Dr. Michael P. Choi, DO

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Get to know Bariatric and General Weight Loss Surgeon Dr. Michael P. Choi, who serves patients in Florida.

Dr. Choi is a well-respected bariatric and general weight loss surgeon in private practice in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He specializes in a variety of bariatric, hiatal hernia repair, gallbladder, acid reflux, open and robotic hernia, as well as other weight loss and gastric related surgeries. 

Over the years, Dr. Choi has performed over 5,000 successful weight loss procedures and became one of South Florida’s top bariatric weight loss surgeons. He is the only surgeon in all of South Florida who is performing the Da Vinci Robotic Gastric Sleeve Surgery, which draws patients not only from all over the state, but also from other states and even foreign countries. 

“I chose this area of specialization not only because I understand how necessary and life-saving the weight loss can be for many people, but also because I find this path extremely rewarding, as I am deeply moved by all the positive changes I see in my patients after they undergo bariatric, gastric or other weight loss surgeries. Seeing how much people’s quality of life improves after all that excess weight they have been carrying around for years and struggling to lose on their own literally melts off them within a few months and seeing excitement, happiness, and gratitude in their eyes is what drives my passion for what I do” expressed Dr. Choi

Putting his extensive experience to work every day, he helps his patients to gain control over their weight, achieve longer, healthier, more fulfilled lives, beaming with all the experiences they wanted, but could not have because of their weight. 

After graduating from Tulane University, Dr. Choi earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also completed his surgical residency training at Peninsula Hospital in New York, where he served as Chief Surgical Resident. 

Dr. Choi finalized his training by accomplishing a subspecialty fellowship education at the University of California Davis, focusing on bariatric and minimally invasive surgery. It was during that training that he developed intense interest in weight loss surgeries, after witnessing firsthand the amazing results, health and quality of life improvements in patients that underwent bariatric surgeries. 

Upon completion of his extensive training and advancing his surgical skills, Dr. Choi joined a private practice surgical group at Dobbs Ferry Hospital in Dobbs Ferry, New York where he performed many different weight loss and bariatric surgeries, including Lap-Band and gastric bypass procedures. Since he was born and raised in South Florida, he eventually decided to come back and help patients in the community that he grew up in and felt very connected to. 

With an unwavering commitment to his specialty, the doctor is board-certified in surgery by the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery (AOBS). The AOBS is an organization that provides board certification to qualified Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine who specialize in the use of surgery to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Licensed to practice medicine in the state of Florida, New York, and California, Dr. Choi is credentialed at Broward Health Imperial, Broward Health Medical, and Broward Health North. He also serves as a Clinical Instructor of Surgery at Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine.

On a professional level, Dr. Choi is a respected member of the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons.

Bariatric surgery is the medical term for a variety of procedures dealing with obesity. Long term weight loss through the standard of care procedures is largely achieved by altering gut hormone levels responsible for hunger and satiety, leading to a new hormonal weight set point. A bariatric surgeon is a medical professional who specializes in performing weight loss surgeries for individuals struggling with obesity. 

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland. A general surgeon performs a wide range of abdominal surgeries for many forms of intestinal and abdominal wall neoplasms, gallbladder disease, gastric and pancreatic disease. They follow the patient through critical care and surgical recovery all the way to outpatient care. 

Outside of performing surgery, Dr. Choi enjoys weightlifting. His favorite place to vacation is in Aruba. He speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.

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