Forensics in Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship: Evolution and Practice Value

Abstract

There are over 50 million adults aged 65 or older in the United States, representing 15% of the U.S. population (United States Census Bureau, 2018). There are too few geriatric psychiatrists to serve this population. Annually, small numbers of psychiatrists are choosing to pursue careers in Geriatric Psychiatry, with fewer than 60 individuals completing subspecialty training in Geriatric Psychiatry each year (ACGME, 2019). To meet the needs of this diverse population, clinical training in Geriatric Psychiatry must be comprehensive and evolve to ensure trainees graduate with requisite practical competence in areas within their purview. Medicolegal issues arise in the routine care of older individuals across different settings and situations, necessitating a firm understanding, knowledge and assessment skill of relevant medical, psychosocial and cognitive factors that may have legal importance. The teaching of forensic aspects of Geriatric Psychiatry varies across fellowship programs and Forensic Psychiatry fellowships often do not have an elder law component or explicit curriculum addressing the forensic needs of the older adult. Thus, Geriatric Psychiatry fellowship training is the ideal place to educate the future cohort of geriatric psychiatrists serving the older population in forensic matters. UCLA has developed an interdisciplinary curriculum involving integrative encounters combining the education of Geriatric Psychiatry fellows and law students and ending with the practical experience of a mock trial. Participants of this symposium will gain knowledge necessary to develop an integrative educational curriculum for Geriatric Psychiatry fellows that results in procurement of skills to serve as an expert witness, to write expert reports and to testify for probate or conservatorship hearings.