Forensic Psychiatry Inpatient

NOT AVAILABLE FOR AY2026-2027

Department of Psychiatry

  • Course Information

    Course Number: RPSY602

    Prerequisites: Completion of the Phase 2 Psychiatry clerkship

    Length of Time: 2 or 4 weeks

    Phase Availability: Phase 2 and Phase 3

    Credit Type: Physician Assessed Patient Facing (PAPFE) or Open

    Call: No overnight call

  • Contact Information

    Program Director: John Cummins, MD

    Coordinator/Scheduling: Allison King (aking75@uic.edu)

    Location: Elgin Mental Health Center (750 S State St, Elgin, IL 60123)

Narrative Description: Students will rotate on a 25-bed adult inpatient Unfit to Stand Trial unit and will be supervised by an attending psychiatrist during their rotation. The majority of the patients have been adjudicated Unfit to Stand trial (UST) and are court ordered for treatment to restore fitness to stand trial. Patients have a wide range of mental illness diagnoses, including psychotic disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse and personality disorders. The unit is staffed with a psychiatrist, primary care physician, psychologist, nurses, social workers, activity therapist, and security therapy aides. Students may also have an opportunity to rotate on a Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) unit, and may attend mental health court on campus and other court hearings in various counties as scheduled.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Use the DSM-V criteria in the diagnostic process for major psychiatric disorders
  2. Elicit and clearly record a complete psychiatric history, including the identifying data, chief complaint, history of present illness, past psychiatric history, general medical history, medications, substance abuse history, family history, and social history.
  3. Elicit, describe, and precisely record the components of the mental status examination, including general appearance and behavior, motor activity, speech, mood, affect, thought process, thought content, cognition, judgment, and insight.
  4. Formulate a biopsychosocial assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment plan.
  5. Obtain an understanding of forensic psychiatry, and learn about forensic communication, including forensic psychiatry report writing and court testimony (if scheduled and available during the rotation).

Learning Activities:

  1. Participation in psychiatric evaluation process.
  2. Participation in individual and group therapy process.
  3. Participation in treatment staffing meetings.
  4. Participation in daily community meetings.
  5. Participation in the 1-hour seclusion & restraint assessments.
  6. Participation in family therapy processes as applicable.
  7. Participation in discharge planning processes throughout the course of treatment.
  8. Attend court hearings when court is in session.
  9. Participation in activity therapy sessions.
  10. Observe and assist in forensic psychiatry report writing, including status and fitness reports.

Method of Assessment:

  1. The existing Elective Evaluation form will be used to provide feedback to the student about their performance. Grading method will be consistent with College policy.
  2. Completion of the Direct Observation Form will be documented.

Required Reading:

  • Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-V Kaplan and Sadock Synopsis of Psychiatry
  • Readings as assigned by preceptors

Additional Resources: Stahl SM. Prescriber’s Guide: Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology, 6th Edition. Cambridge, 2017

Miscellaneous Information: None