Abstract
Full Document: Alonso-Katzowitz JS, Cardasis W, Cerny-Suelzer CA, et al: Practice Resource for Forensic Training in General Psychiatry Residency Programs. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online Supplement 2019, 47 (1). Available at: http://www.jaapl.org/content/47/1_Supplement
The Council of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) approved this Practice Resource to give guidance to general psychiatry residency directors and their core faculty members on how to both provide and improve forensic psychiatry training for general residents. This resource was developed by a work group of forensic psychiatrists who are members of AAPL's Forensic Training of General Residents Committee. The work group included several individuals with experience serving as residency training directors and forensic fellowship directors. This practice resource incorporates a review of the available literature on the forensic training of general psychiatry residents coupled with the expert opinions of experienced forensic educators. The work group's efforts were guided by the overarching conviction that “forensic psychiatry and the daily clinical practice of general psychiatry are inseparable,” and therefore “forensic training is essential for all general psychiatry trainees.”
An earlier draft of the practice resource was posted on the AAPL website in 2017 for review and comments. The draft was also presented at the 2017 AAPL Annual Meeting with solicitation for critical input. After reviewing and incorporating feedback from written comments and suggestions, the work group prepared the final version of the resource in June 2018, and it was approved by the AAPL Council in October 2018.
The Practice Resource is divided into eight sections for ease of use:
I. Background
II. Basic Forensic Training for General Psychiatrists
III. ACGME General Psychiatry Requirements Relevant to Forensic Psychiatry
IV. Forensic Experiences for General Psychiatry Residents
V. Didactics (10 core topics and four advanced topics with suggested resources)
VI. Other Free Online Resources
VII. Final Thoughts
VIII. References
Although this resource incorporates relevant Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones and forensic psychiatry requirements for residents, its recommendations go beyond ACGME requirements for forensic training in general programs. For this reason, the practice resource should not be construed as dictating practice guidelines for all general residency programs.
- © 2019 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
