Frequently Qsked Questions
If you have a specific question and can’t find the answer in our FAQs on this page, use the contact form below to contact a member of our team.
Answers about Memberships and our Refugee Conference
If you've got a question about our annual refugee health conference, or becoming a member of our society, we've got you covered.
I submitted an abstract. When will I find out if my abstract was accepted or not?
We generally send abstract notifications by the end of March or early April.
Do I have to be a Society member to submit an abstract or to register for the conference?
No! You do not have to be a Society member to submit an abstract or to attend the conference. We welcome everyone’s contributions to refugee and migration health. Society members do receive a discount on conference registration, so you might consider joining but it is not mandatory.
Do you offer conference scholarships for students?
We have conference scholarships available for any individuals – students or professionals – with lived experience of forced displacement and resettlement. Unfortunately due to funding constraints we do not have scholarships available for students who do not have lived experience.
Students who are not Society members receive $100 discount on the conference registration. Student Society members receive $200 discount on registration, so we encourage students to become Society members. Students have also found success asking their universities for small grants to support their conference participation or asking the team they are presenting research on behalf of to sponsor them.
How do I login to my Society member account?
You can login to your Society member account to view your membership level, renew your membership, and view your benefits here.
There are so many associations out there. Why do we need the Society?
Before we started the International Refugee & Migration Health Conference (previously offered as the North American Refugee Health Conference) and then subsequently the Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers, there was no North American entity educating healthcare providers about how to deliver medical care to refugees. It is the equivalent of being a practicing cardiologist but having no society of cardiologists, journal, conference, or other avenue to perfect our craft.
Other associations have refugee health as one of many competing priorities – such as a sub-committee or interest group. And, other associations do not tend to bring together multi-disciplinary professionals as does our Society.
Since our 2015 founding, we have grown to encompass all refugee and migration health providers, including clinicians, health providers, service and (re)settlement providers, researchers, policy makers and more across North America and abroad. The Society is 100% dedicated to serving individuals and organizations that provide for the health of refugees and other forcibly displaced populations, regardless of their discipline. For us, refugee and migration healthcare is not an afterthought…… it is the only thing we do.
How do I receive my Society member discount for the conference?
Sign in to your member account to access the discount for the Society’s International Refugee & Migration Health Conference (previously offered as NARHC).
When and where will the next International Refugee and Migration Health Conference take place?
The 2026 International Refugee and Migration Health Conference will be held in the beautiful city of San Diego, California, USA, from June 26-28, 2026. Ready for an unforgettable experience right on the marina? Join us as we bring together experts from around the world to discuss and advance refugee and migration health! Learn more about our Refugee Health Conference here.
When will conference abstract submissions open?
Our call for abstracts for the 2026 International Refugee & Migration Health Conference (previously offered as the North American Refugee Health Conference) are now open. Join our listserv to receive conference updates. Please visit our Abstract Submission page for all the details including a link to our abstract guidelines and the submission portal.
What is your annual conference?
Our annual conference is the International Refugee & Migration Health Conference. We previously offered this conference as the North American Refugee Health Conference or NARHC. Attendees have been asking us for several years to change our conference name to better reflect their impressively expansive work, and at the 2024 NARHC we did! We’re delighted at the 2024 conference to have welcomed 1,083 participants from 21 countries (including 45 U.S. states and 7 Canadian provinces) serving over 1.4 million refugees and other forcibly displaced populations. 2025 was a tough year for everyone doing this work, and we were so pleased to still have over 600 people come together in solidarity. Don’t miss out on 2026 IRMHC! Learn more about our conference.
Are there organizational memberships and/or organizational discounts if multiple staff register as members?
Yes. We don’t have an official discount policy but if your organization wants to support multiple members please reach out to us and we will be happy to discuss a discount based on multiple memberships.
How Can We Help?
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If our FAQs left you with more questions than answers, don’t worry! Use the form below to reach out, and our friendly team will get back to you. Whether it’s about the International Refugee and Migration Health Conference or joining our lively Society, we're here to help.
