Since 2003, asylum seekers requiring a medical evaluation have been referred to the Yale Center for Asylum Medicine (YCAM) by attorneys from law schools, including Yale, the University of Connecticut, and Columbia, as well as human rights groups, including Physicians for Human Rights, HealthRight International, the American Friends Service Committee, the Center for Immigrants and Refugees, and Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, among others. These applicants describe experiencing unlawful detention, torture, harassment, domestic violence, female genital cutting, and homophobic hate crimes and come to the United States to seek safety and build a new life. The Center’s trained clinicians perform a forensic medical interview and examination to document physical and psychological scars and functional impairments. These objective findings are presented to immigration authorities and judiciary members in the form of an affidavit and/or testimony. Medical students, residents, and fellows assist YCAM faculty as they perform medical examinations of asylum applicants at Yale School of Medicine or a nearby detention facility. Trainees complete formal training to assist with evaluations. Residents, fellows, and students at the School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health learn about asylum medicine and local global health through lectures, workshops, trainings, and presentations on campus and at regional and national meetings. YCAM has hosted national meetings to teach physicians from the U.S. and Canada about forensic evaluations. YCAM collaborates extensively with legal and human rights professionals to advance knowledge and research in the field of asylum medicine.

Our program, focused on adult primary care, is known for its excellence and emphasis on prevention and wellness. We efficiently manage potential medical problems as they arise, and collaborate with specialists when needed. Our practice includes internal medicine physicians, advanced nurse practitioners, a clinical psychologist, a social worker, registered-nurse patient care coordinators, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, clerical office staff, and a practice supervisor. Our goal is to provide patients with the highest quality, personalized healthcare in the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model of care. The PCMH model of care focuses on five areas: Building strong, collaborative health care teams that work together to meet the needs of patients Providing patient-centered care addressing the whole person, respecting patients’ values and preferences Coordinating comprehensive health care through clear communication among patients, families, caregivers, medical and behavioral health providers, hospitals, and other facilities Improving patients’ access to care, through such initiatives as expanded office hours and providing email access to electronic medical records Improving health care quality and standards by providing evidence-based care, patient and family education, and self-management support We would like to hear your direct feedback regarding your experience as a patient/family member of our clinic. Please visit the YIMA Patient/Family Comment Box to provide your feedback. Sign up for MyChart , our secure online patient portal, that gives you access to all of your Yale health information whenever you need it, wherever you may be.

At Laboratory Medicine, we study the molecular and cellular components of blood and other body fluids. This work is crucial to diagnosing and managing illness and understanding the mechanisms and origins of disease.Our physicians, known as clinical pathologists, provide consultations to other doctors regarding optimal laboratory diagnostic approaches and the interpretation of complex laboratory tests. Our team includes pathologists, scientists, phlebotomists, medical technicians, technologists, and others who perform important support functions for our state-of-the-art laboratory. We are available every day, 24 hours a day, for physicians. We perform approximately 10 million tests each year, and also provide specialized high-tech testing to other hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System and institutions throughout New England, and as far away as Puerto Rico. We also operate multiple satellite facilities and patient service centers located throughout the state. We ensure that every test we offer—at every location—is accurate and reliable. When physicians request to have patients’ blood drawn, here is what happens: Collection: A doctor, nurse, technician, or phlebotomist will draw the patient’s blood. Several tubes may be needed for different types of tests. Depending on what illness the patient might have, his or her doctor may want to obtain a urine sample, throat swab, or other sample. After the sample is collected, the container is labeled with the patient’s name and other information. The sample is received and processed by the Laboratory, and testing begins: Chemistry Testing Blood and other bodily fluids are tested for chemicals, drugs, and substances that indicate disease. We check cholesterol and other tests for risk of heart disease, glucose to monitor diabetes, or thyroxin to monitor the thyroid gland. Hematology Testing We analyze the amount and function of blood cells and plasma. Examples include the Complete Blood Count (CBC) that tells the doctor how many cells of each type are in the patient’s blood, and the prothrombin time (PT) to measure the time it takes for the blood to clot. Microbiology Testing We test a variety of specimen samples for infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites. We often do urine cultures for urinary tract infections. Virology Testing We test for viral infections. This includes rapid tests for respiratory viruses such as influenza, molecular tests for noroviruses, and antibody tests for HIV. Immunology/Molecular Diagnostics Some tests are used to determine whether the immune system is functioning properly. State-of-the-art analysis of DNA and RNA is used to test for a variety of diseases and for the risk of developing certain diseases. Other specialized tests include the ANA, used to screen for autoimmune disease, and Factor V Leiden genotyping for patients with blood clots. Tumor Profiling Laboratory This lab analyzes tumor DNA to predict the sensitivity or resistance of tumors to a