CFMS LATS Workshop – Into the Mind of Darkness: Forensic Psychiatry as a Field That Explores the Most Dangerous and Most Marginalized

Description: Forensic psychiatry stands at the crossroads of medicine, law, and social justice, uncovering the complex psychological landscapes of individuals deemed the most dangerous – and often the most marginalized – in society. This workshop will introduce medical students across Canada to the field’s critical role in assessing criminal responsibility, risk, and rehabilitation highlighting societal inequities and promoting ethical responsibility in medicine. Through real-world cases and expert insights, participants will explore the ethical challenges, societal impact, and medical responsibilities involved in working with offenders, victims, and vulnerable populations entangled in the justic system. Whether you are drawn to psychiatry, law, or social advocacy, this session will chalenge your perceptions and deepen your understanding of medicine’s role in the pursuit of justice.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Maryana Kravtsenyuk is a forensic psychiatrist who completed psychiatric training at the University of Alberta in 2015 and a forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of Toronto in 2016. Her practice is currently based at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, though she maintains positions across multiple jurisdictions in Canada (i.e.throughout Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories). Her practice is very diverse, including work in secure and rehabilitation units, outpatient forensics clinics, correctional clinics in provincial and federal institutions, and courts. She also conducts third-party medico-legal psychiatric assessments for criminal and civil proceedings. In addition to this work, she is highly committed to research and medical education at the undergraduate and resident level. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, at the University of Alberta and at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. She is an active member of the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (CAPL), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), and the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA).