Emily Haimes
MEDICAL EXAMINER

Correct Name of the Career
o Forensic Pathologist

Education and/or Training Required
o Forensic pathologists should have very good communication skills, confidence in
their findings, public speaking skills, excellent writing skills, and a strong
stomach.
o High school courses for anyone interested in becoming a forensic pathologist
should take chemistry, biology, physics, social sciences, English, and any
mathematics course they can. They should also take medical law, anatomy,
microbiology, and physiology. Future forensic pathologists should participate in
science fairs and uphold leadership positions all throughout their high school
career.
o Forensic pathologists should major in forensic science. Forensic pathologists
should focus on patient care while in medical school. Forensic pathologists have
to be certified through the American Board of Pathology and must maintain this
certification by retaking and an exam every ten years.
o Forensic pathologists must go through a residency program after medical school.
These programs usually last around 3-4 years. After the residency program,
forensic pathologists must then complete a 1-year forensic pathology fellowship.
Forensic pathologists must be a licensed physician before completing any
postgraduate work. They must also pass a certification test that is taken after the
1-year fellowship.

Responsibilities and Daily Activities
o A forensic pathologist’s daily activities and responsibilities include performing
autopsies on deceased humans, studying the medical history of each person on
each case, collects evidence for testing, and testifying their findings in court.
Forensic pathologists must also be able to have knowledge in toxicology, blood
analysis, and tracing evidence to use.
o There is no difference in specialization for forensic pathologists because forensic
pathology is a specialization of pathology.
o Most forensic pathologists work in laboratories, while some work at medical
schools and hospitals. Forensic pathologists, under normal circumstances, work
for the federal government, but can also work for their city, state, county, etc.

Salary Range
o A forensic pathologist’s salary is anywhere between $76,000 and $211,000.
o The average salary for a forensic pathologist is $187,199.00
o Experience is a big variable in determining a forensic pathologist’s salary. A
forensic pathologist who has been working for their first year will make
anywhere from $76,000 to $16,000. Someone who is in the middle of their career
might make anywhere from $122,000 to $211,000.

Documentation of Sources
o Education Portal. (nd). Forensic Pathologist: Education Requirements and Career
Information. [accessed 20 September 2014]. Retrieved from http://education-
portal.com/articles/Forensic_Pathologist_Education_Requirements_and_Career_I
nformation.html
o
Explore Health Careers. (2014). Forensic Pathology. [accessed 20 September
2014]. Retrieved from
http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/129/Forensic_Pathologist
o Franklin, Barry. (nd). Forensic Pathology Career & Salary Outlook. [accessed 21
September 2014]. Retrieved from
http://www.forensicscolleges.com/careers/forensic-pathologist

Self-Reflection
o Yes, I have heard of this career before.
o One positive thing about this career is that cause and manner of death are
determined by this job, which can supply justice to certain cases, such as a
murder case.
o One negative thing about this job is that it is emotionally stressful. Being a
forensic pathologist would mean having to talk about the victim to their
parents/guardians/relatives/etc. That would cause a lot of emotional stress not
only on the relatives and such, but also on the pathologist themselves.
o I would love to have this job.
o I would find it very intriguing to determine how someone died. I would love
being able to work with the tools that are used in autopsies.