Medical Evaluation of Asylum Seekers

Abstract

The current chapter focuses on the medical evaluation of asylum seekers. An expert forensic medical exam by a trained clinician can be invaluable to an asylee applying for refuge in the US. Objectivity and credibility along with detailed physical descriptions can greatly enhance the chances that a torture victim will be allowed lo obtain asylum. Immigration courts explicitly indicate that clinicians are not responsible for determining whether a client's report of abuse is true, nor are they required lo determine if a client meets the requirements for asylum. It is only necessary to use medical expertise to judge how consistent a client's history is with the injuries and emotional state. Most cases referred from law clinics and advocacy groups have been well vetted, and the findings strongly support claims of torture or persecution. Performing evaluations of torture survivors allows clinician to use their training and medical skills in an unusual manner. It is not often that a clinician can impact a person's life in this unique way. The experience of interviewing and examining people who have suffered such profound trauma is emotionally and intellectually challenging, but deeply rewarding. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)