Dr. Ahmed is an Addiction Psychiatry Fellow, Boston University Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Appelbaum is Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine, and Law, and Director, Center for Law, Ethics, and Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York.
Disclosures The authors report no financial relationships with any companies whose products are mentioned in this article, or with manufacturers of competing products. Appelbaum receives grants from NIH and Templeton Foundations.
Dr. Ahmed: What advice do you have for those contemplating a career in forensic psychiatry?
Dr. Appelbaum:Residents thinking about undertaking training in forensic psychiatry should come to one of the annual meetings of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the major professional organization of forensic psychiatrists, which takes place every October. That will give them a good feel for the scope of the field and the types of work available. Many residencies offer rotations in forensic psychiatry, another opportunity to learn about the field, and even in programs that don’t, highly motivated residents are often able to arrange electives working with forensic psychiatrists in the community. Doing a research project in the area is another great way to learn more about the field. The more you know before you make a decision, the better that decision will be.
