Course Catalog

 
STP2262 INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PATHOLOGY AND MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATION
Department PATHOLOGY Campus Birmingham
Course Type(s) Special Topic Facility Cooper Green Hospital
Course Director DANIEL S. ATHERTON, MD Enrollment Limit 1
Contact FATIMA IGDOURA Enrollment Minimum 1
Email figdoura@uabmc.edu Address WP 210
Phone (205) 934-1916 Fax
Weeks
Normally Offered
See Offering Dates		 5-5, 17-17, 44-44
Prerequisites * * * WRITTEN APPROVAL REQUIRED * * * Successful completion of first year of medical school. 
Specific Clerkship Prerequisites:
Visiting Students
No LCME students accepted.
No osteopathic students accepted.
Course Description Forensic Pathology is a division of Anatomic Pathology that is specifically concerned with the investigation of deaths that fall under a suspicion of criminal violence or criminal neglect, deaths that could be the result of trauma or violence,or deaths that occur in other suspicious or unusual circumstances. The Jefferson County Coroner's I Medical Examiner's Office (JCCMEO) investigates such deaths in Jefferson County, Al. Forensic pathologists combine scene investigation, postmortem examination, and laboratory analyses to determine the cause and manner of such deaths and frequently share their opinions in a court of law. This course will introduce interested medical students to forensic pathology by giving students the opportunity to observe and assist in postmortem examinations at the JCCMEO. Students will learn how a forensic pathologist utilizes scene information, clinical information, postmortem examination, and ancillary laboratory data to formulate a reasonable opinion on cause and manner of death and generate a death certificate. Students will also be given the opportunity to travel to a death scene with an investigator and hear courtroom testimony by one of the four forensic pathologists at the JCCMEO if one is called upon to testify. Upon completion of this course, the student will be introduced to medicolegal death investigation and death certification. Student Learning Objectives: The objectives of this course are generally three-fold: 1) Introduce the student to medicolegal death investigation and how postmortem examination/pathology is used in determination of cause and manner of death,2) Introduce the student to death certification and how it is used in public health, and 3) Introduce the student to clinicians'/pathologists' potential role in cases with legal implication.
Where To Report Cooper Green Hospital, Room: 220, Time: 8:00 am
Requirements The student will be required to observe postmortem examinations at the JCCMEO. The student will be encouraged to accompany a deputy coroner to a death scene. The student will also be required to accompany a pathologist to court in order to observe courtroom testimony If that opportunity arises. The student will also be assigned reading about basic principles of medicolegal death investigation (i.e. Davis JH. Principles of investigation. Acad Forensic Patho/ 2011;1(4):378-381.). Finally, the student will be expected to be actively engaged throughout the rotation. If the student is interested in research, preliminary plans can be discussed.
Evaluation Pass/Fail based on project, independent study and class participation/attendance.
Notes