Asylum Clinic Committee

What is an asylum clinic? 

An asylum clinic housed at a medical school is a student-run program that connects Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)-trained clinicians to political asylum seekers and their attorneys. These clinicians conduct forensic medical or mental health evaluations to uncover signs and sequelae of torture or trauma and document their findings in affidavits that serve as evidence in the client’s legal application for asylum.

To find current PHR-associated asylum clinics, click here. 

If you would like to start an asylum clinic or would like more information, please download our Asylum Clinic Guide.

Please reach out to the PHR Asylum Committee for any questions: phr.asylumrefugee@gmail.com

More Information about PHR's Student-Run Asylum Programs

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Trainings/Events

If your clinic is hosting an asylum evaluation training that you would like to be advertised through PHR channels, please contact phrsabmedia@googlegroups.com.

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New Leadership

If your clinic has recently transitioned leadership, please send the names and emails of the new leaders to phr.asylumrefugee@gmail.com so we can ensure that clinic leaders are kept in the loop.

Additionally, if you have further questions or are interested in starting an asylum clinic at your institution, please contact us at phr.asylumrefugee@gmail.com. PHR's Asylum Clinic Guide also has a wealth of information to help answer any questions.

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Donate​

Seeking asylum is a human right that not only saves lives and provides protection from unspeakable violence, but offers those fleeing terrible atrocities a chance to start over.

For 30 years, PHR has provided forensic evaluations to asylum seekers, 90% of whom are granted asylum.

Please consider making a donation to PHR today. Your gift today is critical to helping us keep up this fight.

INTRODUCTORY ASYLUM MEDICINE CURRICULUM 

The Physicians for Human Rights Student Advisory Board is proud to announce the launch of  a free introductory asylum medicine online curriculum for medical students and health professionals interested in conducting forensic medical and psychiatric evaluations. Completion of this training will prepare you to perform forensic evaluations independently or at PHR-affiliated asylum clinics.

This online curriculum was created by the Asylum Medicine Training Initiative and sponsored by the Cambridge Health Alliance, UCSF, PHR, the Society of Asylum Medicine, and Johns Hopkins. 

REGISTER

List of Modules

1. Historical Legal Background

2. Trauma Informed Interview

3. Forensic Mental Health Evaluation

4. Forensic Physical Evaluation

5. Affidavit Writing & Testifying

6. Pediatric Forensic Evaluations

7. Sexual & Gender-Based Violence

8. Traumatic Brain Injury

9. Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Asylum

10. Evaluations in Detention

11. Vicarious Trauma & Resilience