Forensic psychiatry licensing question

[nancysinatra]

Ok so let's say that you want to be a forensic psychiatrist. And let's say you start to build up a referral network in multiple states, and you are asked to do work in more and more parts of the US. So then you apply for medical licenses in one state after another.

Ok this creates a huge problem! Every state medical license application wants proof of all the other state medical licenses you hold! So if it is my 50th US state license application, I'm going to have to request documentation from 49 other states.

Not to mention the costs of all these licenses, and the paperwork for renewing them. It would be prohibitive.

So how do forensic psychiatrists who work all over the US manage that?

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[F0nzie]

Paging Dr. Whopper

 

[AcronymAllergy]

I don't know how things work for physicians, but for psychologists who take out-of-state forensic evaluations, the licensing regulations generally state that you can do a certain amount of short-term work without seeking in-state licensure (assuming you're licensed somewhere).

I would imagine it's the same in forensic psychiatry, but I'm not positive.

 

[Anasazi23]

Ok so let's say that you want to be a forensic psychiatrist. And let's say you start to build up a referral network in multiple states, and you are asked to do work in more and more parts of the US. So then you apply for medical licenses in one state after another.

Ok this creates a huge problem! Every state medical license application wants proof of all the other state medical licenses you hold! So if it is my 50th US state license application, I'm going to have to request documentation from 49 other states.

Not to mention the costs of all these licenses, and the paperwork for renewing them. It would be prohibitive.

So how do forensic psychiatrists who work all over the US manage that?

I am a forensic psychiatrist.

Only certain states have laws that require that you be licensed in order to provide expert testimony. In other cases, the state medical board must be notified if you are to provide expert medical opinion in their state in which you do not hold a license. Nobody has 50 state licenses (that I imagine) because you are correct, it is prohibitive. Not to mention state-specific CME requirements, etc.

The practice of forensic psychiatry is such that you are not taking on a typical doctor-patient relationship, and therefore, as the theory goes, a full medical license is not required. If you are receiving a referral from another state to provide expert testimony, feel free to lean on the referring attorney to get to the bottom of the state requirements regarding the use of your expert opinion. They typically are familiar with this.

"Famous" expert witnesses routinely fly all over the country to provide expert opinion, but do not have licenses in those states. As stated, however, their is an effort to curtail this.

This article from the ABA, you'll find interesting.

 

[BobA]

Sazi,
Do you enjoy being a forensic psychiatrist?

 

[MrJiggles]

Out of the blue, I have very little knowledge of forensic psychiatry. Do most forensic psychiatrists have private psychiatric practices on the side? Outside of expert testimony and prisons, do you work for police forces, detectives, etc? Pardon my naiveté.

 

[Anasazi23]

I do enjoy it, though in my current situation, I provide about 80% criminal forensic service, and about 20% private practice, which entails civil forensic work and run-of-the-mill outpatient office cash-based psychiatry.