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Business 1010 E-Portfolio Project: Forensic Pathologist

Cassandra Bourdeau

Salt Lake Community College

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Job Description

Forensic Pathologists investigate deaths that may have been death the result of an

accident or an injury, suddenly and unexpectedly, suicide or homicide is suspected, unknown

body has been found in a ditch on a country road, etc. These are the type of deaths that are

referred to the Coroner for investigation on how they died. (Ranson, N.D.) The Pathologist will

examine and potentially an autopsy may need to be done. The pathologist will look at

documentation of the medical histories of patients who have died in hospital and external

examinations of the deceased which will be integrated with the CT scans and blood results. The

pathologist reviews the hospital and medical records as well as the police reports as to find out

the circumstances the body was in when found dead. CT scans, x-rays, blood draws, etc. are

done to help the pathologist with the investigation in how the deceased died.

Some cases can take a while especially if it was a brutal death. The pathologist studies the

wounds to find out how strong the perp was, if there were two perps, how the victim was

positioned when they died, and much more. The pathologist may find many reasons the person

could have died but the main goal is to find the main one that the cause of death. When all the

information including the history, the results of the autopsy and the laboratory tests are

completed, the pathologist concludes to the cause of death. A report is written summarizing the

pathologist findings. The forensic pathologist can expect to be subpoenaed to testify before

courts and other tribunals about the pathologic findings and conclusions. Coroners, medical

examiners and pathologists provide copies of their official reports to parties, such as insurers or

public agencies, having a legitimate interest in the cause and manner of death of citizens. (What

is a Forensic Pathologist?, N.D.)

General Education Experience

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To attain forensic pathology as a medical specialty it takes many years of training. First

must go to undergraduate school and major in forensic science to attain pathologist level that

requires a doctoral degree that entails 4 years of medical school. After medical school they must

complete a three to four-year residency that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for

Graduate Medical Education. (Forensic Pathologist Salary, N.D) As well as a one-year

fellowship at an approved medicolegal investigation facility, which is a coroners or medical

examiner’s office. In part of that they are expected and required to perform at least 200 and 300

autopsies a year as part of their accreditation. To become a board certified forensic pathologist,

you must pass a written and practical exam set by the American board of pathology and be

recertified every 10 years. (Forensic Pathologists, 2011)

Average Salary

A salary for a forensic pathologist can change based off experience, location, employer,

and specialization. Salaries for pathologist that work at a hospital tend to make more than those

for medicolegal forensic pathologists who work a coroner’s or medical examiner’s office.

(Forensic Pathologist Salary, N.D.)

Indeed, showed an average salary of $166,000 for forensic pathologists that reported their

income to the site. But based on exploring careers website a pathologist salary can range from

$105k to $500k.

Career Outlook

According to Forensic Pathologist Salary and Job description article there is a shortage of

pathologists which is delaying autopsies across the Unites States. With the rate of roughly 500,00

deaths annually there us twice as much needed pathologists to fulfill job roles and to get
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autopsies done and accurately. The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)

recommends that pathologists perform a maximum of 250 to 350 autopsies annually, but not

being met due to the not having enough qualified pathologists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics

projects that there will be a demand in the pathology field between 2014 and 2024. For forensic

science technicians, there’s an anticipated 27 percent increase in job openings to increase much

more rapidly than the average growth expected. (Forensic Pathologist Salary and Job

Description, N.D)

Bio of someone in the profession

Dr. Judy Melinek- Board Certified Forensic Pathologist

Dr. Melinek is an American Board of Pathology board-certified forensic pathologist

practicing forensic medicine in San Francisco, California, and CEO of PathologyExpert Inc. She

studied pathology at University of California, Los Angeles. She then went on to be a forensic

pathologist at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office from 2001-2003. She has testified

in many criminal and civil cases in many states.

She has been qualified as an expert witness in forensic pathology, neuropathology and wound

interpretation. She has had subspecialty training in surgery. She trains doctors and attorneys on

forensic pathology, proper death reporting and certification. Dr. Melinek is also very well

published in peer-reviewed literature. (Dr. Judy Melinek)

Pros and Cons

Disadvantage is that many say there isn't enough material support or direct connections to

pathology departments in medical schools and training hospitals, where students could get more
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exposure to the work of forensic pathology. I also would think it could be frustrating when you

can’t figure out why someone died even after the autopsy is done and have gone over all the

medical records. Also, the psychological affect a job like this can have on you with handling

dead bodies all day and being around gruesome stuff as well as dealing with heartbreaking

stories of how the person died. As well as helping the grieving families understand what

happened to their loved one be a difficult part of the job.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is when I can figure out what caused the death of an

individual that others have been stumped about, and when doing so brings closure to a grieving

family. I also take tremendous pride in being given the responsibility of testifying truthfully and

effectively in court. Explaining the circumstances of a death to a jury so that those twelve people

can effectively perform their civic duty is a rewarding requirement of my professional duties.

One main advantage of the job would be the pay. Pathologist earn a pretty big salary. Also

bringing the families of the deceased closure would be a great feeling. Also since pathologists

get to testify in court cases, they can help bring justice by sharing their findings of the cause of

death and help put away the bad guys.

Your “fit” with this career

I have a love for science and the human body. I love anything medical related. The way

the body functions, acts, how strong it can be, etc. To be a pathologist you must have a love for

medicine and science. I would be perfect for this career since I have love for both. I have always

been intrigued by death as well. It’s sort of creepy but I have always wanted to investigate a

death. Being a detective, you just find the person that committed the crime but the pathologist

gets to find the cause of death and really get their hands dirty.
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References

A.(n.d.). Forensic Pathologist Salary & Job Description. Retrieved from

https://www.forensicscolleges.com/careers/forensic-pathologist

Dr. Judy Melinek. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pathologyexpert.com/drjudymelinek/

Forensic Pathologist. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://explorehealthcareers.org/career/forensic-

science/forensic-pathologist/

Forensic Pathologists: The Death Detectives. (2011, February). Retrieved from

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/post-mortem/things-to-know/forensic-

pathologists.html

Ranson, D. (n.d.). A Day in the Life of a Forensic Pathologist « Victorian Institute of Forensic

Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.vifm.org/our-services/forensic-services/medico-

legal-death-investigation/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-forensic-pathologist/

What is a Forensic Pathologist?. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://omi.unm.edu/about/faq/forensic-

pathologist.html

What it's like to specialize in forensic pathology: Shadowing Dr. Melinek. (2017, May 10).

Retrieved from https://wire.ama-assn.org/life-career/what-it-s-specialize-forensic-

pathology-shadowing-dr-melinek
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