DEPUTY MEDICAL EXAMINER



DEPUTY MEDICAL EXAMINER

DEFINITION:

The Deputy Medical Examiner performs Dane County autopsies, reviews medical records, scene investigator reports, and other contributory information to determine jurisdiction, as well as cause and manner of death. Provides autopsy services to outside Counties that use the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy services. With oversight of the Chief ME, and in concert with the Director of Operations, assists with development of policy and procedures, including disaster preparedness. Foster and maintain working relationships with all outside agencies that the Medical Examiner’s Office interacts with. In the absence of the Chief Medical Examiner, acts as the Department Head.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Investigates deaths in accordance with Wisconsin State Statutes, including evaluating death scenes, examining and preserving evidence, and investigating the circumstances of death by obtaining personal data and medical history through records and interview, and determines cause and manner of death in cases accepted.

• Performs medicolegal autopsies and examinations of bodies to determine both the cause and manner of death.

• Collect and preserves physical evidence (such as blood, urine, bodily fluids, tissues, and trace evidence) from cases, and performs or orders toxicological or other studies on these materials.

• Performs microscopic examinations, interprets laboratory and toxicological test results, and reviews medical records and police reports to aid in the determination of cause and manner of death.

• Directs the identification of decedents and the notification of next of kin.

• Testifies in both civil and criminal courts on the results of investigations, autopsies, toxicological and laboratory results, and cause and manner of death.

• Completes and issues death certificates, cremation certificates, and autopsy reports.

• Assists the Director of Operations in planning, supervising, organizing, assigning, distributing, and evaluating the work of the Medicolegal Investigators and support staff.

• Participates in screening, interviewing, and selecting technical and support staff.

• Establishes and maintains effective working and public relations with the Crime Laboratory, State and Federal law enforcement and judicial agencies, families, health care facilities and personnel, mortuary professionals, insurance company personnel, department staff, and the public.

• Develops and presents training seminars on forensic pathology for continuing education and in-service training for members of the criminal justice community.

• Remains up to date in current medical and forensic developments.

• Cooperates with and/or provides information and education to the medical community regarding death statistics and trends, consumer product problems, organ donation, etc.

• Provides direction to the staff in the absence of the Chief Medical Examiner

• Provides death investigation or staff supervision services on a 24 hour per day rotating on-call basis.

• Provides other duties as required.

Employment Standards

Education and Experience: The Deputy Medical Examiner will be board certified in anatomic and forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology. For eligibility for the position, the Deputy Medical Examiner must be board certified in anatomical pathology and be eligible to complete, and obtain forensic board certification within 6 months of employment. This position requires an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the state of Wisconsin. This position requires regular maintenance of American Board of Pathology certifications and Wisconsin Medical Licensure.

The Deputy Medical Examiner will be eligible to obtain a Wisconsin motor vehicle operators license and have access to reliable personal motor vehicle transportation. Must also be available to work evenings, weekends and holidays on a rotation.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Considerable knowledge of Chapter 979 of the Wisconsin State Statutes concerning the investigation and certification of death

• Considerable knowledge of forensic and anatomic pathology (e.g, causes and manners of death and their manifestations with regard to the body, scene and history)

• Considerable knowledge of investigative techniques, principles and practices used in the research of cause and manner of death

• Ability to perform autopsy examinations as directed by the Chief Medical Examiner

• Proficiency with various practices in the medical investigation of death (e.g., histology, toxicology, obtaining cultures for infectious disease, etc.)

• Extensive knowledge of medical terminology and medicine as it pertains to hospital treatment, varying forms of illness/trauma, and death.

• Possession of effective oral and written communication skills

• Ability to show compassion and communicate with survivors of the decedent

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other public agencies and the general public

• Ability to interpret a death scene, identify items of evidence and assess the condition of the body

• Ability to take proper photographs of scene, body and evidence for documentation

• Ability to physically remove a body from the scene of death and supervise the transport of the body to the morgue insuring the preservation of any trace evidence

• Familiarity with evidentiary chain of custody techniques and practices

• Ability to secure facts through investigation and inspections and to analyze and interpret these facts effectively

• Ability to prepare and present accurate, objective and thorough reports.

• Ability to provide accurate, objective, and effective court testimony.

• Experience with teaching forensic pathology to medical students, residents, law enforcement, district attorney staff, and others as needed.

• Working knowledge of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and ability to maintain investigative confidentiality and patient privacy.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download