What Is a Forensic Pathologist?

• Unlike what one might see on television, a forensic pathologist is a medical expert. These individuals are specifically charged with investigating suspicious deaths that are sudden, violent or unexpected.
  
  

Responsibilities

• Among other things, the forensic pathologist is charged with discovering the time of death, identity of the deceased, cause of death and the manner of death. The manner of death differs from the cause of death in that the cause is what killed the person, whereas the manner is the type of death, be it accidental, suicide, homicide or even a natural death.
  
  

Requirements

• Other than proper medical knowledge and certification, a forensic pathologist should have a working knowledge of toxicology, firearms and ballistics, trace evidence and collection techniques, as well as forensic anthropology.
  
  

Position

• A forensic pathologist is not a police officer, though they do often work with police agencies. It is not their responsibility to find out who may have committed the crimes that led to the deaths they look into.
  
  

Cautions

• While being a forensic pathologist can be an interesting and rewarding career, it is not something to be tried lightly. The time and training, as well as the sheer accumulation of experience and knowledge required, make this job quite an investment.