FORENSIC MEDICAL INVESTIGATION: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW 

This is a 3-day course designed as a comprehensive review of concepts and principles in forensic science, clinical forensic medicine and medico-legal death investigation. The course is appropriate for all levels of health care professionals and legal and law enforcement personnel.    The course is appropriate for death investigators, health care professionals, legal and law enforcement personnel and mortuary affairs personnel.  

Forensic concepts covered include: 

• Specific functions of members of the forensic investigation team
• Chain of custody
• Injury patterns and recognition
• Trace evidence collection and chain of custody
• Child and elderly abuse and domestic violence
• Basic understanding of ballistic and gunshot wounds

DAY 1:  Introduction to Forensic Investigation

• Medico-legal Investigation Systems

• Causes and Manner of Death

• Postmortem Changes

• Forensic Case Studies

• Crime Scene Investigation

• Forensic Anthropology

DAY 2:  Injury Recognition and Natural Deaths

• Blunt and Sharp Force Injury

• Cranio-cerebral Injury

• Motor Vehicle and Aircraft Fatalities

• Firearms Identification/Gunshot Wounds

• Sudden Unexpected Natural Deaths

• Asphyxia and Fire Deaths

• Electrical/Lightening

• Forensic Toxicology

• Alcohol and Drug Related

DAY 3:  Child Fatalities and Domestic Homicide

• Child Fatality Review

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

• Child Abuse (non-accidental trauma)

• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE/SART)

• Domestic Violence, Elderly Abuse

• Organ and Tissue Donation

• Legal Issues/Expert Witness

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Define terminology, as related to ante mortem and postmortem findings, in order to accurately and appropriately document physical findings.

2. Describe the functions of the medico-legal investigation team process, determine the need for a medical examiner, prepare for medico-legal evaluation and effectively complete the paperwork for this process.

3. Identify and recognize injuries, describe manners of death, legal issues and toxicology concepts.

4. Identify the signs and symptoms of child abuse, SIDS, homicide versus suicide, pediatric fatalities, environmental hazards, and domestic/spousal/elderly abuse and sexual assault in order to appropriately identify cause of death, assist the physician and police in a postmortem investigation.

POST-CONFERENCE: Forensic Medical Investigation Skills Workshop

This one day skills workshop is designed as a "hands-on" practical laboratory experience in crime scene investigation, clinical forensic medicine and nursing and medico-legal death investigation.  Prerequisite for the skills workshop is completion of the 3 day FMI course or pre-approved equivalent training.

The forensic skills lab is appropriate for death investigators, health care professionals, legal and law enforcement personnel and funeral directors.

Forensic concepts include national standard skills for death investigation.  Candidates for national death investigation certification by ABMDI are encouraged to bring their official skills check list.

Class size will be limited to 40 students.

Workshop Topics to be Covered

• Overview of forensic medical investigation skills

• Interacting with agencies and family

• Communication

• Collection and preservation of evidence

• Photography

• Scene investigation techniques

• Ethical/legal responsibilities

• Recognition of job stress

• Crime scene investigation exercise and documentation

• Skills checklist workshop

• Moot court

• Panel discussion

• Critique of exercise

Workshop Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate ability to safely and accurately document, photograph and process crime scenes.

2. Communicate with law enforcement, family members, physicians, funeral directors, and donor personnel regarding forensic case study.

3. Obtain appropriate records for case investigation

4. Provide court testimony regarding scene investigation.