This fellowship focuses on the relationship between psychiatry and the law (civil, criminal, and administrative) through evaluation and treatment of incarcerated adults and juveniles, report writing (such as for competency and sanity evaluations), consultations, didactics, and research opportunities. At the completion of training, fellows will be eligible for board certification in the subspecialty of Forensic Psychiatry through the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology.
- Rotations are at Ohio’s only maximum security hospital, the Timothy B. Moritz Forensic Unit at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Corrections Reception Center (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction), Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and Netcare Forensic Center.
- Fellow will evaluate defendant and write reports, such as in competency restoration cases, as well as questions of insanity at the time of the accused crime.
- They also provide inpatient and outpatient treatment for those in maximum security forensic units, as well as outpatient treatment for mentally ill offenders who have worked their way through the hospital system.
- Juvenile offender evaluations may involve appropriateness of bind-over to adult court and treatment recommendations to the court.
- Civil cases include fitness for duty, disability, malpractice and consults for challenging patients other physicians.
- Interested fellows can also advocate and work on policy at the state level through the Ohio Department of Mental Health.
Application Process
The Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship runs every year from July to June. Applications for the upcoming year will be accepted beginning July 1. Two fellows are accepted each year.
- Candidates must be in their final year of residency or have completed a residency in an ACGME-accredited program in any medical specialty and obtain an unrestricted Ohio medical license.
Forensic psychiatry fellowship program directors of the Association of Directors of Forensic Psychiatry Fellowships (ADFPF) have chosen to use the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) in the 2026 forensic psychiatry fellow selection process for the 2027-2028 academic year. The key dates for the 2027-2028 academic year application process are:
- July 1, 2026 – Applicants may apply to forensic psychiatry fellowships via ERAS
- Interviewing begins July 15 and continues to October 7.
Forensic psychiatry fellowship program directors have also chosen to use the National Residency Match Program (NRMP Match ) in the 2026 forensic psychiatry fellow selection process for the 2027-2028 academic year. The key dates for the 2027-2028 Academic Year Match are:
- Aug. 5, 2026 – Match registration opens.
- Sept. 2, 2026 – Ranking opens.
- Sept. 23, 2026 – Quota change and withdrawal deadline.
- Oct. 7, 2026 – Rank order list certification deadline.
- Oct. 21, 2026 – Match Day. Unfilled/unmatched lists are available.
Jen Bauer
jennifer.bauer@osumc.edu
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
1670 Upham Drive
Columbus, OH 43210-1250
Phone: 614-293-8282
Fax: 614-293-4200
Fellowship Director
