Clinics and Emergencies

Clinical programs—and the clinicians who run them—are regularly called upon to respond to emergency situations. These engagements can be rewarding, personally and professionally. But, as we know from our own work as immigration clinicians, emergency lawyering also presents pressure points for clinicians. Our hope in writing this article is to surface and critique the dynamics that arise when clinicians are called upon to engage in emergency work. Specifically, we aim to expand on the literature of clinics and emergency responses by reflecting on the ways in which emergency responses have drawn significant energy and time from clinicians, including ourselves. As a path forward, we offer a framework to evaluate whether and how to undertake an emergency response, allowing clinicians to more comprehensively evaluate the impact of such work on ourselves as well as our programs, institutions, clients, students, and communities.