Medical Examiner

A medical examiner is a physician who investigates sudden, unexpected, or suspicious deaths to determine the cause and manner of death. Your work includes performing autopsies, reviewing medical records and police reports, ordering laboratory tests, visiting scenes when needed, and writing detailed reports. You also testify in court and communicate with families, detectives, prosecutors, and public health officials, explaining findings in clear, careful language. The job is not only about death: your findings can protect the living by identifying public health threats, unsafe products, or patterns of violence.