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What does an average day in your job look like as a forensic scientist?
I am a sophomore in high school. I am very interested in forensic science but do not know for sure if it is the right fit.
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Stephanie’s Answer
I work as a serologist. I spend about 80% of my day in a laboratory. This includes some microscope work and some sampling of items by either swabbing or taking cuttings and then testing with various chemicals. I spend the rest of my average day at my computer, writing reports and answering questions. Occasionally I have meetings with attorneys who are preparing for trial or have to go to court to testify. The amount of time I spend doing that can vary greatly. Most defendants end up taking a plea but it is possible that you can end up with a string of cases where you end up testifying multiple times in a month.
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Jay’s Answer
That depends on which discipline/field of forensic science you go into. If you choose toxicology, drug chemistry, or DNA analysis, most of your time will be spending sampling, extracting and setting up vials in instruments. If you go into trace evidence analysis, you will spend hours in front of microscope. If you choose serology, you will be looking for and testing blood or semen stains on clothing and bedding. Regardless of which discipline, you will have to write reports for each case you work and possibly go testify in court as an expert witness.