As a first-generation American growing up in DeSoto, Dr. Chowdhury developed a heart for service at a young age. “My family has been involved with Distressed Children International (DCI) for as long as I can remember,” she says. “The organization provides education and medical care to impoverished children and families in Bangladesh.”
Dr. Chowdhury started as a youth volunteer for the organization—helping raise money to free kids from child labor and send them to school. Throughout her life, she saw the stark realities of life for many when she visited the South Asian nation that borders India. “My family is actually from Bangladesh, so I had several opportunities to visit, not only family but also the orphanages, schools and medical clinics run by the DCI,” she says.
Volunteering—especially during relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters—made an impression on Dr. Chowdhury. It was only natural when she focused on microbiology as an undergrad, and then went on to earn her medical degree at the University of North Texas Health Science Center’s Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. While she knew she want to be a surgeon, she hadn’t selected a specialty. “It was actually fortuitous that I was randomly assigned a urology rotation,” she says. “I immediately thought ‘This is it.’ I was naturally drawn to the different procedures and variety of care encompassed by urology. I loved it.”
Dr. Chowdhury completed her residency at Michigan State University’s Detroit Medical Center, and a fellowship in female urology, voiding dysfunction, and urogenital reconstruction at the University of California, Irvine. Along with honing her clinical and surgical skills, she discovered that patients found her personality reassuring.
“Patients have told me that they feel comfortable talking with me,” she says. “Knowing that they entrust me with really personal health issues they’ve often been hiding for years means a lot to me. Being able to make a difference in one person’s day-to-day activities and improve their quality of life is so rewarding—especially with issues related to pelvic prolapse, incontinence and pelvic pain.”
As a member of Urology Partners, Dr. Chowdhury is happy to finally be back in Texas caring for patients. “I always want my patients to know that I genuinely care,” she adds. “I want them to know they’re in a safe environment where they can tell me what’s bothering them, rather than suppress it or think it’s just a normal part of life. I want to reassure them, and let them know they are not the only person living with a certain condition. There are treatment options that can make a huge difference.”
Dr. Chowdhury successfully treats overactive bladder, male and female incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and performs reconstructive surgery. When the Fort Worth resident isn’t caring for her patients, she loves spending time with my family and friends, cycling, running, and traveling. Together, she and her husband plan to continue their humanitarian service through international medical mission trips.
Dr. Chowdhury speaks both English and Bengali
