Forensic Pathology & Autopsies
Forensic pathologists are medical doctors (MDs) who are employed by various state, federal and local agencies and hospitals, and perform autopsies on the deceased. It is the pathologist's job to determine the cause of death for an individual and to provide a thorough description of the state of the body, both internal and external.
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Function of a Forensic Pathologist
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A forensic pathologist is an MD with advanced training in pathology and forensics. He is charged with making a determination as to how a person died and to provide written and visual documentation of any other pathologies, injuries and other pertinent information related to the state of the deceased's body. Additional testing, such as toxicology panels on tissue, is performed as warranted. Pathologists may be called on to testify in court regarding the autopsy findings.
Training Required
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Forensic pathologists go through the same training as any other MD, which includes four years of college, four years of medical school and four to five years of training/residency. Most pathologists choose to pursue additional training in order to obtain certification from the American Board of Pathology (ABP).
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Autopsy Process
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An autopsy is the examination of a body postmortem by a trained pathologist. The process involves a thorough internal and external exam as well as tissue testing. After carefully noting any external injury or trauma, the pathologist opens the body with a large Y-shaped incision, stretching from the upper chest to the groin. He notes any trauma that is observed, and removes, examines and weighs organs. The skull is opened so that the brain can also be removed and weighed. Tissue samples are taken from each of these areas for further testing. Following the exam, the body is sewn up and released to the family, and the pathologist forwards his report to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Additional Staff
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In many larger medical examiner's offices, pathologists are aided by support staff throughout the autopsy process. Pathologist's assistants are licensed allied health care professionals who assist with dissection, gross examination and documentation. Autopsy assistants or technicians may also be employed, and are generally responsible for duties such as transporting bodies and samples, weighing organs and clerical tasks. There are no specific educational requirements for autopsy technicians, while certified pathologist assistants are graduates of an accredited two-year training program.
Application to Forensics
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Autopsy findings are used by law enforcement agencies as evidence in cases of unexplained or sudden death. During a murder trial, a forensic pathologist may be called to testify regarding the time or cause of death and additional details about the state of the victim's body.
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References
Resources
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