The value of medical students in support of asylum seekers in the United States

The global refugee/migrant crisis of displacement because of persecution and conflict carries staggering implications of ambiguity and loss for the individuals affected. In 2013, approximately 25,000 displaced people sought asylum in the United States; many of whom have experienced state-sponsored physical and psychological torture. With Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), several medical student clinics work closely with immigration attorneys and University and Community based clinicians to assist U.S. asylum seekers in their asylum claims. The Western New York Center for Survivors of Torture (WNYCST) was established in 2014 through Jewish Family Service of Buffalo and Erie County to aid asylum seeking torture survivors by providing person-centered and trauma informed care. The Center and the Human Rights Initiative at the University at Buffalo (UB) work together to provide forensic examinations for clients seeking asylum to document sequelae of torture. The students have organized the clinic such that all medical school years (1- 4) are represented. Approximately 90 medical students from all years have received specific forensic training to enable them to act as scribes for the forensic exams. Students receive training in cultural diversity, the use of interpreters, and trauma informed care. Students integrate with local refugee communities and begin to understand interactions between the legal, health, social, and justice systems. The concerted efforts by student run clinics like the HRI at UB through organizations like the WNYCST can help to mitigate the trauma, and leave students with skills that will be of use for them throughout the trajectory of their medical training.