The average mid-career salary of a forensic pathologist is between $150,000 and $180,000. This pay is lower than even entry-level salaries for doctors entering into careers in hospital pathology. [2] X Research source You should investigate the salaries of forensic pathologists in your area – the salaries of state-employed coroners and research assistants should be publicly available. Given the high cost of medical school, you should consider if you can pay off your student loans with this salary.
At least one full year of biology with labs. You will probably want to take at two years (four semesters) of biology in order to be a competitive candidate for medical school. [3] X Research source Inorganic (general) chemistry and organic chemistry. Two semesters of a physics course. A mathematics course and a statistics course. English literature and composition. A course in behavioral sciences (such as psychology or sociology) to prepare for the Behavior section of the MCAT. Take electives in forensic science, criminal justice, or other forensic pathology areas.
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (59 questions) Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (59 questions) Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (59 questions) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (53 questions) The MCAT is not something you can cram for overnight. It will require you to synthesize much of the material you have studied in your coursework. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) offers a practice on-line test, which you should use to study. Test prep businesses such as Kaplan also offer practice courses, but they can range between $1800-$2200. Many pre-med programs will also offer study courses and guides to the MCAT. You should also form a study group with your classmates and friends to help prepare for the test. Most test-takers who gained admission to medical school had an average score of 31. 4 and a total GPA of 3. 69. If your score was significantly below this, you might want to discuss with your advisor your plans for re-taking the test. Most re-takers only score between 1-3 points of their original score. [4] X Research source
First Year in Medical School. There is a good chance this will be your most difficult year in medical school. You will be required to take a course in gross anatomy in which you will learn anatomy on cadavers. As a forensic pathologist, you will frequently work with corpses, so if this is something you detest in medical school, you should switch specializations. You will also take courses on histology, pathology, and biochemistry. [5] X Research source Second Year in Medical School. Your second year will be a mix of course work and clinical experience. Here, you will learn about many diseases you will encounter in a hospital or while working in private practice. This might include things such as heart attacks, blood clots, congestive heart failure, etc. [6] X Research source Third Year in Medical School. This year consists of clinical rotations in which you will practice in a variety of different medical specialties, such as internal medicine and obstetrics-gynecology. You should make sure that your program will help you arrange a clinical rotation in forensic pathology. [7] X Research source Fourth Year in Medical School. In this year, you can spend an extended rotation in the field in which you want to specialize. This would be the year you could spend in a morgue or a county medical examiner’s office. Here, you will truly get a sense of the daily life of a forensic pathologist and whether it is something you want to pursue long-term. [8] X Research source
Use your connections from your fourth-year rotations in medical school to find a position in this kind of setting. You will need to be supervised by a trained forensic pathologist. Because there is such a shortage of forensic examiners, you might be faced with working very long hours and conducting hundreds of autopsies over the course of this year.
In your residency, you might take on slightly more complicated or advanced work than as an intern. For instance, you might be responsible for analyzing toxicology reports or for preparing paperwork that is needed over the course of a death investigation.
You will need to have completed at least 50 autopsies in order to gain certification. Certification will also involve taking an exam distributed by the American Board of Pathologies. It will test a combination of medical, anatomical and legal questions. Contact your local chapter of the ABP to find exam dates and further information on the test. You will need to renew your certification once every ten years. Certification requirements also vary by region, so if you move, you may have to get re-certified.
You will also generally have to sign off on death certificates as a coroner.
You should also be open to fostering new doctors and connecting with medical colleges so young med students know forensic pathology is a viable career path.
