Curriculum
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Forensic Psychiatry Training
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Didactic Seminars |
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Seminar
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Duration (1hr./week)
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Landmark Case Seminar
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40 weeks |
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General Issues in Forensic Psychiatry |
28 weeks |
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The Forensic Psychiatrist in Court |
15 weeks |
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Fundamentals of the Legal System |
14 weeks |
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Special Topics in Forensic Psychiatry |
12 weeks |
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Forensic Systems Site Visits |
3 weeks |
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Miscellaneous Training |
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Mock Trials at National Advocacy Center |
Three times a year |
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Forensic Journal Club |
quarterly (elective) |
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Forensic Grand Rounds |
1 hour monthly (elective) |
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Master Training Schedule |
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July-December |
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Forensic Evaluation Service |
70% |
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Forensic Consultations |
10% |
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Didactic Seminars |
10% |
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Law School |
10% |
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January-June |
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Private Practice (Civil) |
60% |
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Forensic Outpatient (Criminal) |
10% |
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Corrections |
10% |
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Didactic Seminars |
10% |
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Forensic Consultations |
5% |
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Research (or elective) |
5% |
Forensic Psychiatry Training Sites
The Forensic Psychiatry Service is a division of the S.C. Department of Mental Health and an affiliate of the USC School of Medicine. Residents receive a criminal forensic experience at this facility.
Evaluation Services
Each year, approximately 1000 adult and juvenile evaluations are conducted on patients from throughout South Carolina. Some patients may be accompanied by their attorneys. Patients judged too ill to stand trial are admitted to inpatient services.
Fellows are supervised in their forensic evaluations of individuals charged with felony crimes, and make recommendations as to their competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and capacity to conform their behavior to the requirements of law. Fellows provide testimony concerning their evaluations on an as needed basis. Fellow workload consists of three evaluations per week, including one murder defendant. All evaluation reports are reviewed by a faculty member.
South Carolina Department of Corrections
Fellows provide consultation one half day a week for 6 months at Gilliam Psychiatric Hospital, the inpatient mental health treatment center for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. Fellows are involved with the treatment of the most serious mentally ill inmates in the correctional system. Fellows evaluate inmates for civil commitment and for the involuntary administration of psychotropic medication.
South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ)
This rotation is a component of a contract between the USC Specialty Clinics and the SCDJJ. Diagnoses for this patient population cross the spectrum of Axis I and II. Juveniles range in age from 14 to 18 years. For six months, residents spend four hours per week at a SCDJJ facility, learning the complexities of evaluating and treating inmates and multi-level systems coordination. Fellows perform court-ordered pre-sentencing evaluations and make specific recommendations to family court concerning treatment, diversion, and predisposition. Fellows carry a caseload of approximately five to ten juveniles.
Private Practice/University Specialty Clinics
Fellows spend 20 hours per week for six months reviewing a variety of civil cases, including malpractice, personal injury and worker's compensation. Fellows are exposed to initial discovery and trial stages of many cases. Fellows observe and assist faculty performance of civil evaluations, interaction with attorneys and court testimony.