GMS 6358: Forensic Medicine 3

Core Course
Credits: 4
Instructor: Dr. Suzanne Utley


This course will teach students the fundamentals of forensic pathology within the context of crime scene investigation. Postmortem changes will be evaluated and differentiated from antemortem wounds. Students will be taught how to evaluate wounds and patterns of injury and will learn how to associate these findings at autopsy with evidence and circumstances identified at the crime scene.

Objectives:

  • Understand the fundamental concepts of forensic pathology as it applies to crime scene investigation.
  • Explain the steps involved in a typical forensic autopsy.
  • Distinguish between postmortem changes and antemortem wounds.
  • Identify patterns of injury that may be useful in a crime scene investigation for determining cause, manner, and mechanism of death.
  • Understand common natural causes of death and how they differ from suspicious deaths.
  • Identify disease processes or other contributing factors to cause of death.

Topics:

Modules

Topic

Module 1 The Forensic Autopsy
Module 2 Forensic Pathology and Histology Techniques
Module 3 Post Injury Intervals and Trauma Analysis
Module 4 Natural Deaths
Module 5 Cardiac, Pulmonary, and Neurologic Diseases
Module 6 Infectious Diseases
Module 7 Suspicious Deaths
Module 8 Poisons and Toxins
Module 9 Drugs of Abuse
Module 10 Environmental Deaths