Forensic medicine determines medical facts for legal cases, including cause of death and evidence gathering. Forensic experts can work in emergency rooms, crime scenes, and as consultants or lab technicians. Education in medical sciences and pathology is required.
The branch of medical science known as forensics is devoted to ascertaining medical facts relevant to a legal case, primarily those involving crime. When a cause of death seems suspicious, medical examiners may perform toxicology tests and postmortem examinations to determine the exact cause of death. Forensic experts are especially helpful in providing evidence in a criminal trial.
Forensic medicine is not limited to postmortem examinations and autopsy reports. Under certain circumstances, many patients who enter a hospital emergency room are seen by a coroner. Some of these cases involve patients who may have been physically abused or sexually harassed. If so, a forensic expert can gather evidence needed to support a legal case, such as blood, tissue or semen samples. Similarly, pediatric forensics often deal with child abuse cases.
A medical examiner typically has specialized training in anatomical or clinical pathology. In forensic pathology, the pathologist will determine the cause of death in suspected cases. A clinical pathologist will provide evidence taken from blood, urine, tissue, or other samples that have been analyzed in a laboratory. Anatomists examine the body to investigate injuries that may be related to an unnatural death.
A forensic doctor may also be present at the crime scene to provide evidence to the justice system. He can examine the location of a body, although hair and blood samples can be collected by specially trained police officers. However, forensic experts are not always called to the scene of a crime and this can vary by location and jurisdiction.
Various forensic careers include a forensic consultant and a forensic laboratory technician. Forensic counsel can work with attorneys in providing the evidence needed for criminal convictions. The forensic lab technician performs the toxicology tests and can present his or her findings to the lead medical examiner. He may also conduct polygraph tests for suspects in a criminal trial or civil case.
Those involved in forensics must have a formal education in medical sciences. In many cases, the forensic expert will also have completed a pathology residency, as well as postgraduate coursework. Chemistry courses, as well as courses in law and government, can be helpful in learning the fundamentals of forensics. An online degree may also be possible if you are pursuing a career in forensics.
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