It is common knowledge that people die everyday. While some deaths are natural, many occur suddenly, unexpectedly and/or violently. It is up to specialized trained physicians to determine the cause and manner of death through close examination of the deceased (Explore). Forensic Pathologists are professionals that are not commonly talk about. Most often, people talk about nurses and surgeons, but very rarely do people talk about the physicians that work with the dead. Since Forensic Pathologists are not as well-known as other careers in the medical field, research on the nature of the job, qualification required, and challenges involved in pursuing the career is needed to discover whether or not it is a good fit. Forensic Pathologists
deal with many types of deaths. According to itsgov.com, there are five legally recognized causes of death; natural, accidental, homicide, suicide or undetermined. Forensic Pathologists work with law enforcement to determine the cause of any suspicious death or deaths that occur suddenly, unexpectedly and/or violently. Since they are handling corpses that are disfigured because of crimes, suicides, accidents, and/or illness, people thinking about becoming a Forensic Pathologists cannot be weak of heart or stomach (Hazards). Instead they should be detail oriented, since they need to pay attention to any small thing that can make a difference in a case (Careers). Also, they must be able to use deductive reasoning because Forensic Pathologists must draw conclusions based on the evidence they gather and connect information like a puzzle (Careers). And, Forensic Pathologists must also have surgical skills, since they will be opening the corpse during autopsies.
To become a forensic pathologist, the minimum amount of college education is around 13 years (Van Berkel). It takes up an immense amount of time to become an medical examiner, and as such, the field is underemployed, leading to those inefficiencies in the offices. Eliminating the coroner position does not help nor stimulate the growth of the field, since the coroner position is relatively easy to become without any college requirements. As an elected official, a coroner has the power to make decisions and is the best representatives of a community’s needs and values (Parrott). The debate should not be on eliminating the coroner position, as the job maintains the balance of workload and represents the wishes of the people in the state who elected the official.
Forensic pathologists are the people who determine the cause and time of death if the deceased person died under suspicious circumstances, whether they be violent or not. They determine if the death was accidental, a homicide, natural, a suicide, or even if the cause of death was unknown. They do this by studying said victim’s medical history, evaluating the crime scene for evidence, studying the body for any clues, and performing an autopsy. After determining the cause, time, and the manner in which the victim died, forensic pathologists make a written report on the victim and sometimes testify in court to report their findings.
When a death occurs suddenly, unexpectedly and from unnatural or unknown causes, a forensic scientist has the duty to gather and analyze evidence to determine whether the victim died from a previously undiagnosed disease or infection or from a homicide, suicide or accident (Lurigio, 2009). When considering suicide as the probable cause of death, we are looking at the act of intentionally killing oneself through one’s own effort or with the assistance of another (Sever, 2009). The resolution of the manner of death by a forensic pathologist as suicide is based on a series of factors which eliminate natural causes of death, homicide and accident (Geberth, 2013, p.55). The cause of death is also determined by the medical examiner in conjunction with the crime scene investigator; however, it can only be determined after a thorough investigation is concluded. Therefore, in the complicated process of doing a death investigation there are several mistakes that should be avoided, which are discussed in Geberth’s article, Seven Mistakes in Suicide Investigation (2013). Mistakes in doing any death investigation affect the integrity of the evidence in determining the cause of death and in its admissibility in court.
I was sitting in the old rickety chair that looked as if it had been there for five years. The smell of gunpowder hung in the morning air as I leaned over the rifle rest. My finger wrapped around the trigger as my eye focused through the scope of my grandfather’s Springfield ’03. I took a deep breath and let half out. My finger tightened on the trigger as I awaited the recoil and crack of the gunpowder igniting. Finally, when my finger’s pull was enough to move the trigger, the gun went off. Moments like this are why I love shooting guns.
I chose to research the profession of a homicide detective. This profession interests me because I find solving a puzzle satisfying, by picking up the pieces (evidence) and fitting them together I can solve the mystery of the homicide. This of course is something I will have to work toward, as I cannot become one right out of the gate. First I will have to be a police officer. I have to be a police officer first because I need to gain experience in the criminal justice world and with victims/ suspects. Depending on the town I choose to pursue my career in I could have to start as a patrol officer or at a jail. I am doing things now to try and set myself apart from other candidates so if the time does ever come for a promotion I can be one step
Imagine yourself as a mortician, certified as an embalmer, retort operator, funeral director, and a funeral cosmetologist. You get a call late at night, there’s been a terrible accident and someone has died. You arrive at the hospital and are directed to a small room where the body of the deceased is being held. There’s blood all over the sheets as the doctor and coronary assistant zip up the body bag and inform you the body was badly mangled in a car accident, which is going to make reconstructing the deceased very difficult. Your assistant puts the body on the stretcher and loads it into the hearse while you talk to the wife of the deceased man. She tells you they plan to have a funeral so you give her your card and a reassuring word before leaving the hospital and driving back to the funeral home. Now your job begins, not only will you have to reconstruct this man’s disfigured body, but you must meet with the family, discuss funeral arrangements, and deal with the family’s emotional trauma that comes with losing a loved one. Although working in the funeral business can be emotionally draining, it’s a satisfying feeling to see mourning families able to say goodbye to their loved ones. Despite the fact that working so closely with the deceased can be chilling, Mortuary science can be a thrilling field to work in.
The word “Death” has connotation meaning to it. Many are afraid of the unknown, but others are fascinated. If there's death there must be a body to claim. The career of a Medical Examiner focuses on dead people. This is the next step of my journey I would like to accomplish. Due to the career research project I was capable to expand my knowledge and reflect about my future career. In this research I was able to acquire more information a about what a Medical Examiner is, the requirements and it's income.
...ogy to become more important than it has in the past. The term forensic toxicology has been identified as the examination of toxic substances in human tissues, organs, and body fluids that may have contributed or caused death to an individual (Tilstone, Savage, Clark, 2006). Although forensic toxicology is concerned with what toxic substances contributed or caused death to an individual, it also plays a major role in simple drug testing that doesn’t involve death whether it be drug screening for future employees or even testing which chemicals were involved in sexual assault cases. Regardless of the situation, a forensic toxicologist is involved with determining toxins in the body. Without the use of forensic toxicology, there would be a major hole in forensic science and would make it more difficult for determining causes and times of death in many sorts of cases.
Crime scene investigators, also known as CSIs, have played an essential role in protecting citizens, by proving who is guilty, and who is innocent. CSIs use a large amount of Science and Math skills to solve crimes, resulting in a decent income. They are specialized in forensic science in order to examine crime scenes and recover important evidence (Career Cruising).
Forensic scientists work in labs where they examine, identify, and interpret evidence collected in crime scenes. Crime scene investigators collect evidence and pass it to a forensic scientist who uses the items in numerous ways to help catch criminals. Forensic scientists must also record the evidence and any tests ran on it in detail to prove the truth in court. A forensic scientist also has to be able to present his or her physical evidence verbally in court, so a strong communication background is important.
Developing skills in order to become a successful person involves complicated steps, determination, and good interpretation. A career job continues to stay as an occupation a person remains in and continue to increase in the position level. There may be different certifications, degrees, or work experience needed for a specific career job. A career job should make a person feel excited for another work day. As an individual realizes the rest of their life, each person has different aspects to encounter. The exciting moments a career job offers encourages individuals to continue their education and research. Studying biology and criminal justice will set a foundation for becoming a forensic technician in the nearby future.
“Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)”. Explore Health Careers.Org. 18 March 2014. Web. 14 March 2014. .
It is a well-known fact that math is an essential expertise all through the world. You require math for nearly everything. Without the utilization of math inside callings, there would not be any, instructors, mathematicians, business administrators, just to name a few. A typical misguided judgement is that math will not be needed for anything after schooling is complete, but that it simply not the case. Students would lack in major business skills and everyday tasks, due to the absence of math. In fact, math is not only needed for more complex jobs like mathematicians, it is also required for simpler like cashiers. Isn’t it the cashier’s responsibility to provide you with the correct amount of change? Exactly. Math is a staple skill that cannot
After analyzing the readings on death investigations by nature they are very complex incidences requiring individuals with the skill and know how. In spite of, depictions of Hollywood's imagination on the subject there are many players involved in the foreground and background working together. First, is the first responder to the scene. The officer's role is to establish scene safety getting appropriate medical help with along with formal contact with victims and witnesses, and detectives. One "key" role in these types of crimes is establish if any artifacts (i.e. evidence) at the scene and the use of the chain of custody.
A detective must have other characteristics such as interest, suspicion, delicacy, discipline, and to be a hard worker. Detectives must not accept anything for what it looks like but the value of question they hear and see. People may lie or tell half of the true but this does not mean that they are ne...