In creating the sikh medical initiative
This article is written by Prabhjot Singh, founder and current Executive Director of SMI. Below, he shares the story of how the initiative began, explains why it matters, and outlines the vision for its future. To learn more about the work behind SMI or to get in touch, email prabhjot.singh@icahn.mssm.edu.
May 1, 2025
The Beginning
It’s hard to know where to start. As Sikhs, many of us are often the only people in the room who look like us, distinguished by our turban, our uncut hair, or the kara on our wrist. As the only Sikh in my undergraduate class of 1,700, I saw how underrepresentation in academia compounds over time. Friends and family changed paths not for lack of talent, but because they didn’t have the resources to study for standardized tests, didn’t have the financial cushion this journey demands, or didn’t have mentors to decode the hidden curriculum.
I raised these concerns with leadership at my school to advocate for representation in admissions, and just as significantly, to build community pipelines that make stronger applicants. That fall, I connected with a few Sikh medical students from various states; together, we grew SMI’s presence, and word spread quickly through our close-knit community. Within a year, over 600 people signed up, not only from across the U.S., but also from the UK, Canada, the Caribbean, Ireland, and India.
The Expansion
I didn’t expect SMI to grow this fast. It felt like a part-time job, with up to 20 hours a week, while I was starting medical school, doing research, and creating space for the people I love. But the response from the community fueled us. With our advisors’ guidance, we formed a preliminary officer board and launched three pillars: mentorship, research, and outreach.
Over winter break, we opened applications and selected over 40 motivated leaders across various training levels to drive these efforts. By spring, the foundation for SMI was established: bilingual health education (in Punjabi and English), free health and dental clinics at gurdwaras, and career panels that demystify each step of the path. We also launched a mentorship program that has already paired 400+ mentors and mentees across medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, and beyond. At the same time, we established a national research collaborative to connect students with projects and teach them how to conduct clinical research.
Why It Matters
One of the most salient takeaways so far has been seeing the drastic difference in the quality of care when patients have a physician who looks like them or understands who they are and where they come from. The truth is, there are not as many Sikhs in medicine as there should be. SMI serves as a connecting link between healthcare professionals at all stages of their journey, from high school students exploring science to attending physicians in academia or private practice.
SMI also matters because it creates something beyond professional advancement—it fosters a sense of belonging. For many Sikh students, being the only person in the room who looks like them can feel isolating. Having a network that reflects shared identity, values, and experiences transforms that isolation into empowerment. In this way, SMI is not only building stronger physicians but also reshaping healthcare into a space where Sikhs are visible, supported, and able to uplift others. Already, I have seen the impact of mentorship as our members apply to summer internships they had never heard of before, learn how to conduct research, and even begin projects that focus on the health of the Punjabi community.
And just as importantly, SMI is about improving the health of our community itself. By mobilizing students and physicians, we are addressing the health needs of Sikh and other marginalized communities through clinics, health fairs, research, and culturally competent education. SMI is changing the landscape, not only for Sikhs entering the medical field, but also for the sangat whose health and well-being we are committed to serving.
The Vision
From 1947, to 1984, to 9/11, our community has faced unique struggles and has had to build itself up time and again. I hope SMI serves as a space where we can overcome the socioeconomic barriers that so often limit Sikhs from entering medicine. I look forward to a future where our community has strong representation across all academic and clinical spaces; where medical schools incorporate care for Sikh patients alongside curricula on other communities; and where health fairs and education regularly serve the sangat across the country.
I see SMI as a hub where a student interested in medicine can be connected to the right mentor, and where practitioners eager to give back have the opportunity to provide guidance, mentorship, and even scholarships that reduce the financial hurdles so many of us face. Just as importantly, SMI is a place to foster inclusive competent care that acknowledges the unique realities of the Punjabi Sikh community—substance use patterns, mental health needs, the sociopolitical climate, the impact of farming and labor-intensive work, and more. There is virtually no literature dedicated to the Sikh Punjabi community. We are often lumped under the broad category of South Asians, yet we were officially recognized as a distinct ethnic group in the 2020 Census. Our sangat has unique health needs, and we need research that speaks to our realities. I hope SMI can play a part in driving those efforts forward. Furthermore, most of our community is made up of immigrants, many working blue-collar jobs, where providing for one’s family understandably takes priority over seeking healthcare. But the needs remain. SMI is one of the strides our community is making, not only to open doors for Sikhs in medicine, but also to uplift the health and well-being of our people.
