Tyler
What's the difference between these careers?
I've researched these jobs for a long while now but can't find what's different above them. What's the difference between a Medical Examiner, a Forensic Pathologist, and a coroner? What's the exact difference? Does one of them work with the FBI? Could you still have one of these jobs, but also practice medicine? For example could I be a forensic pathologist, and practice medicine as a cardiologist? Any advice or info?? Thanks #doctor #surgeon #forensics #forensic-scientists #medical-examiner #coroner
2 answers
Gary Petito (Veteran)
Gary’s Answer
Hi,
Interesting question...I found this on a website... science dot howstuffworks dot com hope it helps a little...I would do some google searchs on all 3 careers for more specific information:
A medical examiner by definition is a physician ... In most cases, they are trained to be forensic pathologists... and are appointed to their positions. To be a coroner, you just have to be able to be elected to the job. You've got places where the local feed store operator is a coroner. I've got a friend out in Washington State who's a farmer, who's the coroner of his county.
Many coroners are qualified pathologists with years of experience. Some are physicians in unrelated fields. But depending on the county laws, a coroner may require no medical qualifications at all in order to perform his or her duty. This fact raises two questions:
First, why would a county opt for a coroner system over a medical examiners system if the differences in qualifications can be so great?
The answer is resources. In most rural areas, there may not be a whole lot of qualified forensic pathologists around nor the facilities needed for them to do their jobs properly. Additionally, rural areas with very little or no violent crime or unexplainable deaths don't need a full-time forensic pathologist.
The second question is: What is a feed store coroner going to do when faced with a dead body?
Dr Kiesel answers, "He's gonna go out and say, 'Well, he's dead.' That's the coroner's official duty."
The coroner is also responsible for:
Identifying the body
Notifying the next of kin
Collecting and returning any personal belongings on the body to the family of the deceased
Signing the death certificate
Some states, like Louisiana, require coroners to be forensic pathologists, but most county coroner systems do not. In the event that a non-medical coroner needs an autopsy performed, he or she can have it sent to a medical examiner. In some states, the government will provide the coroner with a medical examiner for the autopsy.
Rachel Weinheimer
Rachel’s Answer
The answer to this would be "No."
Pathology requires a medical doctorate. This means that you will have to complete college with a bachelor’s degree as well as all of the Pre-med requirements. GPA should probably be 3.5 or better. You will also have to score well on the MCAT. Once accepted to medical school, as long as you pass your classes and perform reasonably well during your four years of medical training, you can apply for a pathology 4 year residency.
If you wanted to be a cardiologist, you would apply for a 3 year internal medicine residency followed by a 3 year cardiology fellowship.
The difference in training for a pathologist and cardiologist is massive. These are two completely different careers.