The Relationship Between Medical School–Based Pathology Departments and Affiliated Forensic Pathology Training Sites

Abstract

Medical school–based pathology departments were surveyed in order to evaluate their relationship with sites providing forensic pathology training. Of 59 departments surveyed, 49 (83%) responded. Most (88%) respondents indicated that training occurs at an affiliated medical examiner/coroner office, and 78% indicated that the facility is 10 miles or less from the academic health center. The majority (61%) of respondents require 4 weeks of forensic pathology training for their residents while the others require none (3); 6, 8, or 12 weeks (2 each); and 16 weeks (3, with two having integrated forensic and medical autopsies). The majority (81%) send one resident at a time to the forensic pathology training site, and almost always (92%) the experience is dedicated to forensic pathology without mixing with other training. Two-thirds of respondents send between 1 and 5 residents per year for training. Prior autopsy experience is required by 79% of departments. Medical student rotations in forensic pathology are available to 86% of reporting departments. Almost 3 quarters of respondents indicated that a forensic pathology fellowship is available through the training site with 83% being funded by the training site. About half of departments indicated that they provide some financial support to the site. Of reporting departments, 71% indicated that they give faculty appointments to forensic pathologists at the training site, with 3 quarters being voluntary appointments. Affiliated forensic pathology training sites are a valuable asset although 6 respondents report offering such training either totally or partially within the pathology department itself.