Dr. Choate’s path to medicine and urology was actually sparked by her admiration for her childhood doctor. “I always respected him and thought what he did was the coolest thing,” she says.
In medical school, she quickly honed in on the way she would help patients. “I knew I was interested in surgery, so I wanted to find a surgical field that was most meaningful to me,” she reveals. “I gravitated toward urology because it’s a unique field in terms of the patient experience.
“You get people with very personal health issues. The art of making these individuals feel comfortable and cared for and safe enough to talk about their issues is what makes urology special in terms of a surgical subspecialty. Obviously, being a good clinician and a good surgeon are fundamental, too. Still, the interpersonal interactions are so important. Listening, body language, an approachable personality and reassuring conversation all work together to make people feel more comfortable.”
Dr. Choate specializes in male and female incontinence. She is especially passionate about educating women of all the great solutions to help them stay dry.
“So many women live with this embarrassing issue for years,” she adds. “Often, they think being incontinent and wearing pads is just part of being a woman. Then, they hear about treatment from a friend or see a commercial or get a referral from their primary care doctor and they come see me. When they do, we talk about options, and they’re really good options with a very high success rate. I love seeing them afterward—the way they can’t wait to share the joy and relief once their issue is resolved. So often they say, ‘I wish I’d done this sooner,’ or ‘It’s really amazing to be able to wear whatever clothes I want without pads.’”
Dr. Choate’s care philosophy is also put to good use by successfully treating men and women who suffer with painful kidney stones. She specializes in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and tubeless PCNL for the surgical treatment of large and complex kidney stones.
“It’s a much less invasive version of PCNL,” she explains. “It can be performed in an out-patient surgery center, so patients go home the same day with just a stent. It’s much easier on the patient than more invasive stone surgeries.”
After she earned her Doctorate in Medicine at University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine in San Antonio, Dr. Choate completed her urology residency and general surgery internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She was the recipient of the Jack R. Robinson Endowed Scholarship in Urology and the award for Excellence in Genitourinary Surgery. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University, where she graduated cum laude.
When she isn’t caring for patients, the Texas native enjoys yoga, skiing, hiking and good food with her husband.
