A Forensic Pathologist's Daily Schedule

A forensic pathologist studies corpses in order to provide services such as identifying the deceased and determining a cause of death. The cause of death can be questioned in cases of an unnatural death such as homicide, whether the person had committed suicide or not, if the cause of death is undetermined or whether there is a question over whether the death was natural or not.

The examination of a corpse for determining the cause of death is called a post-mortem or autopsy. During the autopsy, the forensic specialist examines the body to determine whether any injuries exist that haven't been noted as obvious by the police, such as a stab wound, damage caused by a bullet wound or ligature marks on the neck. The specialist will also examine the organs of the deceased for any injuries or abnormalities such as foreign particles in the lungs, stomach contents and swelling of the brain. Toxicological analysis on body tissues and fluids will also be done to determine whether the deceased had accidentally overdosed or had been deliberately poisoned. The specialist will also be collecting and examining tissue specimens under the microscope to determine whether the deceased had any pre-existing diseases, as well as other findings such as gunpowder residue around a gunshot wound.

The forensic pathologist will then be compiling a report that will include the doctor's opinion about the disease, injury or pathological process that either directly or indirectly resulted in the person's death. The doctor will then be able to make an objective finding on what the cause of death was. This will help in numerous situations such as families getting closure and in cases where foul play needs to be investigated further by the police.

Training

In order to become a forensic pathologist, a doctor has to complete their undergraduate training which takes 5-6 years to accomplish. This is followed by a 1-2 year internship training phase that needs to be completed before a medical council allows the doctor to apply for a specialist position.

A specialist candidate will then apply for a position in the residency programme of anatomical pathology which takes 5 years to complete. Thereafter, the doctor will apply for a fellowship position to sub-specialise in forensic pathology and this training takes 2 years to complete. Essentially, a doctor will train and practice for up to 15 years to become a forensic pathologist.

READ Passion, Affluence, Respect: The Real Incentives behind Choosing a Medical Specialty

Non-clinical duties of a Forensic pathologist 

Where criminal or civil cases are involved, a forensic pathologist will be expected to give evidence in court regarding their findings of the deceased. They will be called either by the defense or state to give their opinion on what may have happened to the deceased in question. This can be quite a stressful time as the doctor's findings can have an impact on numerous other people's lives.

The training that is offered by the institution, where the forensic pathologist gained their qualification, does make provisions for this and they do include sessions with psychologists so that the specialist can be mentally prepared for these cases.

The Daily Schedule Of A Forensic Pathologist

Forensic pathologists will perform post-mortem examinations on a daily basis. The corpses that they will examine will include the following:

• Unidentified individuals.
• Bodies that have been severely decomposed, burned or injured and where identification by next-of-kin is not possible.
• Apparent suicides that are queried or homicides that are under investigation. Life insurance companies may also be involved in requesting that post-mortems are done to rule out deaths to gain financial benefits.
• Bodies where apparent natural death is queried. This usually occur as a request by referring physicians or the family of the deceased.
• Bodies that have been exhumed for further investigation into the cause of death.

The examination of individual corpses can take quite a long time as all of them are thoroughly examined and all organs and tissue are examined and weighed. Examination of all the corpses' genitalia, rectums and mouths will be examined to exclude any sexual related injuries or for the detection of semen.

In the cases of homicides where gunshot injuries are concerned, factors such as bullet trajectories, injuries caused by bullets, gunshot residue determination and entry-and-exit sites are all very important issues that need focus and concentration so that the correct and objective information is recorded.

Forensic pathologists can also be summoned to give evidence in court at any given time and their Testimonies can last from a few minutes up to a few days. Time needs to be taken to prepare for cases and this can also occur at any time of the week, but this may usually be done after hours.

Monday 

The forensic pathologists will complete their work at the morgue and then attend meetings, symposiums, etc. The afternoon will be used to start compiling their reports.

Tuesday and Wednesday

The specialist will use these days to follow up on investigations and tests that were requested to be done by the laboratories. The information that is gathered is then entered into the report until the case has been completed.

The full and final report on each patient will then be handed over to the relevant individuals such as investigating police officers, insurance underwriters and referring physicians.

Thursday

The forensic pathologist will continue with their normal routine performing post-mortems, collecting tissue and fluid samples and reporting on their findings. The afternoons are reserved for training under- and post-graduate students and doctors, but the main training is of post-graduate anatomical pathologists and fellow forensic pathologists. These specialist will also present clinical cases for teaching and research purposes.

READ Rebounding From Medical School Rejection

Friday

The morning are again utilised for performing their normal clinical duties, as well as following up on investigative reports and compiling their own reports on their findings.

Any unresolved administrative issues are then settled and the work week can conclude.

As mentioned, forensic pathologists use their after hour time to get ready for cases that they are involved in. There may be situations where they are needed at the morgue after hours, and there is a call roster where these specialist will be available to provide their services.