Dr Shabbir Choudhury
Senior medical claims handler
Shabbir joined the MDU in 2014 after seven years in general practice. As a claims handler, he now helps doctors who have a claim against them, working with the MDU's solicitors to defend and support them through what is a testing and often drawn-out legal process.
What sparked your interest in the legal aspects of medicine?
Even when sitting my MRCGP exam I realised I didn't want to be a GP indefinitely, so a year in to qualifying as a GP I decided to study a master's degree in medical ethics and law. I had always wanted to study philosophy as an undergraduate before I set my sights on medicine, and I realised I found law unexpectedly interesting. I then became involved in teaching these skills to other health practitioners part-time. I did about seven and a half years in general practice before I decided law and ethics were more appealing, so I applied to the MDU as a claims handler. I can honestly say I've never regretted that decision.
What extra skills or knowledge have you had to pick up?
Handling claims was a new art to me. Knowledge of the law wasn't enough, and learning to calculate loss of earnings and damages in claims proved an interesting challenge. Writing my own legal letters was rather different to the letters I would compose in medicine, and reading letters I received from solicitors often required perseverance…And believe it or not, getting used to an open plan office took much more adjusting than the work itself!
What's the most important part of the job for you?
A good outcome; defending well; supporting doctors who I can all too easily relate to, and receiving that letter from the claimant's solicitors after a long drawn-out argument, when they advise they are no longer pursuing our member. It's a great feeling.
What do you most enjoy about your role?
Teamwork and the intellectual challenge of picking holes in the claimant's solicitor's allegations and conversely arguing our case.
What skills does a great claims handler need?
A good eye for detail and not losing sight of the end goal.