How To Become A Medical Examiner: What It Is and Career Path

What is a medical examiner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA)

A medical examiner also referred to as a forensic medical examiner, is a doctor who performs autopsies on dead bodies to determine the cause and manner of death. They are professional forensic pathologists called upon to investigate and determine the circumstances and causes of the death of an individual. They do this by gathering information from the deceased's body to arrive at appropriate conclusions. They also assist in the preparation of death certificates after determining the cause of death.

Medical examiners work closely with other doctors, law enforcement officers, and government agencies. They work for states, counties, cities, medical schools, and commercial laboratories. They must think critically to be able to analyze evidence and make credible conclusions on the cause, circumstances, time of death, and other elements of crime scenes. They also must be attentive to details during the examination of bodies and conduct thorough examinations to get accurate results.

Medical examiners working in big medical establishments work on shifts of 10 to 12 hours a day as their work requires them to travel to crime scenes.

What general advice would you give to a Medical Examiner?

Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA)

Faculty Coordinator of Allied Health/Medical Assistant Program Director, Midstate College

-LIKE- People who enjoy working as a Medical Assistant do it because they get a
great satisfaction from help other people. They are often the first contact with the
patient in the medical facility, which sets the tone for the rest of the visit.
They feel good making sure that their patients have the right information that they
need, the appropriate medical care they need, and helping patients feel better.
Good problem-solving skills, compassion, understanding, patience and keeping
up with a fast-paced office is very rewarding.
-DISLIKE- Some Medical Assistants have determined that there are
area/tasks/etc. that they dislike, listed below are some of these things:
 You’re always around people who are sick
 Long work hours can include 10 or 12-hour days
 Lower starting salary, which is usually based on education and
experience level
 Having to deal with stressful situations and difficult patients
 Dealing with patients who are angry, cranky, anxious or not feeling well
 Working under pressure from extremely tight deadlines

ScoreMedical ExaminerUS Average

Salary

9.1

Avg. Salary $156,092

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.9

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%

Asian 9.26%

Black or African American 10.25%

Hispanic or Latino 20.69%

Unknown 4.66%

White 54.32%

Gender

female 66.99%

male 33.01%

Age - 35

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35

Stress Level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.4

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.6

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a medical examiner

Explore medical examiner education requirements

Most common medical examiner degrees

Bachelor's

35.2 %

Associate

21.7 %

Certificate

14.4 %

Start to develop specific medical examiner skills

Skills	Percentages
EKG	15.60%
Medical History	10.15%
Vital Signs	8.02%
Blood Pressure	7.32%
Medical Exams	7.31%

Complete relevant medical examiner training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical examiners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical examiner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical examiner resumes.

Gain additional medical examiner certifications

Medical examiner certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific medical examiner certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for medical examiners include Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research medical examiner duties and responsibilities

Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
Perform medical exams such as EKG's, blood work, vitals and review medical history and paperwork with patients.
Assist in DNA case file management.
Train in phlebotomy and OSHA/HIPPA regulatory compliance procedures.

Prepare your medical examiner resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical examiner resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a medical examiner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Medical Examiner Resume templates

Build a professional Medical Examiner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Medical Examiner resume.

Apply for medical examiner jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a medical examiner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do medical examiners rate their job?