Course Catalog

 
STP3004 MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATION WITH AN ALABAMA COUNTY CORONER
Department MEDICAL EDUCATION Campus Tuscaloosa
Course Type(s) Special Topic Facility
Course Director ABBEY GREGG Enrollment Limit 2
Contact ABBEY GREGG Enrollment Minimum 1
Email algregg1@ua.edu Address NMB 1211
Phone (205) 348-8849 Fax
Weeks
Normally Offered
See Offering Dates		 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 17-17
Prerequisites None 
Specific Clerkship Prerequisites:
Visiting Students
No LCME students accepted.
No osteopathic students accepted.
Course Description One week experience in medicolegal death investigation with an Alabama county coroner. It may include scene investigation, external examination of the body, determination of the cause, manner, and mechanism of death. When possible, the student may be able to observe the completion of the death certificate by the coroner and observe a medicolegal autopsy performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Online coursework from the National Center on Forensics is also available to students to supplement their learning, but completion of this coursework is not required. For more information about the optional "Essentials Training", please see the National Center on Forensics - Continuing Education Lifelong Learning at https://training.ua.edu/ncf/
Where To Report Email Course Contact.
Requirements Students will work with (shadow) an Alabama county coroner for 20 hours, and when possible, attend crime scenes and observe and/or participate in a medicolegal autopsy. Students should be available from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday, and the hours worked will be scheduled by the County Coroner. Students will engage in structured observation and discussion that requires attention to professional ethics and confidentiality.
Evaluation As part of this experience, students will also be asked to reflect on their learning and provide feedback to the course director through a brief evaluation. The course director will communicate with the county coroner with whom the student worked.
Notes Because of the unpredictable nature of this work, students may be asked to participate in investigations outside of their scheduled shadowing hours and should be prepared to respond and arrive promptly when needed.