Program description
The U.C. Davis Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship provides extensive training in both civil and criminal forensic psychiatry. The teaching staff consists of nine psychiatrists with Added Qualifications in Forensic Psychiatry, one forensic psychologist, one forensic neuropsychologist, one family law attorney, one Sacramento County Superior Court Judge, one Sacramento County Associate District Attorney, and one Sacramento County Supervising Public Defender.

The 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.

The forensic fellows receive their clinical training in a wide variety of forensic settings. These rotations include training in forensic units at Napa State Hospital, Sacramento County Jail, Sacramento County Superior Court Expert Witness Panel, and consultations with private criminal and civil attorneys.

The forensic fellows are assisted with developing a forensic research project or paper and participate in ongoing faculty research projects. Additionally, a specialized course on how to be a communicative and dynamic presenter is given.

Fringe benefits include provision of educational materials and a stipend for funding to the annual AAPL meeting and board review course. An extensive forensic library is available. The forensic psychiatry fellow is also given a substantial number of references consisting of over 300 forensic landmark case related articles.

"Applicant materials for the 2024-2025 fellowship will be accepted for review beginning June 1, 2023. Interviews for the 2024-2025 fellowship will begin September of 2023".