Interview with Dr. Choksey

We are incredibly honored and thrilled to have a new doctor join our team at SSP.  In this month's interview, we'll be introduced to Dr. Kaeya Choksey, an avid traveler and someone who loves to cook, dance and ride her Peleton when she is not doing what she is most passionate about, and that is taking care of our families. Learn more about her journey here and please give her a warm welcome if you see her at the practice!

SSP: Welcome to the SSP team!  We are so very excited to have you join and want to know ALL about you!  Can you please tell us about your journey here, and what ultimately led to your decision to join SSP?

I am very excited to join the SSP team as well! Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up in Long Island, NY and went to college in Philadelphia. I then journeyed to the beautiful island of Grenada where I completed my first two years of medical school at St George’s University School of Medicine. I, then, moved to Brooklyn and immediately fell in love with it! I did my pediatrics residency at NYP Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and lived in Park Slope for 3 years. Funny enough, my apartment during residency was 3 blocks away from the SSP office, so I had walked by it many times! Once I finished my residency, I moved to Jersey City and worked at a pediatric outpatient practice in Clifton, NJ for two years. I am so grateful for all the knowledge I gained and the wonderful people I met along the way during my time there. I came across a new opportunity at this wonderful practice, and I had to hear more about it! When I got to know the SSP team, their values and what they believe in, I knew it would be a great fit for me. I am so excited and grateful for the opportunity to work at SSP and to take care of the Brooklyn community!

SSP: Is there something specific to pediatric medicine that you are most passionate about? What is it and why?

I think what I love the most about pediatrics is seeing my patients grow, forming relationships with families and being there for them through the journey. Having a healthy lifestyle is something that has become very important to me. I try to stay active daily - whether it is by doing a dance workout, getting on my peloton or going to the gym. I have personally seen both the physical and mental benefits one can gain from having a healthy lifestyle and I want to try to instill that mindset in my patients as well. I love that I have the opportunity to guide families and patients into doing something positive for their physical and mental well being.

SSP: What was your inspiration to become a pediatrician? Did someone in particular inspire you?

Since I was young, I've loved working with children. When I decided to go into medicine, I fell in love with pediatrics! I always wanted to be able to help people in some way and wanted to be able to make a difference in the community.
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There are a few people that inspired me to become a doctor. My grandfather was a physician in the Indian army and as children, we would always hear stories from our father about his experience. Growing up, I also looked up to my older sister, who is a Pediatric ER doctor now, as one of my role models. I was lucky enough to have someone who went through the same journey to guide me and support me through mine. I am very thankful we had parents as well who pushed us to achieve our goals but also wanted us to go into a career that made us happy. 

SSP: When you aren't helping children and their families, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?  What are your passions?
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When I am not at work, there are many things I enjoy doing. I love dancing, traveling to new places (fun fact- I think I just hit 30+ countries this year), cooking, spinning on my Peloton, and spending time with family and friends!

SSP:  What is your favorite country that you've visited, and why?​

I can’t say I have one favorite specific country or place I’ve visited because there are a bunch! If I had to pick one of my favorite places I’ve been to, I would say Iceland. The stunning scenery and natural landscapes of the country were breathtakingly beautiful. 

SSP: What else would you like our families to know about you?
 
As I had mentioned earlier, staying active has always been important to me. Since I was young, one of my passions has always been dance. Growing up, I trained in an Indian classical dance style called Kathak for 10 years and I was part of my high school dance repertoire company where we trained in various different styles of dance including Jazz, Hip Hop, Flamenco and Modern. I was able to continue my passion for dance during college as well where I took part in two of the competitive dance teams - the South Asian fusion girls dance team and the Bhangra team (traditional folk dance originating from Punjab, India). We were able to travel all around the US competing against other university dance teams and it was an amazing experience I will never forget. I still love dancing to this day and try to continue my passion for it whether it is doing a performance for a wedding, going to a dance workshop or creating my own choreography! 

In addition to receiving a great education, my dance training has instilled a lot of values that make me the individual I am today. I love being a pediatrician but I also think it is very important to have an outlet outside of your profession in order to maintain a good work-life balance. Dance has also helped me stay in tune with my Indian heritage and culture. My parents moved from India to the US in the 1980s for a better opportunity for themselves and their future family. It was very important to them while we were growing up that we did not lose our Indian heritage. We love celebrating all of our holidays, traditions, eating Indian food and dressing up in Indian attire. I am always curious to learn about new and different cultures as well which is why I love traveling to new countries and places. Meeting new people and learning all about their different traditions and customs is fascinating!

Lastly, I am really looking forward to forming new relationships with the SSP community and cannot wait to take care of all of my new patients. ​
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