Psychiatric Resident Participation in an Asylum Clinic: a Single-Institutional Experience

This study describes the experiences of adult psychiatry residents working in an established faculty-led asylum clinic within a community-based, academic residency program at the Cambridge Health Alliance.

Eighteen psychiatry residents who participated in the asylum clinic were sent electronic surveys asking about their background and experience. Respondents' responses were collected anonymously.

Sixteen out of 18 (89%) trainees responded. Thirteen respondents had a personal history with immigration. Fifty-three percent of residents wanted to utilize their professional standing to advance moral good. Writing up affidavits was noted to be challenging by nine (60%) of 15 trainees. Ninety-four percent (15/16) of trainees noted that they would be willing to perform future evaluations. Most noted that performing evaluations had a significant impact on their clinical practice and their conceptualization of their own roles as psychiatrists.

Participating in asylum evaluations impacts residents' sense of themselves as psychiatrists and expands their views about psychiatrists' roles.