Program description
The Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services provides an extensive one-year training in both civil and criminal forensic psychiatry. The teaching staff consists of two forensic psychiatrists, one forensic psychologist, one attorney who is also a clinical psychologist, one forensic neuropsychologist, and one child and adolescent psychiatrist.

The forensic fellows receive their clinical training at Oklahoma Forensic Center providing patient care for those previously adjudicated Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity/Mental Illness as well as patients receiving competency to stand trial restoration. The fellows will conduct regular forensic evaluations, including both adjudicative competence and violence risk assessments, through the Oklahoma Forensic Center. Fellows will also perform legally complex forensic psychiatry consultations through Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health and Oklahoma State University Medical Center. Additionally, fellows will have the opportunity to work with legal counsel performing forensic psychiatric consultation services.

The weekly forensic psychiatry didactic courses include a Landmark Case Seminar, a Forensic Case Seminar (covering criminal, civil, adult and juvenile cases), a Forensic Topics Didactic Seminar, and a Forensic Psychological Testing/Research Seminar. Extensive supervision is provided in forensic report writing and testifying in legal settings. In addition, fellows are trained to administer, score, and testify on a range of structured assessment instruments including the assessment of general and sexual violence risk, malingering of psychosis, traumatic reactions, and cognitive impairment, competency to stand trial, and juvenile competency and risk assessment.

Apart from annual stipend and benefits, program benefits also include a fully paid trip to attend the annual meeting of AAPL and the three day review course immediately preceding the meeting.