Pathology Residency

[Krazykritter]

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I am interested in eventually becoming certified in becoming a medical examiner. I know that you do not have to do a Pathology residency, but does anyone know what a patho residency would consist of? I do not want to spend my residency looking through a microscope...so if this is pretty much what a patho residency is please let me know. Thanks

 

[DermpathDO]

I am interested in eventually becoming certified in becoming a medical examiner. I know that you do not have to do a Pathology residency, but does anyone know what a patho residency would consist of? I do not want to spend my residency looking through a microscope...so if this is pretty much what a patho residency is please let me know. Thanks

Pathology residency is not just looking thru a microscope, BUT if you don't want to look thru a microscope, better not do pathology.
A medical examiner and a coroner are two different things. A medical examiner generally is a forensic pathologist who has taken at least 2-3 years anatomic pathology residency and 1-2 years forensic pathology residency. OOps theres that dreaded microscope again. Some states will allow non-pathologists to be medical examiners, but you must be a physician who has taken special training. Most now require a forensic pathologist who is board certified because otherwise lawyers will eat you for breakfast on the witness stand because you are not a real forensic pathologist. A coroner can be anyone...you don't even have to be a doctor.

 

[BamaAlum]

I am interested in eventually becoming certified in becoming a medical examiner. I know that you do not have to do a Pathology residency, but does anyone know what a patho residency would consist of? I do not want to spend my residency looking through a microscope...so if this is pretty much what a patho residency is please let me know. Thanks

I think it would be pretty tough to be a good medical examiner without the ability to diagnose histopathology. Yes, a lot of cases are evident grossly but many are not. Like DermpathDO said the lawyers would crush you on the stand if you aren't certified in at least AP. So, bottom line is in today's climate being a medical examiner is pretty much limited to pathologists.

 

[Krazykritter]

Which brings us back to the whole hating lawyers debate...so much of medicine today is cover your ass.

Do you happen to know special training would consist of for someone who is already a physician and does not decide to go into path directly from med school?

 

[GregsAnatomy]

I just spent a day doing autopsies with the medical examiner a few weeks ago and learned a lot about this field. Most medical examiners do dual residencies in anatomic and clinical pathology, then a 1-2 year fellowship in forensic pathology. Their time is pretty evenly spent between performing autopsies, preparing case reports, and testifying in court.

Nova was just approved last year for the first-ever osteopathic forensic pathology fellowship in conjunction with the Broward County Medical Examiner's office.