ISM Mentor Interview

Student Name: Amber Class Period: 7th

Upton
Printed Name of Person Interviewed: Lindsey Turman
Role of Individual: Mentor
Place/Name of Business: Galveston County Medical Examiner’s
Office
Business Address 6607 hwy 1764 Texas City TX 77591
Phone Number 409-395-9274
Date of Interview November 3rd, 2018
Type of Interview: In Person

1.) For someone working in your field, please describe the fantasies versus
realities of the job.
My mentor said her fantasy for her job is that when she leaves for work in the
morning she hopes that it will be a slow day, that there will be few deaths and
no suicides, but, in reality she comes to work with 7 cases waiting for her when
she arrives.
2.) What is your current educational level? What continuing education and
training are required?
My mentor, Lindsey Turman, attended Tyler Junior College in Tyler, TX then
she transferred to Texas A&M in college station where she earned her bachelor’s
degree in Forensic Science. Following those schools, she attended the University
of Mary-Hardin Baylor in Belton, TX. Currently she is still taking college
classes, but for her position as an Autopsy Technician you need to have a
bachelor’s degree in forensic science.
3.) Please describe the typical day to day activities of someone working in your
field.
“Each morning I arrive and collect paperwork. The paperwork is presented to
the Medical Examiners during an early morning meeting. Cases are scheduled
depending on severity. Homicides and children go first. Outside Agencies, such
as Police, CPS, District Attorneys are contacted to coordinate exam time. Once
the schedule is made, I remove the decedent from the cooler and prepare them
for the post mortem exam. Photos are taken prior to exam and during the
exam. Personal property is logged in. Any medications that arrive with the
decedent are also logged in. Clothing is removed and evidence is collected. The
body is washed. Medical Examiner performs post mortem exam with my
assistance. When the exam is over decedent is placed back in the cooler and I
am on to processing the next case. Throughout the day, funeral homes arrive to
pick up a decedent. I meet with the funeral home and verify necessary
paperwork and release the decedent. At the end of the day the morgue is
cleaned and prepped for the next day.”
4.) How secure are you in your current position? What do you think is the future
of your field?
My mentor is secure in her field. She was a scene investigator at the Harris
County Medical Examiner’s Office prior to working as an autopsy technician
here. Unfortunately, there will never be a shortage of medical examiner
cases. Therefore, my mentor’s job will always be in demand and she could work
at a lot of different places.
5.) What is a typical (average or lowest to highest) salary of someone working in
your field?
Depending on your employer and your experience as an autopsy technician,
you can make from $35,000 to $70,000. Someone with a college degree, but no
direct experience will start off as an autopsy technician I, that salary is usually
around 35,000. A supervisor can make between $45,000 and $80,000. A
Pathologist Assistant can make over $100,000.
6. What potential for growth is there in your field?
Autopsy technicians range in skill level and experience. You can move through
the job title range from a level one to a level three than onto a supervisory role.
My mentor has progressed from a level I to a level 3. Once you’ve reached level
3 you are eligible for a supervisor title.
7.) Do you plan on staying in this field, if so why?
“I plan on furthering my education. I am currently enrolled in graduate school
working towards my master’s degree. I plan on applying to a pathology
assistant school. I am interested in being a scene investigator. Although this is a
different title, it is still in the same field, so do not plan on leaving this field of
work.”
8.) What do you like best about your job?
The best part about my job is putting all of the puzzle pieces together by
dissecting organs and searching for diseases, documenting injuries, determining
current medical conditions, and to determine the cause of death. I enjoy
working with police agencies by supplying them with information found during
the autopsy.
9.) What do you like least about your job?
My mentor explained that her least favorite part of the job is working on
children. When the young and innocent die from homicide or suicide it can be
very emotional and difficult to deal with. The most challenging cases to do are
infants. It is also difficult to perform an exam on a baby because they are so
small and their organs are tiny.
10.) What is the most interesting case you’ve worked?
My mentor explained he most interesting cases are when they receive a Jane or
John Doe which is a decedent that arrives to the examiner’s office without an
identity. She works closely with police agencies to determine identity by
fingerprints, DNA, and obtaining dental records.

Bulleted Summary
 Salary- 35,000-100,000
 Education- Bachelors, Masters, Pathology Assistant
 Experience- Multiple job titles
Autopsy tech
Supervisor
Pathology Assistant
Scene Investigator
 Post mortem exam- Autopsy vs. External
Medical History
Investigator report
Injury
 Determining cause of death
Dissection of organs
Disease process
Documentation of injury
Circumstances of death
 Working with police agencies, CPS, FBI
 Identifying the missing and unidentified
Fingerprints
Dental records
DNA
 Overall- Fascinating, interesting, educational, and sometimes emotional