Available Seminars
On a quarterly basis, trainees will engage in a brown bag discussion with our faculty regarding a forensic evaluation case in which we discuss how issues of race, ethnicity, culture and diversity were considered or could have been considered, to improve the quality of our assessments and forensic practice.
The Program's main seminar is provided weekly, on Tuesday mornings (9:00am – 10:30am; 1.5 hours in length) by UMass Chan faculty and supplemented by outside presenters. The purpose of the seminar is to provide the critical empirical and theoretical foundations for specialization in forensic psychology/psychiatry. The seminar focuses on reading and discussion of relevant mental health law concepts, forensic assessment methods, research and practice related to psycho-legal issues, and ethical and cultural issues relevant to forensic practice. The seminar covers a wide range of forensic content, including topics in criminal and civil forensic evaluations, juvenile evaluations, professional ethics, and psychological evidence and testimony. The seminar, in conjunction with the Landmark Cases seminar described below, provides a good foundation for preparing for ABPP credentialing.
This seminar is taught weekly, on Tuesday afternoons (3:00pm – 4:30pm; 1.5 hours), by Ashley Murray, Ph.D. and Darina Griffin, Esq. The seminar involves fellows in the discussion of over one hundred of the most important appellate cases in mental health law. The cases cover the recommended list provided by ABPP for those seeking Board Certification in Forensic Psychology. Through this seminar, fellows learn how to read and analyze law, and how to think about mental health law and policy. The seminar also includes cases specific to practice in Massachusetts which are part of the written DFP examination the fellow is expected to take, and pass, as part of the fellowship training year.
On the first Monday of each month (9:00am – 10:30am; 1.5 hours), the faculty and trainees of the Law-Psychiatry Program meet to hear and discuss a presentation by a Program member or an outside speaker. Presentations may involve forensic cases, descriptions of ongoing or completed research projects, or descriptions of special forensic issues and programs. Fellows are expected to present both a research seminar as well as a clinical case conference during the second half of the fellowship year at this seminar series.
Fellows participate at an annual Mock Trial exercise with law students at Harvard Law School in which they travel in January to Harvard University and receive the opportunity to mock-testify as an expert witness for current Harvard Law students over the course of a full day. Harvard alumni, including seasoned attorneys and judges from around the country participate in the exercise and provide feedback to trainees about their performance. In addition, UMass Chan provides a mock trial exercise in April with experienced trial lawyers, which includes a videotape of the fellows’ testimony, as well as feedback from both mental health and legal professionals. Fellows are cross-examined on an actual report they authored for court and/or the hospital.
Other didactic experiences are available throughout the year. Fellows are encouraged to attend weekly hour-long (12:00pm – 1:00pm on Thursdays) Psychiatry Grand Rounds at UMass Chan Medical School, which often include clinical topics that are relevant for forensic work.
The Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital also runs bi-weekly (every other Tuesday) Grand Rounds presentations involving clinical topics relevant to working with a forensic and serious mental illness (SMI) population for the duration of the training year. In-service training opportunities are also available at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital and at other sites. The Law and Psychiatry Program also produces several day-long workshops for forensic mental health professionals throughout Massachusetts, which fellows attend. Fellows are expected to attend the annual conference of the American Psychology-Law Society (Division 41 of American Psychological Association) which occurs across two to three days in March. An educational stipend is provided that covers expenses of this conference.