Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
Overview
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) of the University of
Pittsburgh offers a one year long fellowship designed to prepare trainees for a
career in forensic psychiatry. Applications are currently being
accepted.
The didactic material is provided in the yearlong 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 Mayview State Hospital Forensic Unit, State
Correctional Institution of Pittsburgh Psychiatric Services, 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. 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 and
Mayview State Hospital Forensic Unit 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 a sexual
offenders program and 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, M.D.,
and Loren Roth, M.D 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.
WPIC is located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, a beautifully restored
city, located in scenic western Pennsylvania. The city affords all the amenities
of city living including a lively cultural district and the friendliness and
convenience of a small town with manageable traveling distances.
Fringe benefits include travel expenses and fees for the annual meeting at
AAPL and enrollment in the Forensic Psychiatry Review Course
See more detailed information here.
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