What you need to pass to enter the medical examiner. Specialty "Forensic medical examination" (residency). Major subjects of the school curriculum

A professional representative of forensic medicine, whose field of activity is the collection of evidence, as well as conducting research that helps to understand the nuances of the crimes committed, to find the true culprits. Who is it? Forensic expert is a specialty with which we want to introduce the reader in this material. We will analyze both the features of the specialist’s activity and the nuances of his preparation.

Who is it?

A medical examiner is a forensic medical examiner. Engaged in collecting evidence, conducting research that helps to "unravel" the criminal case, to find the perpetrators of the crime. It is the medical examiner who draws up and signs the conclusions, which are sometimes fundamental in the trial.

The work of a forensic expert is the direct execution of the following official duties:

Autopsy of the bodies of killed, dead people, examination of corpses in order to establish the true cause of their death.
Carrying out the exhumation of already buried bodies in order to identify errors in the primary study, to establish new (true) causes of death.
Examination of living victims in order to assess the severity of the wounds and other injuries inflicted by the criminal.
Conducting various examinations to identify the true circumstances of the commission of a crime. For example, confirmation of the fact of rape. Or establishing the type of weapon used by the criminal.
Carrying out complex research in laboratories. These events allow you to determine the nuances and subtleties of a criminal case. This duty most often entrusted only to employees with extensive work experience, the highest medical category or a candidate, doctoral degree.

Medical examiner: an overview of professions

Having decided to enroll in a forensic expert, the applicant should be aware that, in addition to the main direction, it will be useful for him to receive additional education. Namely, the skills of conducting additional examinations, of which there are already more than a dozen today. Such related education contributes to obtaining a decent salary, fast career growth.

In addition, under the profession "forensic expert" society understands a number of similar specialties, however, with their own characteristics:

Forensic Medical Expert.
Forensic psychologist.
Forensic construction expert.
Polygraph examiner.

Let's get acquainted with each of the directions in detail.

Forensic Medical Examiner

A forensic expert is a representative of forensic medicine who helps the investigating authorities to understand specific issues. In the training of such specialists, much attention is paid to such areas as biochemistry, bacteriology, and hygiene.

Most often, the medical examiner's job is to determine the cause of death and the weapon used to kill the victim. Therefore, examination, examination of the corpse, and additional examinations are mandatory.

The result of the work of a specialist is a conclusion-certificate of death. There, the forensic expert must answer in detail all the questions that the investigation asked him for work.

forensic psychologist

We have given a description of the profession "forensic expert". Now let's characterize a related interesting specialty - a forensic psychologist. His main focus is research. psychological portraits persons involved in a criminal case, conditions, emotional patterns and mechanisms that help the investigation. The specialist works with victims, suspects, accused, witnesses.

It is the forensic psychologist who determines whether a person is able to adequately respond to reality, correctly assess what is happening around, whether she was in a state of passion at the time of the crime. The specialist confirms the presence or absence of mental illness in the perpetrator, witness or victim.

Applicants with a diploma of higher education in the field of psychiatry or psychology try themselves for this position.

polygraph examiner

A polygraph examiner is the same forensic expert, but only using a special device in his work - a polygraph. "In the people" he is known as a lie detector. Such an examination is appointed in cases where the truth cannot be determined in any other way, when the testimony of the participants in the criminal case is too contradictory.

A polygraph examiner must not only be able to handle a lie detector, but also have sufficient knowledge about the psychophysiological reactions of a person. An experienced specialist is able to correctly decipher the verbal and visual signals of the subject.

Judicial construction expert

This area of activity is quite new and still little known in Russia. But it's starting to gain momentum. The representative of the profession is busy organizing processes that can build a full-fledged control of construction work.

In particular, the employee is competent to verify the authenticity of the provided licenses, permits, certificates. Establishes the causes of failures in work, untimely execution of projects. Cooperates with law enforcement agencies both at the investigation stage and during the direct trial.

Where to study to be a forensic scientist?

To work in this direction, first of all, you need a higher medical education. What do you need to take to become a medical examiner? Representatives of universities advise future applicants to pay attention to their training in the Russian language, chemistry and biology.

Profile higher education in medical school - only the beginning of training. The student chooses the direction of training "forensic expert" already at the stage of senior courses. But that's not all. Then an internship or residency in this specialty is required. Thus, in total, the preparation takes 7-8 years. Only after that you can start looking for a job, performing direct professional duties.

Where to study to be a forensic scientist? As a rule, training is conducted on the basis of medical universities. But do not assume that 7-8 years of study is the deadline. The forensic expert is constantly developing professionally - these are refresher courses, retraining, and independent study of specialized literature, and mastering the skills of conducting additional examinations.

"Backup" preparation

Where do they train for the profession of "forensic scientist"? If the university in your city does not have such a direction, or you did not pass the points, then you can get any higher medical education. And then go through specialized retraining courses. But this choice is a "fallback", as it has its drawbacks:

Your knowledge will be shallow. It will take several months, or even years, to retrain.
The employer will first of all pay attention to an applicant with a higher profile education, rather than a specialist who has completed courses. You will have to prove your qualifications, gain practical experience in order to become a worthy competitor.

Requirements for the applicant

The main requirements for the applicant are as follows:

Higher profile medical education.
Possession of a valid certificate in forensic medicine.
Knowledge of the legal aspects of conducting forensic research.
Work experience is welcome.

The last paragraph includes the following:

Conducting forensic autopsies.
Collection of biomaterial for laboratory examinations.
Ability to work with equipment, reagents, tools.
Knowledge of safety measures, compliance with the sanitary and epidemiological regime.
Experience in court hearings.
Experience in completing medical records.

Career

The growth of the professionalism of the forensic expert is reflected in the assignment of the appropriate categories to him:

The second category - more than 3 years of experience.
The first category - more than 7 years of experience.
Top category- more than 10 years of experience.

Categories are assigned by a special qualification commission on the basis of research work specialist, in which he describes his own skills and acquired knowledge. Career growth the medical examiner also contributes scientific activity- candidate and doctoral dissertations, publications in medical journals, speeches at conferences and professional congresses.

Pros of the profession

Let's see what experts themselves value in their work:

No contact with patients. Communication in the workplace is limited to colleagues, judiciary and law enforcement. There are no long queues, dissatisfied patients and other hassle that characterizes the work of other doctors.
Salary. Russian statistics indicates that the salary of a forensic scientist is significantly higher average pay doctor's work in polyclinics and hospitals.
Half-holiday. The maximum employment of a forensic medical expert per day is only 6 hours.
An incentive for professional self-improvement. To move up the career ladder, increase remuneration for work, the forensic scientist constantly needs to replenish the treasury of his knowledge. This is useful not only in the material, but also in the spiritual, rational plan.
Interesting job. Each case is a puzzle to be solved by a specialist. Constant supply of food for the brain, training of logical thinking.

Cons of the profession

Now let's see what are the disadvantages of such employment:

Working with corpses. There is a high risk of contracting serious infections - HIV, tuberculosis, and so on. In addition, the medical examiner is constantly working with allergy-causing formalin, bronchial asthma.
Heavy physical work. As a rule, the medical examiner himself has to move the bodies of the dead. A specialist spends most of the working day at a computer - it is necessary to draw up a large amount of paper reports.
Psychological load. It should be understood that you will have to work with the bodies of victims who died a violent death - mutilated, with horrific wounds. Not only adults, but also small children. Therefore, only a person with a strong and stable psyche can work here.
Delays at work. The reduced working day is introduced for the medical examiner for a reason. Working with dead bodies has a negative impact on health. However, in reality, a specialist spends more than 6 hours at the workplace: he needs to draw up reports, speak in court, and so on.
The attitude of others. We understand that a forensic expert is a difficult, but interesting and useful job for society. However, there are still people who believe that "digging into corpses" is an ignoble occupation.

Specialist salary

Today we can say with confidence about the demand for this profession. In addition, the demand for qualified specialists is increasing every year. And what about the salary of the profession "forensic expert"? Cash reward for work depends on a number of factors: education, amount of practical knowledge and skills, position held, academic degree.

Nevertheless, specific figures for Russia can be cited as an example:

First stage career ladder- 25-30 thousand rubles.
"Average" specialists - 40 thousand rubles.
Experienced laboratory staff with academic degrees behind them - 60-70 thousand rubles.
Forensic experts holding senior positions - 80-100 thousand rubles.

It should also be noted that forensic experts working in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are entitled to significant benefits, as well as an increase in wages depending on their rank.

This is how we analyzed the profession of "forensic expert" from all sides. You know both the features of training specialists and the nuances of their work.

Details

Do you want to work at the intersection of medicine and justice? Then go to the medical examiner. How to learn it after grades 9 and 11, where to enter in Russia and what exams to take for a forensic scientist? Let's find out!

On the one hand, a forensic expert is a specialist in the field of medicine, and on the other hand, he helps to find out the causes and nature of the crime.

Training for a forensic scientist is the first thing that should interest those who want to become one.

How to study to be a forensic scientist?

There is no easy path in this medical profession. To become a forensic scientist, you will need to enter a university and get a higher education. This specialty cannot be mastered in courses, it is not taught in colleges and technical schools, and, of course, you cannot just come into it.

How to become a forensic scientist?

To become a student, you need to fall in love with such subjects as biology and chemistry, and sometimes also physics, at school. It will be nice if the specialist has a deep knowledge of mathematics and a broad outlook. All these items will undoubtedly come in handy in order to pass exams and enroll in a medical examiner at a university, or rather, a medical higher education institution.

How many years to study to be a medical examiner?

You won't be able to quickly get the profession of forensic scientist. First, you need to finish not 9, but 11 classes of the school, then enter the university for specialties related to general medicine, pediatrics, forensic science and forensic examination. There is no question of any bachelor's degree. The average time to study as a forensic scientist in these training profiles will be about 6 years. But that's not all.

Thus, the approximate period of how many years to study as a forensic expert is 8 years.

Where do they study to be a forensic scientist?

Forensic experts are trained in higher educational institutions of medical training. That is, where there is a medical faculty and specialties related to general medicine and pediatrics.

You can’t immediately learn to be a forensic scientist. First, at the university, the basics are studied, which are mastered by all physicians, and already in the senior years, the student has the right to choose the direction of forensic examination and study it.

Studying for a forensic scientist in Russia

It often happens that in small towns of the country there is nowhere to go to the medical examiner. There simply are no higher medical institutions. The only option for such applicants is to apply to educational institutions far away from their home.

But residents of megacities were more fortunate - in any large Russian city, at least, there is one medical university where you can learn to be a forensic expert.

Where to apply for a medical examiner? To a medical university, academy or institute?

It is believed that the best educational institution is always a university, and the worst is an institute. The middle option is the academy. This happens often, but not in medicine. As a rule, any of the medical universities for teaching the profession of a forensic scientist is good by definition, the difference is only in the number of its students.

Therefore, the answer to the question of where to enter the forensic medical expert and where to study for it will be: how it will turn out and where you are lucky. It is very difficult to enter any of the medical universities, the competition for a place is huge both in a small institute and a huge university.

Most of the applicants are eliminated at the stage of applying for admission. That is, it is important to enter the study of a forensic expert not in a large university, but in principle in any of the medical ones. This is a big win.

Specialization, of course, should be associated with future work. None of the economic, humanitarian or pedagogical training profiles will work.

Faculties where they study to become a forensic scientist in Russia are usually called General Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Pediatrics, Forensic Science, although they may be designated differently.

What exams to take to become a medical examiner?

In any of the universities where the student will have about 6 years to study as a forensic scientist, there may be their own rules for admission. But the basis of admission is the completion of 11 classes of school and the results of the exam.

The subjects that you need to take for a medical examiner cover knowledge in the field of science and mathematics, medicine and anatomy. It is also important for the future physician to know the official Russian language in our country, to be able to correctly explain their thoughts.

Thus, after grade 11, the medical examiner must pass:

Biology
Chemistry
Russian language
Mathematics
Physics (in some cases).

Russian and mathematics are compulsory subjects for all 11th grade graduates. But biology and chemistry are already exams that you need to take for a medical examiner as a profile.

As science and medicine develop, more and more often, when entering a forensic examination, such a subject as physics is also encountered in exams. Modern equipment greatly helps forensic medicine, so knowledge in the field of physics will be more useful than ever.

What else do I need to submit to a forensic medical examiner?

The competition for admission to a medical university is one of the toughest, so quite often educational institutions practice assessing an applicant by their own internal testing, despite the result of the Unified State Examination.

What exams to take for a forensic scientist in this case? It can be all the same chemistry, biology and physics. An interview is also possible and this is not a simple conversation, but another serious test.

Since the work of the future doctor will be closely related to the legal field, at the entrance competition, some applicants for a forensic medical examiner will also have to take a popular subject for lawyers - social science.

What items to take to the medical examiner after medical college? I am finishing my last year and I want to study at a medical school!

Very often, studying at a college provides the benefits of entering a university, but it seems not in medicine. Years spent at the desk of a medical college will certainly help, but passing the entrance exams for a forensic pathologist will not be canceled. Everything that needs to be taken for a medical examiner after grade 11 will also have to be passed to a graduate of a medical college.

We talked earlier about how to enter a university after college and technical school. These rules apply to medical admissions as well. In short, the examinations for a forensic expert will have to be taken all the same - Russian, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and sometimes also physics and social science.

For applicants planning to study as a forensic scientist, it is important to remember that in 99 percent of cases, admission to medical specialties is carried out only in public educational institutions. Often they do not have the opportunity to study on a contract basis. Therefore, to become a forensic scientist, you need to seriously prepare for the exams.

It is also possible that it will not be possible to enroll in training with the forensic expert of the future immediately. In this case, you will have to skip a year and try to pass the medical exams again. Or choose another specialty.

Universities that teach forensic science in Russia

You can become a university student with criminology and forensic examination in any more or less major city countries. Medical institutes, academies and universities annually graduate thousands of specialists from their walls and accept thousands of applicants. So, in a sense, everyone has a chance to do it.

Some universities for studying for a forensic scientist in Moscow:

Lomonosov Moscow State University is one of the leading multidisciplinary universities, where they teach to become a forensic expert, as well as hundreds of other specialties. It is difficult, if not impossible, to enter here, but someone succeeds.
Sechenov University - Forge medical personnel and advanced training center medical workers where it is difficult to enter, but very prestigious.
MMU "REAVIZ" - despite the somewhat inconspicuous name, this is a prestigious university for studying as a forensic scientist, where it is difficult to enter, but if you are not lucky with the budget, there is an opportunity to study on a contract basis.

Moscow educational institutions are of particular value. It is believed that training as a forensic scientist is more prestigious in them.

In fact, there are many medical universities in the country, so it’s not worth focusing only on Moscow.

Here are some of the universities where they teach forensic science in Russia:

Far Eastern federal university located in one of the most exclusive places in the country - Russky Island. You can become a student by enrolling in the direction of General Medicine.
Saint Petersburg State University(St. Petersburg State University) - to study as a forensic expert at a university in the northern capital of Russia.
Novosibirsk National State University (NSU), which has the status of a research university and gives the opportunity to study as a forensic expert by passing USE Chemistry, biology and Russian language.
Ural State Medical University (USMU) - for admission to a forensic expert at a university in Yekaterinburg.

In total, there are more than 100 educational institutions across the country where you can get the profession of a doctor and a forensic medical expert. So students will have plenty to choose from. But whether the university chooses them depends on the number of points scored on the exam.

In short, admission to a medical school is the main thing you need to become a forensic scientist. But it takes a lot of effort to do so.

Summarize. You can only study to be a forensic scientist at the highest educational institution and only after 11th grade. To enroll, you must be prepared to take USE Russian, mathematics, biology and chemistry, and sometimes also physics. Education in Russia is possible in many universities, but to become a forensic expert, you need to spend at least 7 years studying. At the same time, entering a medical college will not speed up the process of obtaining a profession, although it will help to learn its basics.

The entrance examination program is provided by the university.

To solve a crime related to the death of a person, law enforcement agencies cannot do without a specialist in forensic medical examination. Its competence includes determining the time, causes, circumstances of death, the instrument of crime. If the deceased person cannot be identified, then this problem is also solved by a forensic expert using special research methods.

A forensic expert is consulted to determine the severity of bodily injuries resulting from violent acts by one person or group of persons. Based on the opinion issued by the expert, an article of the criminal code is determined, the perpetrator is held accountable.

Admission conditions

To obtain the specialty of a forensic medical expert, you must first enter a medical university, after 6 years, complete your studies by successfully passing the state certification.

After that, you can apply for residency. The question “what subjects to take” is not relevant in this case - the entrance exam program is provided by the university.

Future profession

The forensic expert conducts a forensic medical examination of living people who have been subjected to illegal actions, as a result of which injuries were received; people who died as a result of an accident, violent acts, unclear and doubtful deaths. Identification of the identity of a deceased person is entirely the prerogative of the medical examiner. Especially such work is necessary during disasters with a large number of human casualties. The expert opinion is very important document- the life of the suspect and the outcome of the trial may depend on its content.

Where to apply

If you have already decided who you will work for, then the specialty of a forensic expert can be obtained at universities in Moscow and other cities of Russia:

Training period

Residency training in the specialty 31.08.10 "Forensic Medical Examination" takes place only full-time and lasts 2 years. It ends with the state final certification in the form of an exam.

Subjects studied

The main subjects studied in the specialty:

forensic medical examination of victims, accused and other persons;
types of injuries and their features (car, motorcycle and bicycle, aviation, sports, injury from rail transport);
health disorder and death from the action of electricity, from changes in atmospheric pressure, from the action of radiant energy, from poisoning;
health disorder and death from respiratory failure caused by mechanical obstacles, drowning and sudden death;
forensic medical examination of a corpse (accidents, sudden death);
forensic issues of neonatology;
microscopic examination of objects of forensic medical examination;
medico-criminalistic methods of examination of objects of expertise;
forensic medical examination based on the materials of investigative and court cases;
forensic histology;
emergency medicine.

The training program includes a simulation course during which residents acquire the skills necessary to conduct a forensic medical examination and physical evidence. Mandatory is the practice in the institutions of forensic medical examination.

Acquired competencies

The main skills and abilities acquired in the process of training are:

establishing the fact, time, cause of death;
assistance to the investigator in the examination of the corpse at the scene;
conducting research using special methods;
analysis of the circumstances of the incident, the necessary documentation;
carrying out expert work during extreme situations;
diagnosis of injuries, the severity of bodily injuries;
methodology for the examination of adverse outcomes of treatment in civil and criminal cases;
preparation of expert opinions.

Employment prospects by profession

Specialists who have completed residency in the specialty 31.08.10 "Forensic medical examination" receive the profession of a doctor, but work in the bureau or centers of forensic medical examination. It's independent state institutions in the healthcare system, but who conduct a forensic medical examination on the order of law enforcement agencies. Salary is the same as for all employees budget organizations, low from 25,000 to 40,000 rubles. But there are bonuses in the form of an additional payment for harmfulness, an additional 2 weeks of vacation.

Benefits of Professional Development

You can continue your studies in the specialty "Forensic Medical Examination" in graduate school (full-time or part-time). The result of training should be protection scientific work. The award of the degree of candidate of medical sciences opens the way for further research activities in a research institution or its combination with teaching work in universities.

Thanks to the work of forensic experts, criminals get what they deserve. It is forensic experts who find the evidence left at the crime scene, with the help of which the circumstances of the committed offense become clear. What are the characteristics of this profession? Is it difficult to master its subtleties? What skills and qualities should a candidate for the position of an expert in this field have?

In order for the court to be able to deliver a fair verdict, a weighty evidence base must first be collected. This is done by the forensic experts. What kind of profession is this, every employee knows internal organs: it is the expert who conducts research on various evidence. He can tell the time of death, determine the weapon with which the murder was committed, or find out with what tool the door was forced open. The expert sends the collected data to law enforcement agencies, and it is already there that it is decided how to use them. It often happens that the identity of the criminal is established precisely thanks to the work of an expert.

Story

Forensic science - what kind of profession? What qualities does a specialist need?

Education is far from the only condition for becoming a professional in this field. A candidate for this position also needs a set of certain internal qualities, because otherwise the work will break him. What are these qualities?

First, the forensic expert is required to have iron restraint. Without that, he won't be able to spend around the clock looking for clues. In addition, a true professional must always remain cool. After all, he will constantly have to face horror in the process of his work. Despite the cruelty with which the crimes were committed, he needs to remain open-minded, soberly make judgments, quickly take the necessary actions.

Where to work?

Previously, graduates with the specialty "Forensic Science" could only work in government agencies - the police or the prosecutor's office. But now private organizations often hire experts in this field. For example, each Insurance Company has its own specialist to prove the insured event. In addition, there are independent morgues, which have the opportunity to double-check the authenticity of the examination carried out by state specialists.

Salary and the relevance of the profession

Due to the fact that the profession of a forensic expert is quite complex, specialists of this profile are always in demand. However, this demand extends mainly to large cities. In small towns and cities, a specialist is unnecessary.

Currently, fraudulent crimes have become especially common. Often, documents are forged or false loans are issued. Having become a victim of deception, a person turns to the investigating authorities, where an examination is appointed.

Those applicants who are interested in the question of what kind of profession - forensic examination - should know: wage exceeds the average in this area. High requirements well-founded in this profession. Success in this field awaits only those who are ready to put in enough effort and become a true professional.

The cold light of halogen lamps reflecting off the tiled walls and floor, the gleam of steel instruments and the dead silence of the dissecting room. Or - cars with flashing lights, crowds of onlookers and a lifeless body on the pavement. Approximately this is how the layman imagines the everyday life of representatives of one of the most unusual medical specialties - forensic experts.

There is an opinion that complete cynics or those who once at the university were "scared" by living patients go into this profession. And also - that these doctors are the most insightful of all. It is they who often unravel real detective mysteries - after all, as the unforgettable Dr. House used to say, "everyone lies", especially when it comes to crime stories.

Is it so - says Alina Deinega (Norilsk),
forensic medical expert of the 2nd qualification category.

About the "strange" choice of specialty

It so happened that I myself spent a lot of time in hospitals as a child. I got acquainted, one might say, from the inside with the whole “kitchen” and simply chose my “cold shop”. Seriously, I could never imagine myself in an office with a nurse writing out certificates and prescriptions ... Yes, and to some extent, the urgency of making a decision scares me: I examined the patient - and I need to immediately make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

And in my profession, there is nowhere to hurry. It’s not that I’m doing my research and preparing expert opinions at a snail’s pace, but there is time to analyze everything. Probably just an opportunity jewelry analysis I was attracted: here you have to know a lot and each time look for an individual approach to applying your skills and knowledge. And, of course, self-esteem played a certain role, because few people are allowed to my place of work, and I also participate in investigative measures.

About the confusion in the names of professions

It is not easy for ordinary people to understand the difference between a pathologist, a medical examiner and a forensic scientist, and often people use these words as synonyms. In fact, we are talking about three different professions.

Pathologists work on the basis of the hospital and find out why the patient died. The pathologist does not bear criminal liability for possible errors in the work, because doctors usually do not intentionally harm human health.

And the forensic medical service in Russia is a separate organization. Forensic experts conduct research on the corpses of people who died outside the walls of a hospital institution, for example, at home, as well as those who died in a hospital no more than a day after admission (this implies that the death occurred regardless of the work of doctors). And, of course, we investigate those who have a suspicion of violent death - that is, death as a result of criminal acts or, for example, poisoning or traffic accidents.

Forensic experts also work with living people - this is called "examination of living persons" (victims, suspects, etc.). For example, if one of the spouses used physical force in a conflict, the second one goes to “remove the beatings” specifically to us. Harm to health in this case is determined by forensic experts, and the punishment is the court.

But the forensic doctor is studying physical evidence (for example, a knife that killed a person), he establishes a correspondence between the wound on the body of a corpse and a specific crime weapon.

Lawyers, by the way, also have their own criminologists, but this is a completely different field of activity. We are talking about the same people who in detective series with a serious look drive brushes with white or black powder on doors, jambs and mirrors in search of fingerprints, photograph corpses and collect cigarette butts in sterile bags. Their role is extremely important for the work of the forensic service in identifying the corpses of unknown people, because it is they who have access to fingerprint databases and fingerprint corpses to determine their identity.

About the secrets of the dead body

We, forensic experts, also go to the place where the corpse was found - to establish the time of death. As soon as the investigator and the forensic scientist finish their work, I begin mine.

At the scene of the incident, my main task is to determine the prescription of the onset of death, because the efficiency of investigative measures to search for criminals may depend on this.

For example, if no more than 2-3 hours have passed, the chance to find the criminal is higher, it is more expedient to conduct a survey of neighbors immediately - there is a chance to find out if they heard any noise in the apartment a couple of hours ago or maybe they saw someone in the stairwell in a certain period of time. And sometimes, on the contrary, a survey of neighbors and relatives helps in determining the prescription of death, for example, when the corpse is clearly “not fresh” (three or five days after death, it looks almost the same): you can find out when the deceased was last seen or talked to him by phone. It's like suicide notes next to the bodies of suicides - always gives a hint, but of course is not fundamental in determining the cause of death.

To find out when a person died, it is necessary, by saying plain language, hit him on the arm and pierce the liver. If in a scientific way - to determine the height of the idiomuscular tumor and measure the liver temperature.

In the first case, we are talking about testing the ability of muscles to contract - every hour after death, such a tumor under the skin will be less and less noticeable. And liver temperature tells you when the body has started to cool down. Therefore, we make a puncture in the right hypochondrium and measure the temperature with a special thermometer. Usually all this is enough to establish the time of death.

About romance, routine and detective stories

Many of my acquaintances think that detective investigation is an extremely exciting thing. In fact, there is no romance in the work of law enforcement agencies, only routine, which is why our work is gradually losing some charm. At first, of course, you fantasize that with your help justice will prevail. But over time, you realize that your work acquires significance only if the overall picture of the crime is formed and your imprisonment does not spoil it.

In most cases, in order to defend one's conclusion, one has to give more than one explanation to distrustful employees of the prosecutor's office that, for example, there can be no other circumstances for causing damage.

To make it clearer, let me give you an example. Two friends are engaged in some kind of martial arts and one day decide to have a practice fight outside the gym. As a result, one breaks the jaw of the second. He, of course, goes to the hospital. And even if such a patient refuses to tell how the injury occurred, the doctor is obliged to report this case to the police: the fact is that a healthy person simply cannot get a jaw fracture in a fall or in some other “innocent” way.

The police will interrogate the patient and seek expert opinion from me. I, in turn, will describe the mechanism for the formation of a jaw fracture: a blow with a limited blunt solid object, possibly a fist. If the patient resists, not wanting to let his friend down, visits will begin to me for explanations: could he still get injured on his own, hitting the door frame or slipping in the bathroom? .. And so on ad infinitum, until the victim himself gets tired from the constant visits of the police or his "offender" is not recognized in everything. Well, what's the romance? Routine!

As for popular television series and books, I have not seen such ones where our work would be fully reflected - neither among domestic ones, nor among foreign ones (although I watched and read a lot of them). Everything always looks very exaggerated, and each author tries to shoulder the work of entire departments on the shoulders of the medical examiner.

The only thing that made me good impression, - a novel written by Alexandra Marinina with the participation of my colleague, an excellent specialist, it reflects the essence of our profession. It is called "Dangling Threads" - everything is stated in an accessible language and truthfully enough, but, of course, it also does not accurately reflect the work process, otherwise the reader would get bored.

About the agenda

The working day in the morgue begins with the fact that the head of the department distributes the upcoming examination of corpses to forensic doctors. Then the orderlies prepare the corpse for examination - they undress, check the pockets for valuables, which the medical registrars pack and hand over to relatives. Next comes the actual examination and execution of a medical certificate of death.

The working day in the morgue is only 6 hours - from 9:00 to 15:00. During the study, we take biological material for further chemical-laboratory, histological and forensic research. AT different occasions death, the volume of such analyzes is different. After receiving all the results, we draw up a conclusion on the cause of death.

It is important to know that we issue the executed documents based on the results of the examination only to representatives of law enforcement agencies. But sometimes relatives also want to talk to a medical examiner to find out about the cause of death of a deceased person. This is allowed, but only verbally - and only in the form of preliminary assumptions. Relatives can familiarize themselves with all official conclusions at the police station.

About the cost of a medical error

The saying that a doctor in our specialty will not make a patient worse is quite fair. But at the same time, the price of a forensic expert's mistake is a criminal punishment, so my colleagues and I are not at all interested in distorting the facts.

And no matter how much we are accused (and this happens quite often!) of playing along with the investigation or the police, nothing of the kind can happen, this is provided for by the Criminal Code. In addition, there is the federal law, according to which a person who puts pressure on an expert is also subject to criminal liability.

About relationships with colleagues

It is very disappointing that the cycle of forensic medicine at the university usually goes "by the ears" for doctors of other specialties. As a result, practicing doctors cannot correctly describe injuries on the patient's body, which is extremely important for our work. For example, during the medical examination of documents, when we help the investigation to sort out some story “on the basis of tangled paper trails”.

Sometimes the doctors who treated the deceased patient still come to the autopsy, observe the work, are interested in the conclusion and the presence of some points that they could miss. It is no coincidence that the mortuary is called the place where the dead teach the living.

We ourselves consult with doctors when conducting an examination of living persons. For example, traumatologists tell us the degree of limitation of limb function as a result of an injury, and radiologists confirm the presence or absence of a fracture.

About the ability to switch

Philosophical thoughts about life and death visit me infrequently - I don’t worry too much about the specifics of my work. Probably, this is the peculiarity of my nature - and, therefore, I chose the right profession.

I remember well my first study - when I held a heart in my hand and understood that it was human and just recently still beating ... I rarely had to open the corpses of children - but this is a matter of experience, not moral stability. In such cases, of course, you worry, but mainly because you are afraid to make a mistake: to deal with the causes of death of a small person is the most important part of our work.

I travel a lot, but not because I want to get away from the “terrible work” and change the situation. It’s just that it’s not easy to live in Norilsk at all, and you want to take a break from the city, and not from professional activity. On the contrary, wherever I go, I constantly think about work and look forward to the tasks that await me when I return. This is such an endless puzzle that is always interesting to unravel.

Olga Kashubina

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