Anatomic Pathology Program

Forensic Pathology

  • Dauphin County Coroner's Office

Forensic Pathology (Dauphin County Coroner's Office)

 

Rotation Director:
Wayne Ross, MD
 
Goals and Objectives:

1.  Procedural Skills (patient care) and Medical Knowledge:

 

       Autopsy pathology
  • Be able to perform an adequate dissection (Virchow method) 
  • Be familiar with laws regarding referral of cases to the coroner's office and the classification of autopsies requiring medicolegal status
  • Understand the cause, manner, and mechanism of death
  • Understand infectious disease precautions

 

 

       Forensic pathology
  • Gunshot and shotgun wounds
    • Know the basic differences between handguns, rifles, and shotguns
    • Be familiar with entrance and exit wound characteristics
    • Establish direction of fire and involved (injured) structures
    • Identify range characteristics (soot, stippling, muzzle abrasions)
    • Describe bullet features and estimate caliber (small, medium, large)
    • Identify buckshot, birdshot, and wad material
  • Sharp force injuries
    • Identify stab wounds and incised wounds
    • Identify sharp and blunt angles
    • Establish direction and depth of penetration
  • Blunt force injuries
    • Identify abrasions, lacerations, contusions and fractures
    • Recognize chop injuries
  • Asphyxia
    • Be familiar with hanging findings including ligatures and ligature furrows
    • Recognize petechial hemorrhages (skin, eyes)
    • Identify fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage
    • Be familiar with findings observed in anterior and posterior neck dissections
  • Drug related deaths
    • Acquire basic knowledge of common street drugs (cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.)
    • Be familiar with toxicology results and their implications for the autopsy
  • Ancillary testing
    • Understand when additional pediatric procedures such as metabolic screening and microbiology cultures are appropriate
    • Understand when histologic examination is appropriate and what sections are appropriate for a given case.
    • Identify cases that require special testing such as carboxyhemoglobin levels and testing for volatiles

 


2.  Interpretive Skills (PC, MK, SBP):  Be able to interpret, present, and synthesize gross and microscopic pathologic findings with the history and the results of other studies, to produce an autopsy report that explains the cause, manner, and mechanism of death.  

3.  Practice-based Learning and Improvement:  Demonstrate active growth of forensic pathology knowledge during the rotation, with development of greater accuracy and sophistication in the preparation of autopsy reports.

4.  Interpersonal and Communications Skills:  Effectively communicate with autopsy assistants, funeral home personnel, family members, forensic pathologists, other medical personnel, law enforcement agencies, and attorneys. 

5.  Professionalism:   Complete autopsy reports in the assigned timeframe, according to instructions, and show respect for the body of the deceased during the autopsy.  

6.  Systems-based Practice:  Develop a basic understanding of the medicolegal, social, professional, economic, educational, and health & safety ramifications of forensic pathology within society.  


Requirements:

  • Level of training: PGY-2 or higher year, after the resident has gained a solid grounding in autopsy pathology
  • The resident's autopsy check list must be signed by the pathologist after every forensic autopsy. A log of participation by residents will be kept at PSHMC by Ms. Weaver, for documentation purposes. It is the responsibility of the resident to return their signed attendance sheet to Ms. Weaver after attending an autopsy in order to receive proper credit for the case.

 
Duration and Timing of the Rotation:

  • 1 month

Teaching Staff:
  • Wayne Ross, MD

Components:
Background reading (covered independently by resident):
  • Medicolegal Investigation of Death. Spitz and Fisher, 3rd edition
  • Forensic Pathology. DiMaio, 2nd edition (in PSHMC residents room)
  • Gunshot Wounds. DiMaio, 2nd edition
  • Forensic Pathology: Principles and Practice. Dolinak, Matshes, Lew

Method(s) of Evaluation:
  • Faculty observation

Reference: