April 8 - Psych Grand Rounds

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Grand Rounds 2021-2022

Originally recorded on April 8, 2022 

Laura Burdette, M.D., Forensic Psychiatry Fellow, Community and Public Safety Psychiatry Division, and Alex Tillotson, M.D., Forensic Psychiatry Fellow, MUSC

Overprotected: A Practical Review of Guardianship and Conservatorship

Drs. Burdette and Tillotson will define key terms related to guardianship and conservatorship, review the role that guardianship plays in psychiatric subspecialties, and discuss alternatives to guardianship and conservatorship. They will conclude the session with a discussion of a the Britney Spears conservatorship case which has garnered media attention and raises important questions about these topics.

Laura Burdette, M.D. is a Forensic Psychiatry Fellow at the Community and Public Safety Psychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctor of medicine degree at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Dr. Burdette completed her residency training at MUSC where she served on the selection committee. Additionally, Dr. Burdette was elected by her peers and faculty as a Chief Resident during her fourth year of residency. In her current role at MUSC, Dr. Burdette conducts forensic evaluations (e.g., competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility), serves as a Designated Examiner at Berkeley and Charleston County Probate Courts, and provides medication management services at the South Carolina Department of Corrections and the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. She is currently an active member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law and the American Psychiatric Association.

Alex Tillotson, M.D. is a Forensic Psychiatry Fellow at the Forensic Psychiatry Program in the Community and Public Safety Psychiatry Division of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and attended medical school at the MUSC College of Medicine. Dr. Tillotson completed his internship and residency in psychiatry at MUSC. In his role as a Forensic Psychiatry Fellow, Dr. Tillotson conducts forensic evaluations (e.g., competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, guardianship and conservatorship), provides medication management for the South Carolina Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice, and serves as a Designated Examiner for Charleston and Berkeley County Probate Courts. Dr. Tillotson is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, South Carolina Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and the Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists.

At the completion of the presentation, attendees will be able to:
1) Define key terms related to guardianship and conservatorship
2) Describe the role that guardianship plays in psychiatric subspecialties
3) Identify alternatives to guardianship and conservatorship 

Questions? Email us

Supporting Psychiatry Grand Rounds

Psychiatry Grand Rounds are coordinated by the Department's Office of Continuing Education, Community and Alumni Relations and hosted free of charge to attendees. Grand Rounds are an opportunity to share knowledge and are part of the tradition of a medical school and a teaching hospital. Through philanthropic support of the Psych Grand Rounds Lecture Series, we are ensuring the future of medical education at MUSC and maintaining a valuable health care asset for our community. Join us and make a gift to Friends of Mental Health today.