Biography | Sanjiv Chopra, MD

Sanjiv Chopra, MD, MACP, FRCP (London)

Sanjiv Chopra, MD, has spent his career exploring not only how we can live healthier lives, but how we can live happier, more meaningful ones. A physician, author and inspirational speaker, he brings together insights from medicine, leadership and the science of happiness to inspire people to live with greater purpose.

A Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Chopra served for 12 years as Faculty Dean for Continuing Medical Education and holds the distinction of Marshall Wolf Distinguished Clinician Educator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

He has authored more than 170 publications and ten books. His books have been translated into Czech, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Vietnamese. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Hepatology Section of UpToDate, a clinical resource used by 2,000,000 physicians in 195 countries.

An inspirational speaker across the United States and internationally, Dr. Chopra invites audiences to think beyond professional success and physical health to consider what makes a life meaningful.

Purpose in life

Mark Twain famously said the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

My purpose

To fulfill my Dharma to teach Medicine, about Leadership and Happiness.
To do it grounded in humility, and with an ardent desire to learn every single day.
To express gratitude to my family, friends, colleagues, and students who inspire me in countless ways.
And in some small measure inspire everyone I meet.

Selected honours

1985George W. Thorn Award for Outstanding Contribution to Clinical Education, presented by the Brigham and Women’s Hospital house staff

1991Excellence in Teaching Award from the graduating class of Harvard Medical School

1995Robert S. Stone Award for Excellence in Teaching

2003American Gastroenterological Association Distinguished Educator Award

2009Elected a Master of the American College of Physicians

2012Ellis Island Medal of Honor

2021Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (London)

2026Great Immigrants, Great Americans honoree, the Andrew Carnegie Foundation (recognised July 4, 2026)

Books

Doctor Chopra Says: Medical Facts and Myths Everyone Should Know (with Alan Lotvin, MD)

Live Better, Live Longer: The New Studies That Reveal What’s Really Good and Bad for Your Health

Leadership by Example: The Ten Key Principles of All Great Leaders

Brotherhood: Dharma, Destiny and the American Dream (with Deepak Chopra, 2013)

The Big Five: Five Simple Things You Can Do to Live a Longer, Healthier Life

The Two Most Important Days (with Gina Vild, St. Martin’s Press, 2017)

Coffee: The Magical Elixir — Facts That Will Astound and Perk You Up

Conquer Your Diabetes: Prevention, Control, Remission (with Martin Abrahamson)

Ignite the Fire Within: Master Your Speaking and Writing (with Rick Najera)

Letters to a Young Doctor (with Pankaj Vij)

Explore his professional background

Medical education

Public reference sources list medical study at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. An institutional record for these training details has not yet been located.

Training in the United States

Public reference sources describe postgraduate training in the United States, including an internship, residency and fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology. Dates for these early appointments await institutional confirmation.

Harvard and continuing medical education

He is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He served as the school’s Faculty Dean for Continuing Medical Education for 12 years, leading an enterprise that reached roughly 80,000 clinicians in 150 countries each year.

Hepatology and UpToDate

A hepatologist by training, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Hepatology section of UpToDate, a point-of-care clinical resource used by more than 600,000 physicians (figure as of c. 2015).

Author and speaker

He has written books for general readers on health, longevity, happiness and leadership, including Leadership by Example and The Two Most Important Days. The Massachusetts Medical Society’s 2019 biography reported more than 150 publications and 10 books at that time.

Recognition

He was designated a Master of the American College of Physicians in 2009, received the American Gastroenterological Association’s Distinguished Educator Award, and was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2012. In 2026 he was named to the Andrew Carnegie Foundation’s Great Immigrants, Great Americans class and recognised on July 4, 2026.