USC ELECTIVE

Institution: USC and SCDMH

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Duration: 4 weeks

Course Offered: Throughout academic year

Number of Students: One (1) per rotation

Students Report To: 3555 Harden St. Ext. (15 MP)  Suite 301.  Contact Dr. Richard Frierson at (803) 434-2808 or rfrierson@gw.mp.sc.edu  for instructions or questions.  Fax: (803) 434-2985

*USC SOM Third Year Elective

The general goal of this elective is to provide supervised clinical education experiences in forensic psychiatry evaluations. The student will acquire basic knowledge in forensic psychiatry and how this knowledge is used for developing opinions in criminal court cases. This will include familiarity with psychiatry and the legal system, the concept of competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility, the concept of capacity to conform behavior, the diagnoses frequently evaluated in the forensic setting , and the various tests for criminal responsibility, including the test used in South Carolina.

The student will be involved in outpatient forensic evaluations with the course director for competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility along with accompanying the course director when testimony is provided in court. The student may also accompany the psychiatrist to a civil forensic clinic one-half day a week and to a psychiatry clinic at the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

Reading assignments with tutorial discussions will supplement clinical experience.

The primary emphasis will be upon teaching via supervised psychiatric interviews and observation. Case conferences, individualized didactic teaching, and independent study will be used if needed to supplement the experience.