Medicolegal Death Investigation and Forensic Pathology

ELEC 538 / PHSP 664

Department
Health Sciences Education and Pathology

Clinical or Non-Clinical Course
Clinical

Physician Assessed Patient Facing
No

Prerequisites
Completion of Phase 1

Other
Completion of one Phase 2 Clerkship

Goal

Students will observe and participate in both medicolegal and medical/non-legal autopsies at the Peoria County Coroner’s Office with a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist. The student will participate in pre- and post-autopsy discussions with coroner staff and law enforcement regarding cases of sudden natural and unnatural deaths, and observe homicides. Students will discuss with the Pathologist the decedent’s medical history in correlation with the autopsy findings and learn the basics of death certification, as it will apply to their career. There will be additional opportunities to attend forensic scene investigations, if desired.

Hours vary in the mornings and afternoons based upon the Pathologist’s work schedule and the availability of cases. Thursdays are self-study days; weekends and holidays are off.

Required Reading:
Textbook: Di Maio, Vincent J. M., and D. K. Molina. Demaio’s Forensic Pathology. 3rd ed., CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2021. (Location: Library of the Health Sciences Peoria)

Recommended Reading/ Educational Resources:
Color Atlas of Forensic Medicine and Pathology by Charles Catanese – full text available online via UIC library.

Objectives

At the conclusion of the course students will be able to:

  1. Explain the purpose of an autopsy and its significance.
  2. Contrast the differences between forensic (medicolegal) autopsies and medical autopsies.
  3. Distinguish between the Cause and Manner of death, classify and describe the five manners of death, and apply that knowledge to future practice.
  4. Prepare and interpret death certificates, including recognition of common errors.
  5. Develop and discuss a differential diagnosis for the cause of death given the available medical and investigative histories.
  6. Correlate the autopsy findings with the medical and investigative histories.
  7. Identify gross anatomy and described pathological changes of the body that occur in natural and unnatural deaths, and apply that knowledge to future practice.
  8. Differentiate antemortem versus postmortem changes.
  9. Recognize basic injuries that occur from blunt trauma, gunshot/stab wounds, and asphyxial deaths along with their underlying mechanisms.
  10. Demonstrate the basic principles of professionalism, confidentiality, and neutrality in medicolegal documentation.

Method of Assessment

Standard Clinical 4wk Elective Evaluation - Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail

Additional Methods

At the end of the course, the student will: 1. Compose a formal case presentation discussing the forensic and medical aspects of an autopsy of their choice 2. Complete a ten question online assessment to evaluate their knowledge of the learning objectives listed above. An optional case report to be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed forensic journal would also fulfill this requirement.

Course Director
Amanda J. Youmans, DO

Course Coordinator
Stephanie Thomas
smaho3@uic.edu
309-680-8641

Location
Peoria Co Coroner's Office (2116 N Sheridan Rd, Suite B, Peoria)

Setting
Neither Outpatient nor Inpatient

Night Call
No

Laboratory
Yes

Weekends
No

House Staff
No

Number of Learners per Block
1

Duration
4 weeks

Who is this elective available to
Both M3s and M4s

Blocks Available
Blocks 1, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12