The 12-month, ACGME-accredited program offers a wide range of educational experiences in forensic psychiatry. Across various clinical and correctional settings, the fellow is trained by board-certified forensic psychiatrists and legal experts in the relevant technical competencies, cutting-edge scientific and legal knowledge, and ethical standards of the subspecialty.
Rotations and sites include clinical treatment of incarcerated individuals in correctional settings, state sanity commission services, federal criminal forensic evaluations, and privately-retained civil forensic evaluations (e.g., personal injury, independent medical examinations). Additionally, the fellow is expected to attend a weekly specialized forensic case conference and didactic seminar series, which is designed to meet requirements for the ABPN examination.
The competencies acquired during the training include assessment of various criminal and civil competencies, not guilty by reason of insanity examinations, training in Juvenile Forensic Psychiatry, assessment of post-traumatic stress disorder, intentional/negligent infliction of emotional distress, violence risk assessments, and management of potentially violent patients, sex offender assessment, fitness for duty, disability, interdiction, and other areas of private litigation, training in developmental disability, and assessment of state and federal standard of care requirements. The fellow will also recieve training in testimony and participate in a mock trial experiance over the course of the fellowship year.
The program's faculty is comprised of board-certified psychiatrists, forensic psychologists and attorneys. They teach, together with expert guest lecturers, the fellow in weekly seminars on core topics, landmark cases, clinical cases, and legal digest as well as research seminars. The fellow is encouraged to participate in the monthly inter-fellowship journal club with their peers from the other fellowship programs, and will present at the departmental Grand Rounds. Furthermore, funding is provided for travel, lodging, and meal expenses in order to provide the fellow the opportunity to attend the annual AAPL board review course and conference.