Everyone wants to know the answers to the test, to find the missing piece to the puzzle, to solve the unsolved riddle; that is what an autopsy can provide: Answers. The answers can be in the form of a saving a life by finding family history of disease, research to find a cure, or clues to the last minutes of a person’s life. This paper will focus on the forensic pathologist and autopsy, the education requirements, types of autopsies, the procedure, job statistics and skills required. There are numerous shows on television today that glorify the forensic science profession, shows like Crime Scene Investigator (C.S.I.), Law and Order, and Dr. G. Medical Examiner. What the television doesn’t show you are the long hours and years of schooling
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This type of autopsy requires that the person give their permission prior to death, similar to organ donation. The customer for this type of autopsy would be teaching hospitals and medical students (What are the types of post-mortem / Autopsy examination, 2014).
The procedure has four main areas: gathering all the information, the external examination, the internal examination and reconstitution. Before a pathologist begins the examination, they gather all the information that pertains to the body they will be examining. This information can include events leading up to the death – where the body was located or circumstances surrounding the death, medical records that can include any illness or former injuries the person had while living, and interviewing family and doctors that can provide further details not in medical …show more content…
In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that fewer than 500 physicians were practicing forensic pathology in the United States. This could be due to the strenuous academics workload in order to be a certified pathologist. This is alarming due to the approximately 20 percent of deaths that are subject to investigation by medical examiners (American Autopsy Facts, n.d.). Another reason for the low number of practicing forensic pathologist is the salary; the average pay is between $80,000 to $120,000 dollars a year (Salary and Job Description, n.d.). This is considerably low for the medical field and may play a factor when choosing a specialty. Working with dead bodies, at different levels of decay, is not for the faint of heart. In addition to the medical skills of performing the autopsy, it is recommended that pathologists be great communicators, oral and written communication. A considerable amount of time is spent writing reports and testifying in court (Salary and Job Description,
This type of autopsy requires that the person give their permission prior to death, similar to organ donation. The customer for this type of autopsy would be teaching hospitals and medical students (What are the types of post-mortem / Autopsy examination, 2014).
The procedure has four main areas: gathering all the information, the external examination, the internal examination and reconstitution. Before a pathologist begins the examination, they gather all the information that pertains to the body they will be examining. This information can include events leading up to the death – where the body was located or circumstances surrounding the death, medical records that can include any illness or former injuries the person had while living, and interviewing family and doctors that can provide further details not in medical …show more content…
In 2009, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that fewer than 500 physicians were practicing forensic pathology in the United States. This could be due to the strenuous academics workload in order to be a certified pathologist. This is alarming due to the approximately 20 percent of deaths that are subject to investigation by medical examiners (American Autopsy Facts, n.d.). Another reason for the low number of practicing forensic pathologist is the salary; the average pay is between $80,000 to $120,000 dollars a year (Salary and Job Description, n.d.). This is considerably low for the medical field and may play a factor when choosing a specialty. Working with dead bodies, at different levels of decay, is not for the faint of heart. In addition to the medical skills of performing the autopsy, it is recommended that pathologists be great communicators, oral and written communication. A considerable amount of time is spent writing reports and testifying in court (Salary and Job Description,