Elective

Description of Elective: The AECOM Forensic Department at BPC is the home of the Forensics Fellowship for AECOM/Montefiore as well as the NYS Division of Forensic Services (DFS) Forensic Coordination for the borough of the Bronx. The division offers access to a wide range of forensic services, spanning criminal/civil consultation, NYS mental hygiene law evaluations, report preparation, risk assessment, testimonial supervision, and court diversion services. Working alongside the faculty and the fellows in the division, trainees will have the opportunity to observe and participate in different aspects of this work and gain a unique exposure to forensic psychiatric practice in NYS. Learning activities are varied and may include assisting a multidisciplinary team at a court diversion office to provide client evaluation and court recommendation; participating in risk assessment and report generation for hospitalized patients as part of statutory requirements under the criminal procedure of law or per primary team request; attendance at forensic lectures with current forensic fellows in the New York and New Jersey forensic fellowship programs. Other opportunities, such as observation of Hospital Forensic Committee at BPC, are scheduled as they arise.

Learning Objectives:

1. Gain exposure to the everyday work of a forensic psychiatrist.
2. Improve ability to appraise the style and content of a forensic psychiatric report.
3. Appreciate the wide range of types of work forensic psychiatrists perform.
4. Develop comfort working with patients/clients with a forensic history.
5. Explain the different forensic statuses in NYS, and how each status is managed longitudinally by Division of Forensic Service (DFS) of the NYS Office of Mental Health.

Supervision Structure: Primary supervision will be provided by Dr. Maryam Jahdi, Associate Program Director of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship.

Electives are offered between October and May of each academic year, for two-to-four-week periods, for one resident at a time. Preference will be given to 4-week electives.