How to Be a Chief Medical Examiner

By eHow Education Editor

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Medical examiners have a very important job, as they are often the last to speak on behalf of the dead, especially those who are victims of crime. A medical examiner is a doctor and does require the completion of medical school, among other benchmarks. The chief medical examiner is one who is in charge of a medical examiner's office for a state or other institution.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Step1

Attend medical school and graduate with top grades, specifically in the classes focusing in forensics and even criminal law. This could include Forensic Sciences, Crime Scene Technician, Crime Scene Technology and Crime Scene Management. During your time in med school, you should decide where you would like to complete your residency and then work as a medical examiner, as grades and other accomplishments will be considered in the hiring or election process.

Step2

Apply, get selected and complete an internship, or residency. Look for an internship with a medical examiners office or in the morgue. Pass the medical board testing to get your medical license. Each state has its own testing board. See your state medical board association website for more specific information.

Step3

Consider the skills required to be a medical examiner. Most people go into the medical field to help sick people get well. A medical examiner deals with the dead to help them tell their final story. You will need to be emotionally able to deal with death while also having an intense interest in criminal studies.

Step4

Find a job or jurisdiction looking for a medical examiner. Most medical examiners are appointed much like judges. Contact the city or state you are interested in working in as a medical examiner and ask about any open positions they have or anticipate in the near future. Also ask about their appointment process and how to get your name on the list for consideration.

Step5

Show great initiative and strive to do the best. If you strive to become chief medical examiner, you need to express this to the management in the medical examiner's office where you work, then work hard and take leadership roles to become the chief medical examiner. Understand the added responsibility of the political and operational side of the medical examiner's office.