Miami Proud: Father, son are rare doctor duo at Broward Health Medical Center
FORT LAUDERDALE - Rajiv Chokshi, M.D. is the director of the graduate medical education program at Broward Health Medical Center. He and his son Ruchir Chokshi, M.D. have spent a lot of time at the hospital in Fort Lauderdale.
The senior Chokshi, who practices internal medicine, joined the hospital in the early 1980s. He remembers very clearly years ago when he would work weekends and his family would all stay in an apartment on the property.
"Both my son and my daughter loved the cafeteria and roaming around the hospital," the senior Chokshi recalled.
Ruchir Chokshi remembers how it was like "a camp out" inside, and he would enjoy ice cream in the cafeteria and watch movies. While dad made patient rounds, young Ruchir studied under the watchful eyes of the nursing staff.
"He would sit me at the nurses' station with my homework and say 'I better see problems one through ten before I come back', " said Chokshi Jr.
He adds that his destiny was sort of 'etched in very early on' because he was introduced to the medical profession at such an early age.
Later, the senior Chokshi would become the hospital's first Indian born chief of staff, and Ruchir was the first student to graduate from the pre-medical program at American Heritage Highschool. Ruchir went on to college, graduated medical school, and became a kidney specialist, eventually arriving at Broward Health in 2014 and gaining a new title.
The staff lovingly call him 'Baby Chokshi' and his father is now referred to as 'Papa Chokshi' they are both members of the teaching staff, educating residents, and the father and son coworkers' roles have now come full circle.
"Now as the chair of the department of medicine, he reports to me," the younger Chokshi said, lightheartedly.
"I have to tell him my recommendations and what I think we can do," said the senior Chokshi.
The prodigal son now has a full appreciation for dad's hard work all those years.
"It is quite an exhilarating responsibility to be taking care of patients and training the next generation of doctors," he said.
As they walk around the halls, they are greeted by coworkers with hellos and " Hey it's the two generations!" For Rajiv Chokshi there are many proud moments including those from patients that he hasn't seen.
"A woman literally stopped me and said 'I just want you to know your son is my doctor and I'm so happy and so lucky to have him', "he beamed.