03/02/2026

Meet KPMA Secretary/Treasurer, Dr. Ali Farooqui

Can you please let us know about yourself? 

Dr. Ali Farooqui: I am a Louisville based interventional psychiatrist and am grateful that I have the opportunity to work with my friends and mentors at Integrative Psychiatry.

My family is from Karachi – which is the largest and most populous city in Pakistan, and we lived in the middle east for a number of years before immigrating to the US. I now consider myself a Kentucky man: I went to high school in London, KY; attended college and medical school in Lexington; and not live in Louisville with my wife and dog. I take pride in the fact that I have been to every county in the Commonwealth.

I have made a few transitions in my career, all of which were instrumental in my growth as a doctor and a person. I started my medical career in neurological surgery, transitioned into the world of finance and private equity which led to some work in the business and administrative world of medicine. I then re-entered into residency, but this time in psychiatry.

What inspired you to choose psychiatry as a career, and what continues to motivate you in this field today? What do you find most fulfilling about working as a psychiatrist, both professionally and personally?

Dr. Ali Farooqui:  I love the neurosciences. The complexity of the neurological system makes other disciplines boring in contrast. It is, in my opinion, the final frontier of medicine. When I wanted to come back to medicine and practice again, psychiatry presented opportunities that the other two neurological specialties could not, and these traits of the field provide daily inspiration and motivation.

First, our field focuses on the quality and not just quantity of life. We care about the experience of living. This is in stark contrast to other fields where success is measured in reduction of mortality with little attention to morbidity. Second, our specialty is well balanced. We are able to treat patients biologically, and psychologically. We are required to think of the whole person. We have at our disposal the tools to treat with advanced neuromodulation, pharmacology, and therapy. We are well rounded, and this places us in a unique position where we can understand dysfunction in a person on a holistic scale. Third, we are also pragmatically balanced with the ability to work in a number of settings with innumerable options in style and pace of practice.

What are some common misconceptions people have about psychiatry, and how do you address them in your work?

Dr. Ali Farooqui:  I spend a lot of time addressing the misconception that psychiatric illness is failing on the part of the patient. My philosophy of care is that psychiatric disorders are neurological disorders with behavioral and emotional manifestations. Therefore, my style of practice focuses on the treating the disorder. This philosophy allows patients to see pharmacotherapy as essential tools in their care, and recontextualizes psychotherapy as active self-driven neuromodulation.

What challenges have you faced in your psychiatric career, and how have they shaped your perspective or practice?

Dr. Ali Farooqui: The world of medicine is changing and the challenges that I have faces are not unique. Access to care for patients, the ever-increasing difficulty navigating the byzantine insurance and health structures, and the adversarial anti-science culture in society. Thankfully, this has not deterred patients from seeking professional advice from their physicians and I continue to find my work rewarding and fruitful.

What advice or message would you like to share with medical students or upcoming psychiatrists who are considering this path?

Dr. Ali Farooqui:  Psychiatry is fun and complex. It is not algorithmic. Our field is one of two where skills matter as much as knowledge (the other being surgery). We cannot afford to be dogmatic. It is very easy to be a decent psychiatrist. A good psychiatrist must recognize the biology of the disorder in the context of society, psychology, personality, genetics, and medical advances. A great psychiatrist is a good human being above all else.

 

Dr. Ali Farooqui, Secretary/Treasurer, KPMA