To become a Coroner.

[Insome]

Growing up as an Army Brat, I've always had a respect for the forces, but only recently have thought seriously about joining a branch, and am planning on enlisting at the beginning of the year. With my up bringing, I’m sure I can get thru Boot Camp from almost any service, but am having a tough time deciding which exactly I should go for. I've wanted to become a Coroner for as long as I can remember, and getting a start as a Medic would undoubtedly be a benefit for my long term goals..

My question is; Since I do want to become a Coroner, either during or after time, what branch of the military would be best suited for me or even the best route to take once im in? I've done some research and have found that the Navy might be best, stil not sure. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Also, I apologize for not knowing military terms, its been awhile since my dad was in, so Ive just gotten used to civilian speak.

[DaSharkie]

Well, as a former Marine I have always been partial to my Corpsmen - but they must be what is called an 8404 Corpsmen. This means that after boot at Great Lakes, you go to A school to become a Hospital Corpsman, then you attend Field Medical Service School before you can serve with The Corps as one of our beloved Docs.

http://www.pendleton.usmc.mil/schools/fmtb/index.asp
http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/fmtb/index.shtml

You might also then have the opportunity to serve at the mortuary at Dover Air Force Base. There you would essentially perform many of the functions of a mortician on our Warriors upon their return to the United States for return to their families. (You can get the smallest of tastes on this job if you watch the movie Taking Chance which was on HBO this year - you can rent the DVD from NetFlix)

http://www.mortuary.af.mil
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/us/a-nation-at-war-the-mortuary-the-last-stop-on-the-journey-home.html

All services have medical personell, the Coast Guard is a good option as well since you can serve on a cutter as what is called an Independent Duty Corpsman and provide care to everyone on the cutter.

Being a coroner is not easy. Medical school, pathology residency, etc.., Although I am almost always a fan of serving in the military to help one find their way and mature a bit in their early life.

[dr-exmedic]

An alternate path would be not to do the enlisted & boot camp thing, but to go for an ROTC scholarship (if it's not too late--I can't be sure from the details you've posted and I don't really remember the rules anyhow). That would allow you to focus on a degree that you then won't have to pay for, rather than trying to get your undergraduate degree either A) while still in the service, or B) afterwards around a job. There's nothing about being a medic that would really prepare you for being a coroner except occasional exposure to dead bodies and crime scenes, which you could probably more easily get some other way.

Incidentally, are you interested in being a coroner or in being a medical examiner? Coroner is a legal title for a person who investigates deaths, the medical examiner is the person who does autopsies, and while they are frequently the same person they aren't always (although they are always physicians...but to add an extra wrinkle, I've lived places that required the coroner to be both a physician and a licensed attorney, though the MEs under the coroner were just physicians. Confused yet?).

[ambulance driver]

I had to make a presentation on this for my forensic pathology clerkship.

The coroner system dates back centuries to England. They are elected laypersons who investigate deaths and contract physicians for their medical expertise.

The medical examiner system is relatively new (only about a hundred year old system) from America. The medical examiner is often an appointed physician, most often a pathologist who either has been performing autopsies for a long time or, more recently, completed a pathology fellowship in forensic pathology.

More suburban to rural areas tend to use the coroner system while more populated suburbs to urban cities use the medical examiner system.

If you want to be a coroner, start learning the art of politics. Some college classes in criminal science might be helpful. If you want to be a medical examiner start preparing for medical school.

[emt161]

If you're looking to be the guy that cuts open dead people to find out why they died, being a medic is going to help you very little. Being a doctor, well, you could say it helps a lot.

[dr-exmedic]

The coroner system dates back centuries to England. They are elected laypersons who investigate deaths and contract physicians for their medical expertise.
Do you know of any elected coroners who aren't physicians? I'd never heard of one and kind of assumed it was a requirement for the job (and I do know of several places where it is).

[ambulance driver]

I tried to post this already and I don't know if it was the forum or my computer, but something was eating my replies. So, if there are about 15 of the same replies that was me hitting my mouse button rapid fire. It doesn't actually help anything, but it always seems to make me happier.


Dr. P. Michael Murphy (http://globaltrainingpartnership.net/trainer_murphy.html) Clark County Coroner (Las Vegas)

the Dr. is a doctorate of business.

Since I am from Illinois I'll give you list of a bunch of coroners from the Chicagoland area that are not physicians.

DuPage County Illinois (http://www.dupageco.org/coroner/generic.cfm?doc_id=1791)

Will County Illinois (http://www.patoneil.com/)

Kane county Illinois (http://www.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=238135)

McHenry County Illinois (http://lantz4coroner.com/)

Cook county uses medical examiner system and Lake county uses an elected coroner, but he is a physician. I believe he is Family medicine.

[dr-exmedic]

I guess the elected coroner thing is a regional issue. I just looked up Ohio law, and although coroner there is an elected post the law does require that a person running for coroner be a physician (or was serving as a coroner on 10/12/1945--I guess that tells us when the law changed). Here in PA, there doesn't seem to be such a requirement at the state level although the ones I can name are all physicians (and Allegheny County just got rid of coroner as an elected position; they used to require that someone running be both physician and attorney).