A forensic medical examiner is in charge of determining a person’s cause of death. If the death appears to be suspicious, the examiner must perform an autopsy on the body and file a report with the authorities. A person must meet specific educational and training requirements in order to work as a forensic medical examiner.
In most countries, the steps to becoming a forensic medical examiner are similar. Candidates in the United States must first complete an undergraduate degree at a four-year university. Biology, chemistry, and science are common undergraduate degrees for this position. Students should enroll in one of the criminal justice or investigative studies electives if their schools offer them. Part-time jobs assisting a local medical examiner, hospital, or forensics laboratory are also options for college students.
Individuals who want to become forensic medical examiners must first complete an undergraduate degree program before enrolling in medical school. In the United States, most medical schools offer two types of medical degrees, both of which are highly competitive programs. A Doctor of Medicine, also known as an M.D., is one type of medical degree. A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, or D.O., is the other medical degree. Both of these medical degrees are four years long and meet the requirements for a position as a forensic medical examiner.
Students must complete extensive training as residents in a pathology program after graduating from medical school. Most residency programs include three or four years of work in an anatomic and clinical pathology facility, as well as one to two years of forensic pathology training. Residents assist with autopsies and work alongside licensed medical examiners. Under the direct supervision of the medical examiner, the resident can also prepare an investigative report regarding the autopsy.
To become a forensic medical examiner, a person must pass a certification exam after completing the residency program. Candidates are approved by a national and state medical examiner committee in many jurisdictions. To practice in a specific location, medical examiners must also apply for a state or jurisdictional license.
Anyone interested in pursuing a career as a forensic medical examiner should be aware that the path to becoming a forensic medical examiner is lengthy and can take years to complete. Medical examiners are frequently called upon to assist local law enforcement agencies, and they are frequently required to travel to the scene of a crime. These individuals must be emotionally stable due to the nature of the profession, as many of the autopsies are on men, women, and children who have died in violent deaths.