Forensics:Questions you wish you asked

[DebDynamite]

Hello all. I am very fortunate to have two interviews this week for forensics fellowships. For those of you who have gone through the fellowship. what are some questions that you wish you had asked? I will be very happy to receive an offer from either program.

One thing I am curious about is psych testing. How thoroughly do we need to know about the different tests ( ie do we ever administer them?) ? How will I be exposed to ( and therefore educated about ) psych testing, I am wondering about this.

Any other good questions I might ask ( both for the sake of having good questions and also issues I might wish I had known about)?

Thanks!

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[DebDynamite]

Here's what I asked about last week:

-psych testing (as above)
-average number of reports generated per week (dictation system available?)
-percent of civil & criminal cases on average, % outpatient vs inpatient
-amount of time per week spent doing meds in prison (or jail)
-unique opportunities program X would provide, research & scholarly expectations
-preparation for court testimony- how they do it
-didactic schedule
-conservatorship and competency to work exams - how many can fellows do

I received an offer from the first place I interviewed two days later. So, I think my questions were adequate. It's pretty late in the season, I was relieved. Next interview - later this week!

 

[nitemagi]

Like every other training opportunity, it's always useful to ask about what graduates have gone on to do and where, and to ask for a list of graduates with whom you can talk and pick their brain about strengths/weaknesses of the program.

You touched on this, but when I researched forensics fellowships (didn't end up applying), I was also told that %time doing care vs. evaluations. Many programs fund themselves through giving general psychiatric care to forensic populations, at the expense of time spent learning to do evals and writing reports.

 

[DebDynamite]

Like every other training opportunity, it's always useful to ask about what graduates have gone on to do and where, and to ask for a list of graduates with whom you can talk and pick their brain about strengths/weaknesses of the program.

You touched on this, but when I researched forensics fellowships (didn't end up applying), I was also told that %time doing care vs. evaluations. Many programs fund themselves through giving general psychiatric care to forensic populations, at the expense of time spent learning to do evals and writing reports.

Thanks for pointing that out.
I am leaning towards the program with less prison time. At the end of four years, it was hard for me to imagine making a commitment to another year, however forensics is "different" enough that I can stand it.😍

 

[dmantooth]

I'm just finished my 3rd year residency forensics rotation and am thinking about the fellowship. My program doesn't have a fellowship itself. I've been reading past posts on here to learn a little more as well. Any advice on the timeline for getting things started for the application process? Did you have to submit a competency exam writing sample to the programs as well? Thanks

 

[whopper]

Questions to ask.

1) How long will I have to drive between sites required for the program? Reason why this is important is several programs will request that you drive on the order of 2 or more hours a day. I'm not joking about this. Reason for this is most universities are located in a more cosmopolitan location, but the psychiatric institution or prison is in an area considered the boondocks, and that's where you'll have to be.

In many programs expect to put on at least 20K miles of driving simply for the fellowship.

2) Will the program teach you psychological testing...especially malingering testing?
3) Will they reimburse you for the AAPL training course and pay for lodging?
4) How many publications do the faculty have?
5) Private cases, will they allow you to do them?
6) Major cases such as malpractice, murder, rape, arson, will they allow you to work on them?
7) What's the general mix of cases? Criminal vs. civil.
8) How much individualized attention will you get?
9) Try to get a feel for the personality of the people there. Given that it'll likely only be you and up to maybe 2 more fellows at most (Most programs have 1-3 fellows), you need to make sure you wil be able to get along with the faculty. This is not a situation where if you don't like the PD, it's as if you're not going to interact with him/her much. I've seen horror stories of fellows hating their PD, and unfortunately, a lot of fellowship PD have big egos especially in this field. Many forensic psychiatrists have made big money and have been the only one in town for decades despite actually not knowing much real forensic psychiatry. If you don't like the PD, prepare to have a tough year where you'll have a narcissistic guy rake you through the coals.
10) Will the program teach you how to do a real evaluation? I've talked about this several times in other threads. Some forensic psychiatrists are hired guns who'll do anything to win the case for their lawyer. That's not what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to do the best evaluation possible that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Several psychiatrists have claimed to be expert witnesses in areas where psychiatric training really does not offer any expertise.
11) How much sensitivity is put to the issue of possibly being a hired gun? What does the program do to try to prevent that (if at all...some will not.)
12) What is the quality of the forensic facility where you will work. Most places are literally on the order of a dungeon. This will affect you psychologically and will likely be much less safe.
13) Report writing: how much training will the program give?
14) How much does the program incorporate real forensic science into their curriculum? This is something of a repeat of above. Several programs are more about teaching you to convince a jury despite that your evaluation may have no scientific merit whatsoever (again, the hired gun phenomenon). Others are about truly pushing the field to advance and give something based on real evidence.

Along with the above, any other questions you'd ask any residency program such as the moonlighting opportunities, salaries, other benefits, etc.
I'll jot down more if it comes to me.

 

[DebDynamite]

Whopper, this is an excellent list. I really appreciate it and I will read over it again before my last interview later this week. I will be very glad when the season is over and I know where I'm ending up. Also, I may come back to this thread and add some questions that I was asked.

Thanks again!