
Criminal Justice Careers - Medical Examiner
The difference between a Coroner and a Medical Examiner is the Coroner is an elected official and is not required to have a medical diploma, whereas the Medical Examiner is appointed by the government and is required to have a medical diploma.
1.Investigate sudden and unnatural deaths.
2.Perform forensic medicine and pathology consultations.
3.Counsel families regarding manner and cause of death.
4.Act as a resource for forensic pathology and general forensic science information.
5.Testify in court to facts and conclusions disclosed by autopsies performed by the examiner, or as directed or in the presence of the examiner.
6. Make physical examinations and tests incident to any matter of a criminal nature up for consideration before either court or district attorney when requested to do so.
7.Perform such other duties of a pathological or medicolegal nature as may be required.
8.Serve subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses at any inquest to be held by such medical examiner, or other order or writs.
Medical Examiners make some of the highest wages of any of the criminal justice careers with Annual salaries for forensic pathologists today are about $150,000, and hospital pathologists average about $300,000 a year.