Having trained in several different mental health systems, I have always been interested in how the law affected the practice of psychiatry and patient care. Although I did not have experience in forensic psychiatry, throughout medical school and residency, the cases that intrigued me the most were cases that were entwined with legal and ethical dilemmas. I was able to speak with previous graduates who trained in forensic psychiatry and went to the AAPL Midwest chapter meeting. I was fascinated by the knowledge and experience forensic psychiatry has to offer, it fitted my interest in systems issues and the cases that I enjoyed the best and that led to my decision of applying for a fellowship.
What drew you to the program at Michigan Medicine?
I wanted to train at a program with abundant educational opportunities, a variety of faculty members to learn from, and a rich diversity of cases. I loved how this program is structured so that fellows start by learning from lectures and observations, the number and quality of learning opportunities, the balance between supervision and independence, and the variety of people to learn from. The centralized structure for criminal forensic psychiatry evaluations in Michigan offers a unique opportunity to see patients needing evaluations from all over the state. I also wanted to live in a vibrant city with good food and nature and had heard great things about living in Ann Arbor.
What are some of your career interests and goals?
I am looking to pursue a career with a combination of performing forensic psychiatry evaluations and continuing with clinical practice that involves working with patients with severe mental illness.
Jessica Povlinski, MD
Q&A About Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
What got you interested in Forensic Psychiatry?
I became interested in Forensic Psychiatry during medical school when I did an elective in the subspeciality. I enjoyed how different the evaluations were from my general psychiatry rotations and how much time you could spend getting to know an individual. During residency, I completed another elective in Forensic Psychiatry and enjoyed participating in a mock trial and watching the fellow I was working with testify in court. I decided to complete a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, but continued to be interested in Forensic Psychiatry. During that fellowship, I was able to have some child forensic experiences, which cemented my desire to complete a Forensic Psychiatry fellowship.
What drew you to the program at Michigan Medicine?
I grew up in the Midwest, so I was looking for a program that wouldn’t be too far from home. I also knew I wanted to complete a fellowship somewhere I hadn’t previously trained because I wanted to learn a new system. The faculty at Michigan Medicine and the Center for Forensic Psychiatry were one of the biggest draws for me. Everyone I spoke to was friendly and seemed to enjoy their job. There were also large number of forensically trained psychiatrists, which meant I could have a variety of supervisors. I also appreciated how centralized the forensic process is in Michigan because I was interested in completing as my criminal responsibility evaluations during fellowship that I could. There were also some child forensic opportunities that solidified my decision to come to Michigan Medicine. Being in the program now, I know I made the right decision.
What are some of your career interest and goals?
I am interested in using both my forensic and child and adolescent training in my career. For forensics in particular, I am interested in continuing criminal evaluations and hopefully focusing on those for adolescents. Eventually I am also interested in exploring civil work as well. My goal is to remain in academia to continue direct clinical care for patients and education for trainees. I also hope to work within the leadership for fellowship program in the future.
Derek Stodolak, MD
Q&A About Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship
What got you interested in Forensic Psychiatry?
Well, to put it as simply as possible, I'm a psychiatrist and a lawyer. I gravitated toward those fields because I have a genuine curiosity about human nature in all of its manifestations -- especially the more extreme aspects. It's just how I am. Forensics gives me the opportunity to integrate these distinct aspects of myself and create something personally meaningful and professionally rewarding.
What drew you to the program at Michigan Medicine?
I knew I wanted to train at the best program! I rotated at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry during residency, and I came away convinced that Michigan Medicine was the place for me. I thought the faculty were excellent role models, I liked the strong didactic instruction, and I appreciated that there was a genuine emphasis on giving fellows time to take care of themselves. I saw firsthand how Michigan Medicine would give me exposure to all of the major aspects of forensic psychiatry, and how training here would help me acquire the knowledge and skills I needed as I transitioned from the clinical treatment role to being an objective evaluator on behalf of third parties, which is a major shift in identity. Plus, Ann Arbor is a wonderful city!
What are some of your career interests and goals?
My goal is to carve out my own niche involving a mix of forensic evaluation and treatment, private practice, and psychotherapy -- everything I'm most passionate about and find most professionally rewarding.