From The Peopling of New York City

Dr. Jagjit Singh has been practicing medicine in Queens for the last 17 years. He specializes in Family Medicine. He speaks Punjabi and Hindi.

Were you born in the United States?

No, I was born in India.

What is your ethnic identification?

I am Punjabi.

When did you come to the United States?

I came here in 1992.

Where did you receive your medical training?

I attended medical school in India.

Did you have to do any special training in the US?

Yes, when I arrived in America I had to take tests to prove that my education was sufficient. Then I did my residency.

Do/ Did your parents live in the United States?

No they still live in India.

Where do you practice?

I work at a healthcare clinic in Brooklyn and I have my own practice in Richmond Hill.

What is the ethnic makeup of your patients?

At the clinic, there are mostly Hispanic and Caribbean people. In my own practice, the patients are mostly Indian.

Do you do anything to attract South Asians?

Yes, I advertise in Indian newspapers. For many of them, they just look at my office and my name and know to come in.

Do you think that your patients feel more comfortable with you become you are Indian?

I am not sure if it because I am Indian or because I am an immigrant. For the most part, I am able to speak to my Indian patients in a language they understand better. We also have similar culture, which may make it easier. In the clinic, I treat many people from the Caribbean who trace their roots back to India.

Do you notice any differences between your South-Asian patients and your non South Asian patients?

Many people come to me looking for a quick fix. They have no insurance and will listen to whatever I tell them. The problem is that they do not feel the need to go to a specialist. It is difficult to contact people after their initial visit because they often do not return and will not answer phone calls. As a result, I try to do as much as I can during the initial visit.

Do you think that your South Asian patients would act differently if you were not Indian?

No. They go to the doctor to look for help and that is all. The only difference would be that there would be a language barrier and they would need someone to translate whereas I can speak to them in their native language. Other than that, no. I am really sorry but I am busy and need to leave.

Thank you so much for your time.