Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
Overview
The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) offer a one-year fellowship designed to prepare trainees for a career in forensic psychiatry. Applications are currently being accepted.
The didactic material is provided in a year-long seminar covering a core curriculum designed to include all the relevant topics, both criminal and civil, in forensic psychiatry. A special seminar on the landmark cases is included. The University of Pittsburgh Law School provides a course in mental health law for the fellows.
The major strength of the program is the depth and range of the clinical
experience. Rotations include the State
Correctional Institution (SCI) of Pittsburgh Psychiatric Services Unit, juvenile court
assessments, family court assessments, and an intensive outpatient treatment
program for mentally ill offenders. Civil cases are referred from various
sources, which yields a wide range of experience including assessments for PTSD,
psychic damage, disability determinations, malpractice evaluations, and the
detection of malingering. The Allegheny County Behavior Clinic is an agency of the
criminal court of Allegheny County and the second oldest diagnostic court clinic
in the United States. The inclusion of the Allegheny County Behavior Clinic in the rotation assures the fellows of the
opportunity to assess the defendants in every major criminal case involving
psychiatry in Allegheny County. Additionally, opportunities are provided for
rotations through the Allegheny County Sexual Offenders Program and the New Castle Youth Detention
Center, as well as additional experiences in surrounding counties. Clinicians
who have practical experience and are recognized authorities in their fields
including Robert Wettstein, MD, and Loren Roth, MD provide supervision.
Fellows are expected to participate in teaching programs for the residents and medical students. Research with opportunities for original projects or participation in ongoing studies, particularly in risk assessment for violence, is sponsored by an active and nationally renowned staff.
Additional benefits of the fellowship program include a travel stipend to cover expenses and fees to attend the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) annual meeting and enrollment in the Forensic Psychiatry Review Course.
