30 years working in Kibworth and loved every minute. It has been such a pleasure, living and working in such a beautiful part of the world and with such lovely people. But I recently had my 60th birthday and decided to hang up my stethoscope and retire. As much as I have loved it, I thought it was time for new adventures.
Q. What is your earliest recollection?
A. My earliest recollection, was when I was about 3-4 years old, whilst in Bangladesh and being frightened by seeing a water snake in the large pool of water in my home village.
Q. What did you want to be when growing up?
A. When I was very little, I wanted to be a pilot; however, as a teenager I realised I loved the thought of looking after people and human biology; so a doctor it had to be!
Q. Do you have a favourite book/play/film and why do you like it?
A. My favourite book (and film) is To Kill a Mockingbird. I love how the story spotlights race inequality and man’s inhumanity but ending with redemption; all through the eyes of a child. It’s so uplifting.
Q. What is the most embarrassing moment you have experienced?
A. When I was 8 years old, I fell down a manhole. I had just made a new friend at school and we were playing silly games, walking backwards down a side street and I stepped right into the hole, much to the hilarity of the workmen who were taking a break on the pavement watching in disbelief. Surely, you’d make £250 for that video!
Q. What do you do to relax?
A. I love cycling and tend to go out on the beautiful country roads just before sunrise. It is so peaceful; just me, the morning mist and the dawn chorus. The ultimate in mindfulness.
Q. What would be your favourite meal for a celebration?
A. I just love Christmas. So, a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings would be just the thing.
Q. Who would you invite to your dream dinner Party?
A. Sir Isaac Newton – possibly the greatest scientist that ever lived…in my opinion!
Alan Coren – satirist and writer. His wit and charm would make the evening very special. Genghis Khan – single-handedly conquered one of the largest land empires that has ever existed. He can sit where he fancies. I am not going to argue!
Q. You will be retiring from a very busy career. What is on your Bucket List?
A. I have been working on my Bucket List for some years and so far things I have done include:
- Ran the New York Marathon on my 40th Birthday.
- Climbed Ben Nevis, Scarfell Pike, Snowdon and Slieve Donard over a couple of days.
- Cycled Land’s End to John O’Groats over nine days.
- Scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef
- Solo parachute jump (static line) from 2,000 feet.
I feel very blessed and lucky to have been able to have had these experiences. As I like to say ‘Yes’ to things, I am looking forward to more adventures in the future.
Q. What achievement(s) are you most proud of?
A. I am most proud of the day I qualified as a doctor. That one achievement opened up so many doors. It allowed me to live and work here in Kibworth, where I have spent 30 happy and rewarding years.
Q. If a film was to be made of your life, who would you like to play you?
- I think, probably, Art Malik. He is a fine actor and it helps that we now have the same hairline.
Thank You To All My Patients
I have just had my 60th birthday and decided to retire from the Kibworth Practice at the end of last month. This seemed a good time to look at new challenges whilst I still had my energy and enthusiasm. I feel I still have much more to give and am looking forward to new opportunities to help others and to give something back to our community.
Unfortunately, because of Covid, I was not able to say goodbye to all my patients in a way I would have wanted to. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to my patients, staff and colleagues, both present and past, for making my last 30 years so wonderful. It has been an honour and a pleasure to have served this community and I hope to continue to do so but in new and different ways.
A huge thank you to you all.
Naz Choudhury
County Council – Gartree News
