Careers in Forensic Pathology – What is a Forensic Pathology Technician?

You have seen them on your favorite CSI or NCISTV shows. They are the criminalists known as the forensic pathology technicians. They are the individuals who work under the medical examiner. What does a forensic pathology technician do? What are the educational requirements to become one?

In this article, I will explain the job description of a forensic pathology technician and the educational training needed for a candidate to be successful in this trade.

If you would like to pursue a career in forensic pathology but do not like to study for many years in medical school, then obtaining a job as a forensic pathology technician might be for you. In this job field, you work side by side with the forensic pathologist and assist him with all of his job duties. You have the opportunity to perform parts of an autopsy, take x-rays and collect samples from the deceased for further analyses in trace evidence, fingerprints, toxicology, serology, microbiology, and histology. You extract foreign objects such as bullets from the deceased, take pictures of the body, remove specimens, and document the chain of evidence. You may be called upon to explain autopsy procedures and do a report of findings with the victim’s family members, law enforcement personnel, and mortuary workers.

To be successful in the trade of a forensic pathology technician, your experience weighs heavier than your education. Most forensics laboratory employers require a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. Having college-level educational experience in any of the laboratory sciences can also be of benefit to you. Furthermore, having one or two years of experience in a medical laboratory or, even better, a forensic pathology laboratory can give you an advantage. The idea here is to gain working knowledge of general and medical laboratory procedures, medical equipment and tools, and an insight on lab-safety and infection-control procedures.

The efforts of a forensic pathology technician can help bring criminal investigators one step closer to solving a crime, bringing a perpetrator to justice, and bringing closure to the families of the deceased.