How To Become a Medical Examiner Assistant 2025

<p>When someone dies in a way that is unexplained or unnatural, their body is sent to the medical examiner's office. Medical examiners and their assistants conduct autopsies on the decedent to better understand how that person died. </p> <p>Medical examiners and their assistants are usually forensic pathologists, licensed doctors who specialize in conducting forensic autopsies. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a medical examiner assistant. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatIsAMedicalExaminerAssistant">What Is a Medical Examiner Assistant?</h2> <p>Medical examiner assistants assist the chief medical examiner in performing autopsies. Medical examiners perform autopsies in cases where an individual dies in a suspicious or unusual manner, such as by criminal violence or in an accident. </p> <p>Autopsies are conducted to help clarify the cause and manner of death. In an autopsy, the medical examiner looks for evidence, which often includes taking tissue and fluid samples, cutting into the body, and removing organs. Medical examiner assistants may take on some of these tasks and assist the chief medical examiner with others. </p> <p>Note that medical examiner assistants are not the same as autopsy technicians or coroner assistants. While their jobs may have some overlap, autopsy technicians and coroner assistants are more focused on helping the autopsy run smoothly, while medical examiner assistants have a broader focus that includes not just the autopsy but also the overall death investigation. </p> <p>As a result, medical examiner assistants are often required to have a physician's license. If you're looking at how to become a coroner assistant or autopsy tech, you need far less education. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatDoesAMedicalExaminerAssistantDo">What Does a Medical Examiner Assistant Do?</h2> <p>Medical examiner assistants work alongside chief medical examiners, helping them with the different tasks involved in performing an autopsy. These tasks may include: </p> <ul><li>preparing the body for autopsy </li><li>assisting with various steps of the autopsy </li><li>gathering tissue and fluid samples </li><li>weighing organs </li><li>gathering trace evidence samples, like fibers </li><li>determining cause of death </li><li>working alongside law enforcement and crime scene technicians </li><li>testifying in court </li></ul><p>Medical examiner assistants also have many administrative tasks, like labelling samples, updating records, ensuring the chain of custody is followed, and assisting with other tasks to keep the medical examiner's office running smoothly. </p> <h2 id="section---WhereDoMedicalExaminerAssistantsWork">Where Do Medical Examiner Assistants Work?</h2> <p>Medical examiner assistants work in medical examiners' offices. Medical examiners are licensed physicians, usually forensic pathologists. </p> <p>They spend the majority of their time conducting autopsies in morgues and autopsy suites. However, they also spend time in the office doing administrative work or meeting with investigators or prosecutors. They may also be called to crime scenes or required to testify in court. </p> <h2 id="section---8StepsToBecomeAMedicalExaminerAssistant">8 Steps To Become a Medical Examiner Assistant</h2> <p>Requirements for medical examiner assistants vary between states. However, most states require medical examiner assistants to be licensed physicians. We've broken down the typical steps to becoming a medical examiner assistant below. </p> <h3 id="section---Step1EarnABachelorSDegree">Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree</h3> <p>The first step to working as a medical examiner assistant is to earn a bachelor's degree. These are four-year degrees that will prepare you for medical school. </p> <p>There is no specific major required to attend medical school. However, whatever major you pick should allow you to take a solid foundation of courses in anatomy, physiology, biology, and organic chemistry. </p> <p>Students who know they want to pursue a career as a medical examiner may be interested in majoring in a field like forensic science. These degrees often provide that foundation of biology and chemistry courses and also teach you about evidence collection, crime scene investigation, and the criminal justice system. </p> <h3 id="section---Step2TakeTheMCAT">Step 2: Take the MCAT</h3> <p>Before you can apply to medical school, you may need to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). This is a test that assesses your readiness for medical school. It's administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). </p> <p>The MCAT is divided into four sections that test your knowledge of biology and behavior as well as your reasoning skills. You'll receive scores for each section as well as an overall score. You are allowed to retake the MCAT if you aren't satisfied with your score. </p> <h3 id="section---Step3ApplyToMedicalSchool">Step 3: Apply to Medical School</h3> <p>Once you've completed your bachelor's degree and achieved an MCAT score you're happy with, you can start applying to medical schools. There are medical schools all over the country, so you can look at options nearby or ones far away. </p> <p>If you know you want to study forensic pathology, look for schools with strong pathology programs. You can also look at options that include pathology as part of your clinical rotations. </p> <h3 id="section---Step4CompleteMedicalSchool">Step 4: Complete Medical School</h3> <p>Once you've made it into medical school, you'll have four years of intensive study ahead of you. Curricula vary between schools, but you'll usually spend your first year or two in a classroom setting, often with some labs thrown in. Sometime in your second or third year, you'll begin clinical rotations. </p> <p>In clinical rotations, you'll spend a few weeks at a time in different fields of medicine. Some schools plan out all your rotations for you, while others have a few rotations that all students must complete and then let you choose the rest. </p> <h3 id="section---Step5PassTheUSMLE">Step 5: Pass the USMLE</h3> <p>Before you can earn a physician's license in your state, you'll need to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). This is a three-step test. </p> <p>Step one assesses your medical knowledge, while step two assesses your ability to apply that knowledge in medical situations while under supervision. Both of these steps can be taken while you're in medical school or once you've graduated. </p> <p>Step three determines how well you can apply your medical knowledge in unsupervised situations. To take this exam, you must have already passed steps one and two and must have already completed your degree program. It's highly recommended you have at least one year of post-graduate experience completed before taking step three. </p> <h3 id="section---Step6CompleteResidencyAndObtainLicensure">Step 6: Complete Residency and Obtain Licensure</h3> <p>That postgraduate experience comes in the form of a residency. In residency, you'll focus specifically on the area of medicine you plan to pursue. </p> <p>Residency is usually a mix of coursework and clinical experiences. The length of your residency will vary based on the field of medicine you're studying &mdash; the average pathology residency is about four years. </p> <p>Once you have completed your residency and passed all three steps of the USMLE, you can apply for licensure in your state. You can also become certified through the American Board of Pathology. </p> <h3 id="section---Step7CompleteAFellowship">Step 7: Complete a Fellowship</h3> <p>Fellowships provide an opportunity to focus more on a specific aspect of your field of study. For example, if you want to become a medical examiner assistant, you'll pursue an anatomic pathology residency and then a forensic pathology fellowship. </p> <p>A forensic pathology fellowship will allow you to focus specifically on forensic examinations. These usually take one year to complete and are similar to paid internships. </p> <p>You must be a licensed doctor to participate in a fellowship. Fellowships are paid positions, although you will not be paid as much as a standard doctor. </p> <h3 id="section---Step8ApplyForJobs">Step 8: Apply for Jobs</h3> <p>After completing over a decade of schooling; it's time to put that education to good use. If you've completed a fellowship, you may be able to find job opportunities through your fellowship. You can also leverage connections you made in your residency and through medical school. </p> <p>Many medical examiner assistants or pathologist assistants can eventually become chief medical examiners. If this is the career path you want to pursue, you'll need to gain several years of work experience. </p> <h2 id="section---WhatAreTheBestDegreesForAMedicalExaminerAssistant">What Are the Best Degrees for a Medical Examiner Assistant?</h2> <p>Medical examiner assistants usually need both a bachelor's degree and to complete medical school. After medical school, they complete a residency and often a fellowship. </p> <p>There is no one bachelor's degree that's best for medical school. Common options include biology and health sciences. Some schools also offer pre-med options. </p> <p>Your Doctor of Medicine (DO) degree will take four years. You don't have a specific major in medical school. After medical school, you'll pursue residency, and a pathology residency is usually the most straightforward option for medical examiners. </p> <h2 id="section---TopDegreeProgramsForMedicalExaminerAssistants">Top Degree Programs for Medical Examiner Assistants</h2> <p>There are several colleges and universities across the U.S. that offer pathology residencies and forensic pathology fellowships. We've highlighted some of these below. </p> <p>Note that many students do not attend the same school for their MD program and residency, although some do. </p> <h3 id="section---1.UniversityOfArizona">1. University of Arizona</h3> <p>The University of Arizona is a public research institution in Tucson, AZ. It offers an MD program, a pathology residency, and a forensic pathology fellowship through its College of Medicine. </p> <p>The MD program allows students to start clinical rotations early in the program, blending both coursework and clinicals throughout. The pathology residency includes a rotation at the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME). </p> <p>Through PCOME, students can also complete a one-year forensic pathology fellowship. This fellowship requires students to perform autopsies as well as follow medicolegal investigators to crime scenes and death scenes. </p> <p><b>Estimated tuition cost:</b> $14,738 per year (in-state); $33,992 per year (out-of-state) </p> <p><b>Accreditation:</b> Higher Learning Commission (HLC), Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) </p> <h3 id="section---2.UniversityOfSouthFlorida">2. University of South Florida</h3> <p>At the University of South Florida, medical students can earn their MD and complete a pathology residency and forensic pathology fellowship. The MD program offers early clinical experiences and clinical practice in a simulation lab. </p> <p>The residency is four years and includes rotations through chemistry, microbiology, surgical pathology, and more. Fellows receive on-the-job training at the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Department, which includes autopsies, testifying in court, and forensic anthropology experiences. </p> <p>USF, a public research university, is located in Tampa. Its Morsani College of Medicine is the only tier 1 medical school in Florida. </p> <p><b>Estimated tuition cost:</b> $8,350 per year (in-state); $19,048 per year (out-of-state) </p> <p><b>Accreditation:</b> Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), LCME, and ACGME </p> <h3 id="section---3.IndianaUniversity">3. Indiana University</h3> <p>Indiana University's School of Medicine offers an MD program, a pathology residency, and a forensic pathology fellowship. Indiana University is a public research institution in Bloomington, but its School of Medicine is located in Indianapolis. </p> <p>The MD program spends the first two years in classroom study with some clinical integration. The third year is spent in required rotations, while in the fourth year, students can choose their rotations. </p> <p>The residency program is flexible, allowing medical students to tailor their training toward their career goals. The forensic pathology fellowship runs through a partnership with the Marion County Coroner's Office, during which students will perform autopsies on a variety of cases. </p> <p><b>Estimated tuition cost:</b> $9,936 per year (in-state); $27,720 per year (out-of-state) </p> <p><b>Accreditation:</b> HLC, LCME, and ACGME </p> <h3 id="section---4.UniversityOfTexasMedicalBranchAtGalveston">4. University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston</h3> <p>The John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston offers an MD program, pathology residencies, and a forensic pathology fellowship. The MD program includes multiple research opportunities and clinical rotations at a variety of diverse sites. </p> <p>The residency program includes a four-week rotation in forensic pathology. The fellowship takes place at the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office, which includes a toxicology lab and computed tomography (CT) scanner. </p> <p>UTMB, located in Galveston, TX, is a public medical and healthcare school. Its School of Medicine is home to the Galveston National Laboratory and a level 4 biocontainment research facility. </p> <p><b>Estimated tuition cost:</b> $8,964 per year (in-state); $21,735 per year (out-of-state) </p> <p><b>Accreditation:</b> SACSCOC, LCME, and ACGME </p> <h3 id="section---5.UniversityOfWashington">5. University of Washington</h3> <p>The University of Washington is a public research institution in Seattle. It offers an MD program, pathology residencies, and a forensic pathology fellowship through its School of Medicine. </p> <p>The MD program provides experiences across urban and rural environments. The pathology residency program offers several tracks for students depending on their field of focus. </p> <p>The forensic pathology fellowship is run through the King County Medical Examiner's Office. Students spend most of their time performing forensic autopsies and medicolegal examinations. </p> <p><b>Estimated tuition cost:</b> $17,688 per year (in-state); $31,707 (out-of-state) </p> <p><b>Accreditation:</b> Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), LCME, and ACGME </p> <h2 id="section---SkillsOfAMedicalExaminerAssistant">Skills of a Medical Examiner Assistant</h2> <p>Medical examiner assistants need to have a variety of medical skills, which they develop in their graduate program. They also need to have forensic knowledge, which is often gained through a fellowship and on-the-job training. </p> <p>However, there are also a number of soft skills that medical examiner assistants need. They need to have good attention to detail and critical thinking skills, as these are key to help discover cause of death and provide closure to loved ones. </p> <p>Having a strong stomach and good emotional control is key for medical examiner assistants. While the work environment for this role is usually within a morgue or autopsy suite, medical examiner assistants are sometimes required to go to crime scenes. </p> <p>Communication skills are also critical for medical examiner assistants. They need to be able to clearly communicate with the chief medical examiner as well as those in entry-level roles, like autopsy assistants. They also need to be able to communicate their findings to law enforcement and speak clearly and concisely when testifying in court. </p> <h2 id="section---JobOutlookForMedicalExaminerAssistants">Job Outlook for Medical Examiner Assistants</h2> <p>The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn't offer information on medical examiner assistants specifically. However, it does provide information for pathologists. </p> <p>According to the BLS, jobs for pathologists are expected to increase by 5% by 2033. Currently, the areas that employ the most pathologists are: </p> <ul><li>New York City metro </li><li>Los Angeles metro </li><li>Tampa, FL metro </li><li>Phoenix metro </li><li>Miami metro </li></ul><h2 id="section---WhatIsTheAverageSalaryOfAMedicalExaminerAssistant">What Is the Average Salary of a Medical Examiner Assistant?</h2> <p>Again, while we don't have information specifically for medical examiner assistants, we do have information for pathologists. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for pathologists in the U.S. is $266,020 per year. Many larger metropolitan areas pay over $300,000 per year. </p> <h2 id="section---ExploreDegreesForMedicalExaminerAssistants">Explore Degrees for Medical Examiner Assistants</h2> <p>Start your journey toward a career as a medical examiner by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual programs to learn more.</p>