Because she gets so much joy from her own extended family, Khadija Farooq, D.O., family medicine is a perfect match for her medical specialty. Having relocated from Chicago to New Jersey in 2022, Dr. Farooq, a new mother herself, practices at Hackensack Meridian Medical Group—Old Bridge.

Dr. Farooq speaks English as well as Urdu and Hindi, which is fortunate, she says, because New Jersey is such a diverse state. “Getting the opportunity to use languages I know with my patients has been so helpful,” she says.

What drew you to New Jersey? 

I’m from Crown Point, Indiana, but my husband is from the East Coast, and we have a 3-month-old daughter. With a lot of our family living here, and everyone having kids, it means lots of cousins. It’s so fun to see our little one interact with the others.

Did you always want to be a primary care doctor? 

I worked as an emergency room scribe my last year of undergraduate school, and I became fascinated with medicine then. I feel we get to help people in their time of need and that we can help them find the most joy in their lives. I can see an entire family, from the very youngest member to the oldest. Knowing that family as a whole, and following up with the same people, means I develop good relationships and rapport with them. That inspires me to keep moving forward in a job I love.

You’re a connoisseur of great coffee shops in the area. What’s brewing around here now?

My husband and I try new coffee shops on Sundays, and my favorite drink is a cold brew with dark coffee and pistachio-flavored sweet foam. We discovered Penstock Coffee Roasters in Highland Park and Maman in Princeton—a cute, quaint spot.

What else do you do for fun?

We like to play board games like Codenames, Sequence and Scrabble. We enjoy hiking, especially in Sedona, Arizona. My husband cooks, and we like to try something new when he does. I also do photography and like to read.

Before I had my daughter, I rode my Peloton bike a lot and loved listening to music when riding. You can ride to specific artists, with tracks from Beyoncé, or holiday music. I want to get back to that soon.

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our source: Khadija Farooq, D.O.
• To make an appointment with a primary care/family medicine physician near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.