Goals and Objectives
During training, each Resident will master the following skills:
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Patient Care
Demonstrate uncompromising respect for human remains and foster this attitude among other personnel.
Demonstrate suitable diagnostic skills using both gross and microscopic materials from cases showing common accidental, suicidal, and homicidal causes of death.
Medical Knowledge
Know the differences between a cause of death, a mechanism of death, and a manner of death.
Formulate the cause of death including the underlying cause of death, intervening causes of death, if any, and the immediate cause of death, as well as any other conditions contributing to death.
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Learn proper techniques for photography, documentation and collection of samples from clothing and the body surface for use as evidence.
Learn proper procedures for retrieving projectiles at autopsy to preserve their value as ballistic evidence.
Learn proper techniques used for sampling fluids and tissues for forensic toxicology.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Screen a chart or interview a caregiver to extract relevant information and to identify cases falling under the jurisdiction of a Coroner.
Professionalism
Develop the ability to objectively evaluate anatomic evidence without emotional involvement.
Evidence appropriate respect for confidentiality of information
Demonstrate uncompromising respect for human remains and foster this attitude among other personnel.
Systems-Based Practice
Understand the authority of a Coroner to claim jurisdiction over an autopsy as defined by O.R.C. ยง313:11-12.
Visit the office of the Coroner to gain familiarity with technical differences between autopsies performed in Coroner's cases and hospital cases by witnessing and assisting to the extent possible in the prosection of Coroner's autopsies.
Understand the procedures required for legal evidence to document chain of custody.
Duration
Instruction in forensic pathology is divided into several components. The core of the didactic training is provided by members of the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office as a series of lectures distributed over the training of the Resident. The core experience in forensic pathology takes place at the Coroner's Office. Residents visiting the Coroner's Office attend the morning Staff meeting when autopsies are planned for the day. After the staff meeting, the Resident attends one or more of the available autopsies which are usually conducted during the morning. Finally, more intensive exposure to forensic pathology is available to Residents in the form of a one month elective rotation.
Duties and Responsibilities of Residents by Year
Residents attend morning viewing with Coroner and Deputy Corners and participate in autopsy prosection with Deputy Coroners.
Rotate in Trace Evidence and Forensic Toxicology.
Attend crime scene investigations and court appearances if possible.
Because of the sensitive nature of the medicolegal cases handled by the coroner's office, the role of Residents in the day to day operations at the Coroner's Office is limited to observation only.
The role of the Resident, therefore, does not change on a year-to-year basis.
Teaching Staff
Elizabeth K. Balraj, M.D., M.B.B.S., Coroner of Cuyahoga County
Joseph Felo, D.O., Chief Deputy Coroner
Erica Armstrong, M.D.
Andrea McCollum, M.D.
Dan Galita, M.D.
Stanley F. Seligman, M.D.
Linda Lukes - Trace Evidence
Amanda Jenkins, Ph.D. - Forensic Toxicology
Frank P. Miller, M.D.
Supervision and Evaluation
Residents participating in regular visitation of the Coroner's autopsies are supervised by the Coroner's Staff. Morning review of the autopsies is led by either Dr. Miller or Dr. Felo, and autopsy examinations are conducted by Deputy Coroners.
By special application to Dr. Miller, Residents may participate in a one month elective rotation in forensic pathology. The activities of the Resident are supervised by the Coroner's Staff, and evaluations are provided by Dr. Balraj or her delegate.