Challenges in Founding and Developing Medical School Student-Run Asylum Clinics

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Public Health
• Immigration Law

Background:

• Student-run asylum clinics (SRACs) provide essential pro bono forensic medical evaluations for asylum seekers in the US.
• SRACs operate with unique models and face distinct challenges compared to traditional student-run health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common challenges encountered in establishing and operating SRACs.
• To gather insights for a structured approach to collaborative problem-solving among SRACs.

Main Methods:

• Data collected via online surveys in 2017 and 2018, and semi-structured phone interviews in 2018-2019.
• Participants included representative medical student leaders from SRACs across the United States.

Main Results:

• Common challenges were identified across five key areas: volunteer recruitment, clinic operations, case demand, institutional support, and leadership.
• Analysis revealed specific difficulties within each of these operational domains.

Conclusions:

• SRACs experience multifaceted challenges that impact their ability to provide services.
• Ongoing extramural collaborations are recommended to help SRACs overcome shared operational and systemic obstacles.