Medical examiners, or M.E. for short, are highly skilled physicians who perform death investigations in any case where the death is from an accident, homicide, suicide, or when the cause is unknown. In doing so, they advocate for victims who can no longer advocate for themselves.
The ability to perform that crucial job requires several highly specialized skills that not everyone possesses, regardless of their skills in medicine.
In this article, we will examine exactly what those essential skills are.
What Is a Medical Examiner?
A medical examiner is a certified physician, usually with specialized training as a forensic pathologist or at least certified by the American Board of Pathology to fulfill that role. They’re skilled professionals who are appointed in the community they serve and are called upon to perform death investigations in any death that is deemed not to result from a natural cause.
They could be accidental deaths, suicides, homicides, contagious diseases, and other special circumstances where the attending doctor, law enforcement, or insurance agencies determine the cause needs to be investigated.
What Do Medical Examiners Do?
M.E.s are responsible for performing autopsies on the deceased, which involve an external examination of the entire body. Part of that process includes medical imaging techniques using radiology. That involves taking X-rays to examine the bones and soft tissues to aid them in their investigation into the cause of death.
Next, they conduct an internal examination performed by physically dissecting the body to determine the cause of death. Part of that includes histology, the microscopic examination of tissues, blood, or other biological specimens under a microscope. They also perform toxicological analysis to look for toxins and drugs to determine if those were involved in the death. All lab results are interpreted and documented as part of the investigation.
M.E.s also review medical records to learn about diagnosed illnesses that may have played a role and to determine if there were any undiagnosed illnesses they may need to notify the families about. Finally, in some cases, they may travel to crime scenes as part of their investigations into unusual deaths.
Sometimes, M.E.s also perform an investigation on living people in the case of things like driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs where a death is involved or in other drug-facilitated homicides or sexual assaults. In that case, they’ll collect blood, urine, and other biological specimens from the living people under investigation to aid in the death or criminal investigation.
The M.E. will collect and document all of the evidence they accumulated during the course of their investigations and communicate it to law enforcement, insurance agencies, and victims' families. They act as an advocate for the deceased victims who can no longer advocate for themselves. Part of that is that they are also often called into court to provide expert testimony about their findings, especially where the death was unlawful or in insurance investigations.
What Skills & Certification Must a Medical Examiner Possess?
It takes more than just a medical degree to become an M.E. Let’s examine this further.
A Medical Degree
Unlike coroners, all M.E.s must possess a medical degree and be certified by the American Board of Pathology in order to conduct death investigations. They usually have specialized training in forensic pathology and evidentiary procedures to ensure that the death investigation is conducted according to the highest standards and follows all the rules of law so that it can be used as evidence in court if needed.
Knowledge of Anatomy and Histology
A good knowledge base in anatomy and histology is critical to being an M.E. as they’re responsible for identifying the cause of death, which can only sometimes be found with a very thorough external examination of the deceased body and using histology, the microscopic examinations of tissues, blood, or other bodily fluids.
Critical Thinking Skills
As well as being physicians, M.Es are almost like detectives. Not unlike police detectives or insurance investigators, they must have strong analytical skills, reasoning, logic, and critical thinking in order to perform quality investigations.
Clear Written Communication
Since M.E.s must thoroughly document all of their findings in a way that’s accepted and understood by judges and juries in a court of law or other procedures, the ability to clearly communicate their findings in written documentation is essential. When called upon in court, clear oral communication skills are also essential to offer expert testimony.
A Strong Constitution
Sometimes, death can be violent or tragic, and other times, the postmortem changes in the body, including things like decomposition, insect and animal activity, and mummification, can be challenging to handle. Therefore, M.E.s must have a strong constitution to deal with the more unpleasant aspects of the job and the emotional ability to compartmentalize those tragic or unpleasant deaths so that they can still go about their daily lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of Person Becomes a Medical Examiner?
A person pursuing a medical degree with a keen interest in forensic pathology, critical thinking skills, and a knack for performing detailed investigations can become a medical examiner. That person typically also has strong communication skills and a strong constitution with an ability to compartmentalize the unpleasant aspects of the job.
Final Thoughts
Medical examiners are among our many heroes—they advocate for victims who can no longer advocate for themselves. They’re highly skilled medical doctors with abundant knowledge of anatomy and histology and specialized skills in forensic pathology.
They must also be able to use medical examiner imaging equipment to perform X-rays using medical, histology, and toxicological analyses to perform thorough and complete investigations. Other skills they need include critical thinking, good written and verbal communication skills, a strong constitution, and the ability to compartmentalize the unpleasant aspects of the job so they can still go about their daily lives.
