The WCCHR is actively seeking clinical research professionals to spearhead research efforts in collaboration with interested medical students. All WCCHR client data collected since 2010 is stored in a secure, de-identified, HIPAA-compliant REDCap database that can be utilized for retrospective analysis.
We regularly consult our colleagues in the Division of Medical Ethics at the medical college to ensure that we do not infringe upon our clients’ rights in any way. In addition, the WCCHR makes clear to every client that declination or participation in research will have zero bearing on their forensic evaluation, medical affidavit, and immigration proceedings.
Please see below for a list of our past projects.
Past Projects:
Oren, T., Ercanli, N., Maayan, O., Tham, S., Wright, D., & Kaur, G. (2024). Treatments and interventions addressing chronic somatic pain in torture survivors: A systematic review. PLOS Global Public Health, 4(3), e0003070. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003070
Lurie J, Pietz H, Hatef C, Taki F, Lee A, Virk S, Oren T, Gbekie C, Milewski A, Boyer R, Kaur G (2024) Psychological stress, cardiovascular disease, and somatic pain in asylum seekers: a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Nature Mental Health, 2:1442-1450.
Yap A, Sundararajan R, Milewski A, Keceli M, Alkhafaji M, Kowalsky R (2024) "It changed my whole entire thinking:" Narrative Recommendations for Successful Medical Affidavit Writing for Asylum Seekers. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 107:102759
Pilato, T. C., Taki, F., Sbrollini, K., Purington Drake, A., Maley, B., Yale-Loehr, S., Powers, J. L., Bazarova, N. N., Bhandari, A., & Kaur, G. (2023). Knowledge of legal rights as a factor of refugee and asylum seekers' health status: a qualitative study. BMJ Open, 13(2), e063291. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063291
Milewski, A., Weinstein, E., Lurie, J., Lee, A., Taki, F., Pilato, T., Jedlicka, C., & Kaur, G. (2023). Reported Methods, Distributions, and Frequencies of Torture Globally: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Network Open, 6(10), e2336629. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.36629
Bhandari A, Freed D, Pilato TC, Taki F, Kaur G, Yale-Loehr S, Powers L, Long T, Bazarova NN. Multi-stakeholder perspectives on digital tools for U.S. asylum applicants seeking healthcare and legal information. Proc ACM Hum. (2022). 6(CSCW2):1-21. DOI: 10.1145/3555642.
Rodriguez-Hernandez, M., Pilato, T. C., Yerdon, K. A., Kysel, I. M., Taki, F., Yale-Loehr, S., Kaur, G., Burke, A. E., & Koscal, N. (2021). Detained. The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(19), 1785–1787. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2032690
Pilato, T. C., Taki, F. A., & Kaur, G. (2021). Safeguarding pregnant asylum-seekers and refugees during the era of COVID-19. Journal of Global Health, 11, 03026. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.11.03026
Milewski AR, Cox M, Huynh S, Kaur G, Pryor KO, Tabaie S. Sexual health knowledge in female asylum seekers living in New York City: a single-center, cross-sectional study over one year. JoGHR. (2021) 5:e2021064. DOI: 10.29392/001c.24946
Milewski A, Ackerman K, Pilato T, Shah P, & Kalman T (2021) Challenges for Students in the Creation, Growth, and Management of an Academic, Student-run Asylum Clinic. The Journal of Human Rights Practice. 13(2):456-470.
Milewski, A. R. (2020). Assisting Asylum Seekers: The Unique Expertise of Anesthesiologists. ASA Monitor, 85, 2, 6-7.
Gu, F., Chu, E., Milewski, A. R., Taleghani, S., Maju, M. Kuhn, R., Richards, A., & Emery, E. (2020).Challenges in Founding and Developing Medical School Student-Run Asylum Clinics.Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 23, 179-183.
Aguirre, N. G., Milewski, A. R., Shin, J., & Ottenheimer, D. (2020). A coding tool and abuse data for female asylum seekers.Data in brief, 31, 105912.
Aguirre, N. G., Milewski, A. R., Shin, J., & Ottenheimer, D. (2020). Gender-based violence experienced by women seeking asylum in the United State: A lifetime of multiple traumas inflicted by multiple perpetrators. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 72, 101959.
Ackerman, K., Habbach, H., Hampton, K., Rosenberg, L., Stoughton, S., & Shin, J. (2019). There Is No One Here to Protect You: Trauma Among Children Fleeing Violence in Central America. Physicians for Human Rights.
Geynisman-Tan, J., Milewski, A. R., Dahl, C., Collins, S., Mueller, M., Kenton, K., & Lewicky-Gaupp, C. (2019). Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Women With Female Genital Mutilation. Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, 25(2), 157–160.
Sharp, M. B., Milewski, A. R., Lamneck, C., & McKenzie, K. (2019). Evaluating the Impact of Student-run Asylum Clinics in the US from 2016–2018. Health and Human Rights, 21(2), 309–323.
Chelidze, K., Milewski, A. R., & Freeman, E. E. (2017). Assessing and assisting asylum seekers. Dermatology World, 7(26), 40–42.
Dubin, K., Milewski, A. R., Shin, J., & Kalman, T. P. (2017). Medical Students’ Attitudes toward Torture, Revisited. Health and Human Rights, 19(2), 265-277.
Chelidze, K., Sirotin, N., Fabiszak, M., Gallen-Edersheim, T., Clark, T., Villegas, L., . . . Ahola, J. (2015). Documenting Torture Sequelae: The Weill Cornell Model for Forensic Evaluation, Capacity Building, and Medical Education. In B. Lawrance & G. Ruffer (Eds.), Adjudicating Refugee and Asylum Status: The Role of Witness, Expertise, and Testimony (pp. 166-179). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Emery, E., Stellar, C., Dubin, K., Clark, T., Duncan, A., Lopez, A., . . . Sirotin, N. (2015). Student Leadership in the Creation and Operation of an Asylum Clinic. Health and Human Rights Journal, Perspectives.