Forensic Pathology & Public Health

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the public health functions of medical examiners beyond their legal and forensic roles.
2. Explain the historical origins of the coroner system and how it differs from the modern medical examiner model.
3. Discuss the importance of autopsies in quality assurance and public health surveillance.
4. Identify the essential components of a modern medicolegal death investigation.
5. Recognize the challenges of inaccurate death certification and the need for increased forensic pathology involvement.

1. Brooks EG. The forensic pathologist’s public health role. In: Principles of Forensic Pathology: From Investigation to Certification. Academic Press; 2023:445-452. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-91796-4.00023-4
2. Hanzlick R. Medical examiners, coroners, and public health: a review and update. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2006;130(9):1274-1282. doi:10.5858/2006-130-1274-MECAPH
3. Cambridge LJ, Cina S. The accuracy of death certificate completion in a suburban community. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2010;31(3):232-236. doi:10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181e5e0e2
4. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The Evolution of the Coroner System: Examining the History of Death Investigations. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund; October 2023. Accessed December 31, 2025. https://nleomf.org/the-evolution-of-the-coroner-system/