REASONS TO JOIN
THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY
From 1981
to the present I have been deeply involved with the American College of
Forensic Psychiatry. The College is an association of psychiatrists and
attorneys and other concerned scholars who have a common interest in the
interface of psychiatry and law, with particular focus on forensic skills
in their practice. Members frequently serve the needs of the civil and criminal
courts as experts by interviewing and evaluating plaintiffs and defendants,
and by rendering medical opinion to judges and juries. Each year since 1983
the College has hosted a symposium on forensic psychiatry and published
the American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry. Since that time we have added
an online directory for attorneys of expert psychiatric witnesses who testify
in civil and criminal courts. The American College of Forensic Psychiatry
is complementary to, rather than competitive with, AAPL. We are largely
a younger and smaller association that focuses on the skills and practice
issues of forensic psychiatry. Our members come from all parts of the U.S.,
Canada and other nations.
Michael F.
Cleary, M.D.
Scottsdale,
Arizona
I have been
attending American College of Forensic Psychiatry meetings regularly since
the first meeting that was given in Santa Barbara in 1983. I was so impressed
and gratified that this symposium has now become the highlight of my academic
year, and the conference I most enjoy. This level of satisfaction is, in
my experience, very unusual compared with most meetings I attend, and there
are several unique features of these meetings that I would like to point
out.First of all, the psychiatrists, attorneys, psychologists and other
mental health professionals who regularly attend are exceptionally friendly,
stimulating, talented and experienced in a wide variety of the many areas
of forensic psychiatry. The organization of the meetings is superb, the
presentations of high quality and often controversial, the topics cutting-edge,
and the caliber of the speakers extremely high. While lectures and workshops
dominate most conferences, ACFP emphasizes the practical understanding and
management of specific areas in forensic psychiatry, and makes for the acquisition
of increased expertise in everyday challenges in our field. Some of the
mock trials have been the best I have listened to. While the whole symposium
has an air of informality, this is accomplished without loss of excellence
and structure.
Eric W. Fine,
M.D.
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
I have been
an active member of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry for the
past 23 years. It has been my experience that this organization, through
its annual symposia and Journal, has offered a unique opportunity to meet
with participants who are on the cutting edge of forensic psychiatry and
who are actually making a living from this ever-evolving field. The group
is small and informal, allowing far more interpersonal contact than can
be found in larger, more formal organizations. In addition, the Attorney's
Directory of Forensic Psychiatrists Online allows members of this group
to be easily accessed by members of the legal profession.
Frank Master,
MD
Las Vegas,
Nevada
I am privileged
to be a member of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry and on its
Advisory Board. Besides the high quality of meetings and the Journal, the
College offers a very collegial atmosphere for forensic psychiatrists to
share experiences and to socialize with peers.
Albert Drukteinis,
MD, JD
Manchester,
New Hampshire
The ACFP has
been a valuable resource for me over the years. The annual meetings provide
cutting edge information on a broad spectrum of forensic psychiatry issues.
The Journal provides detailed information on topics selected for each issue.
The annual meetings also provide high quality CME credits in consistently
pleasant surroundings, and I look forward to renewing old acquaintances
and making new ones each year.
Donald T.
Lunde, MD
Stanford Medical
School
As a member
of many professional psychiatric and forensic organizations, I have always
found the American College of Forensic Psychiatry to be a welcoming collegial
organization, with an excellent level of professionalism. It is a forum
in which experienced and recognized international experts maintain direct
accessibility. Research, academics and practical expertise are openly and
energetically shared without pretensions. The College fosters open interchange
among dedicated and informed psychiatrists, attorneys, jurists and psychologists.
The yearly meetings of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry highlight
this unique organization's respected, dedicated forensic experts, providing
a professional, practical and relevant educational experience, adhering
to the highest ethical standards in a sufficiently intimate setting that
respectfully compliments the efforts of APPL and the APA.
Anna Scherzer,
MD, FAAP, FAACAP
Scottsdale,
Arizona
I am interested
in the relationship of psychiatry to law, ethics, philosophy, policy etc.,
and enjoy membership in a college which gives me ready access to similar
minds, either by meeting them in person at the annual meeting, or by other
forms of correspondence. I have thus enjoyed personal and professional friendships
with colleagues who share these interests, and we often think together,
chat, and write together. The college journal invites papers that reflect
these interests, will publish controversies, and is not limited to data
based research papers.
Ansar Haroun,
MD
San Diego,
California
As physicians
we are prone to focus on a central problem which must be resolved. We lose
sight of a larger issue: our role in the medical community at large. For
this reason, affiliation with an organization such as the American College
of Forensic Psychiatry is important. Membership in the College demands little
but provides a very a meaningful connection with forensic psychiatry and
offers a forum for sharing our expertise with our colleagues. I consider
the college a marvelous and unusual medical phenomenon which has no comparison
with any other medical community currently in existence. One may join if
one is qualified. One may become a fellow through mastery, not competitive
endeavors. One may attend and contribute to the yearly scholarly meeting
without confronting barriers of meaningless consequence. One may engage
members of the legal community in dialogue without rancor, but rather in
a cooperative and mutually beneficial way.
Ronald Shlensky,
MD, JD
Santa Barbara,
California
I have found
the program of the annual meetings of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry
to be very informative and of great value for the beginning as well as experienced
forensic psychiatrist. In addition to the formal program, there is a great
opportunity for interaction with your peers.
Timothy J.
Michals, M.D.
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
I joined the American
College of Forensic Psychiatry over 20 years ago as a young professional.
My first article was published in their journal. The assistance that I received
was extremely helpful in developing my professional publishing expertise.
Since that time I have attended almost all of their conferences. These conferences
have been extremely helpful, educational, and provide wonderful socialization
with the members. I have presented papers in this organization's conventions
and feel that as this organization has grown, I have grown with them. Again,
the most striking point for me is how this organization, the American College
of Forensic Psychiatry, has been sensitive and encouraging to young professionals
to both present papers and publish in their journal. This is the most important
assistance that I believe the ACFP can continue to provide.
Jamshid Marvasti, MD