Medical Examiner Duties & Responsibilities

The role and function of a Medical Examiner includes the following duties and responsibilities:

Performing autopsies to determine cause of death.
Undertaking examinations of specimens, tissues, organs, fluids, and blood to determine abnormalities that may have resulted in death.
Investigating sudden and/or unnatural deaths, in conjunction with law enforcement, when needed.
Conducting on-site investigations to obtain data and information pertaining to a case, when needed.
Providing expert testimony in court regarding autopsies and the findings thereof, when required.
Preparing death certificates and determining when decedents may be released.
Remaining informed of developments in forensic pathology and attending seminars and courses in forensic medicine, for continuing education.
Reviewing police reports and checking medical records of decedents for pertinent information relating to death.
Preparing reports of findings to be given to law enforcement, when needed, to aid any on-going investigations.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list of Medical Examiner duties and responsibilities. Job functions for specific Medical Examiner roles may vary, depending on the industry and type of employer.

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