Program Overview

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine offers a range of programs, including the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program.

Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program

The Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program at the University of Cincinnati aims to train ethically sound forensic psychiatrists adept at communicating psychiatric findings to broad audiences. The program is ACGME-accredited and provides direct supervision and feedback in conducting forensic evaluations, writing reports, and offering testimony.

Program Details

• The program is headquartered at Summit Behavioral Healthcare (SBH) where fellows perform competency to stand trial evaluations, criminal responsibility assessments, guardianship evaluations, and violence risk assessments.
• Fellows receive didactic instruction in a range of forensic topics, including a separate legal didactic track with a UC Law Professor specializing in mental health law.
• Fellows have recurrent testimonial experience providing independent expert evaluations for civil commitment in the Hamilton County Probate Court.
• Most fellows graduate having testified between 125-150 times.
• Additionally, fellows treat individuals incarcerated at the Adams County Jail and through the Adams County Probation Services clinic.
• They participate in biweekly mock trials and case conferences with other Ohio fellowships, and they hold interdisciplinary monthly journal clubs.
• Fellows are also encouraged to participate in a wide range of civil and criminal private casework with UC faculty members.

Program Goals

The program aims to train fellows to:

• Conduct independent, objective, and in-depth evaluations
• Construct an organized and well-reasoned opinion
• Communicate that opinion effectively in written reports and oral testimony
• Deliver compassionate psychiatric care to the population of people with mental illness involved in the criminal legal system

Program Leadership

The program is directed by Christopher P. Marett, M.D., M.P.H., and the associate program director is John Henning, M.D. The program also includes a forensic psychologist, Amanda Dolan Psy.D.