Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship

Mission Statement

Our mission is to train residents to conduct the highest caliber of evidence-based objective forensic psychiatric assessments and consultations in both the civil and criminal justice systems.

Aims

• Train forensic psychiatry residents to conduct the highest caliber of evidence-based forensic psychiatric assessments and consultations in both the civil and criminal justice systems.
  
  
• Train forensic psychiatry residents to provide the highest level of evaluation and treatment in forensic psychiatric settings.
  
  
• Train forensic psychiatry residents to effectively communicate forensic psychiatric opinions in both a written and oral format.
  
  
• Train forensic psychiatry residents to become effective educators on issues relevant to forensic psychiatry.
  
  
• Train forensic psychiatry residents how to become effective leaders on issues related to public policy and forensic settings.

Overview

The UC Davis Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship received ACGME accreditation in 1998 under the leadership of Charles Scott, MD.  There are four forensic psychiatry fellowship positions. The 12-month fellowship provides extensive training in both criminal and civil forensic psychiatry and objective testing.  The program provides additional training in forensic research, the administration of numerous objective psychological/psychiatric assessments, and public policy as related to mental health and the law.  Fellows conduct  court appointed and private evaluations on both adults and juveniles in a wide variety of criminal and civil settings.  Specialized training tracks in child and adolescent forensic psychiatry and forensic public health policy are also available.

Extensive didactic seminars are provided for the forensic psychiatry fellow in both criminal and civil forensic psychiatry.  These include a forensic psychiatry didactic topic seminar, civil and criminal case seminars focusing on court testimony and forensic report writing skills, a seminar on key landmark mental health law cases, and a research seminar that incorporates extensive training on psychological testing instruments.  In addition, the forensic psychiatry fellows are provided funding to attend the annual American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Forensic Psychiatry Review Course and annual meeting.

The program is designed to facilitate the forensic fellow’s successful completion of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)  board examination for the Added Qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry.  Graduating fellows will be skilled in working in a variety of forensic settings and in interfacing with attorneys and courts.