Joseph Shin

How doctors can help fix the broken US asylum system

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About Joseph Shin

Public health advocate and physician researcher Joseph Shin has dedicated his career to elevating the voices of survivors of torture, asylum seekers, immigrants, trafficking victims and individuals in immigration detention. Joseph uses his expertise to conduct detailed forensic medical evaluations to document evidence of human rights abuses and advocate against injustices. At the heart of this work are innovative interdisciplinary partnerships with legal aid and human rights organizations, combining medical, public health, research, legal and advocacy tools to advance justice, accountability, and health. Joseph currently serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine, member of the Cornell Center for Health Equity, and past Co-Medical Director at the Weill Cornell Center for Human Rights - where he oversaw the medical forensic evaluation, training and research programs, in addition to a new interdisciplinary partnership with Cornell Law School focused on health, human rights and law. He is a Physicians for Human Rights Asylum Network member as well as a recipient of the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest’s Felix A. Fishman Award for his work advancing health and justice.

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About This Talk

Child Rights Physician Joseph Shin has been working with asylum seekers who have been harmed by targeted violence and human rights abuses. At TEDMED 2020, Joseph explained that careful medical evidence documentation of human rights abuses can inform the courts and affirm the need for protection for displaced populations who may be victims of gang activity and police corruption. Joseph’s research has implications for how we offer care and assistance to the rising number of asylum seekers at our borders and in our communities.

Watch Joseph’s Talk "How doctors can help fix the broken US asylum system," for a sobering reality of our courts and immigration systems and for solutions for a hopeful future with an end to human rights abuses.


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