Session 406 - Forensics in Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship: Evolution and Value

Abstract

Abstract: As of 2015, there were approximately 47.8 million adults ages 65 or older in the United States and older adults represented 14.9% of the U.S. population (United States Census Bureau, 2016). Despite this growing population, there are small numbers of psychiatrists choosing to pursue subspecialty careers in geriatric psychiatry, with fewer than 60 individuals completing subspecialty training in geriatric psychiatry (ACGME, 2015). As forensic psychiatry fellowships do not have a geriatric focus, geriatric psychiatry fellowship is the ideal place to educate the future cohort of psychiatrists, who are serving the older population in forensic matters. ACGME has developed geriatric psychiatry milestones which have been designed to evaluate fellows in the context of their participation in their ACGME-accredited fellowship training program. However, individual training programs are left with the task of developing curricula to meet the training needs that will address the topic of forensics within geriatric psychiatry training programs, and as such, the teaching of forensic aspects of geriatric psychiatry varies across fellowship programs. UCLA has been developing a curriculum involving integrative encounters combining the education of geriatric psychiatry fellows with that of law students ending with the practical experience of a mock trial. Participants of this symposium will gain the knowledge necessary to create integrative educational experiences for geriatric psychiatry fellows which will develop the skills necessary to serve as an expert witness or provide testimony for probate conservatorship hearings. Reference: Read S, Kaufman A, Hackman D. Geriatric Forensic Psychiatry Training in Forensic and Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowships. In: Holzer JC, Kohn R, Ellison JM, Recupero PR, Eds. Textbook of Geriatric Forensic Psychiatry. London: Oxford University Press, in press.