Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship

Our fellowship is a 1-year, full-time, ACGME-accredited program that provides comprehensive academic and practical experiences in civil, criminal, correctional, and consultative Forensic Psychiatry that develop the skills necessary to ethically and effectively interface with the legal system.

2024-2025 Fellow: Maravet Baig-Ward, M.D.

Fellows gain experience in court-ordered forensic evaluations; examination and treatment of criminal offenders in jail and outpatient settings; dangerousness assessments; civil assessments for involuntary mental health treatment and treatment over objection; and mental health diversion court clinics. We offer extensive opportunity for consultation with attorneys and courts, courtroom testimony, and interaction with private practitioners in the community.

Curriculum

Our year-round lecture series covers core topics in the theory and practice of forensic psychiatry. Didactic sessions include history of forensic psychiatry; roles and responsibilities of forensic psychiatrists; assessing criminal competence and responsibility; testamentary capacity; civil competencies; assessment of dangerousness, assessment of sexual misconduct; corrections psychiatry; legal regulation of psychiatric practice; writing of a forensic report; juvenile justice systems.

Landmark Cases Class

This 90-minute weekly class focuses on landmark cases in mental health law.

Research and Scholarship Seminar

Fellows develop skills to review medical and legal literature in forensic psychiatry; explore theoretical and practical foundations of mental health law, cultural, societal, and ethical influences on both legal and psychiatric applications; and contribute to the forensic psychiatry literature.

Legal Digest Seminar

Fellows familiarize themselves with new legal opinions from state and federal courts where mental health/illness is a primary issue.
Rotations
Our rotations include an inpatient corrections unit, a court clinic, a forensic state hospital, an outpatient forensic psychiatric clinic, psychiatric consultation services in a general hospital, and forensic private practice rotations.

Dallas County Jail Health System
- Carry out suicide risk assessments using evidence-based evaluation tools and make treatment recommendations
- Carry out competence to stand trial evaluations
- Write competence to stand trial reports
- Give expert testimony on cases that proceed to court
- Participate in dangerousness assessments
- Make recommendations for management of individuals with dangerous behaviors
- Participate in the assessment of individuals in the Sex Offenses Management Program
- Review police and crime scene reports pertaining to cases
- Observe any cases that go to trial at the Dallas County court.
- Rotate through the Dallas County District Attorney and Public Defender’s office to gain exposure to preparation of court cases
- Experience consultation and testimony within the juvenile justice system
- Interface with probation officers, judges, psychologists, and medical staff serving a youth population, learning the special perspectives and concerns of these professionals
- Experience assisting and educating child and adolescent psychiatrists performing forensic evaluations
Terrell State Hospital
- Carry out competency to stand trial evaluations on individuals found not competent to stand trial at the inpatient competency restoration unit
- Participate in the competency restoration processes
- Write forensic reports
- Receive 1:1 supervision on the roles and responsibilities of a forensic psychiatrist
- Observe manifest dangerousness review board meetings
Dallas Metrocare Special Needs Offender Program
- Carry outpatient clinical cases and, under faculty supervision, provide psychotherapy and medication management to individuals with mental health issues who are on probation or parole for various offenses
- Participate in and observe hearings in various diversion courts in the Dallas County courts
- Participate in Assertive Outreach teams in the community management of patients managed by SNOP services.
Parkland Memorial Hospital
- Carry out dangerousness evaluations and evaluations for civil commitment for patients at the Parkland Hospital inpatient service
- Give expert testimony at the Dallas County Mental Illness court
- Participate in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics meetings of the hospital, where fellows observe administrative issues in the running of a county hospital
- Carry out a quality improvement project and submit a written report to the Program Director by the end of the rotation
- Attend Ethics Committee meetings at Parkland Hospital, under supervision
Application Requirements
Prepare Packet
- Common Application Form
- Application Checklist
- De-identified Clinical or Forensic Writing Sample
Mail Packet

Department of Psychiatry
UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Blvd
Dallas, TX 75390-9070

Additional Information

We must receive the completed application before we will interview (we conduct virtual interviews).

GME Policies

Please note that as part of the application and interview process for a potential fellowship position in our program, we are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and you would need to meet ACGME requirements for matriculation in our program.

If you have questions about your application or the interview process, please contact us.
- Program Director: Kehinde Obikoya, M.D., Email
- Program Coordinator: Ty Sanders
  Phone (214) 648-7486
  Email
Upon graduation from our training program, most of our graduates seek board certification. The process of board certification is separate from training and has additional requirements. Some board organizations require completion of all your education in an ACGME-accredited training program. Please contact the appropriate certifying board to understand your eligibility for board certification before accepting (if offered) a fellowship position at our institution.

Sample Contracts, Salaries, Benefits