Mortuary Science &

Forensic Science/Pathology/Me

dical Examiner Jaci Crabtree & Pheebe

Price 3rd-4th Period Health

Science

Mortuary Science • Contrary to the rather severe-sounding name, Mortuary Science is primarily a human

service occupation. While funeral directors do work with bodies, they spend much of their time helping families in need of emotional support. Funeral directors guide families through a difficult process, advising them on their options and dealing with the clinical details of death. Funeral directors bring order to an otherwise emotionally jarring experience, making the job extremely rewarding. It is also a very stable profession, as the demand for funeral directors remains constant regardless of the economic climate.

• Mortuary Science students must fulfill the requirements of their academic institution and the licensure requirements of the state in which they intend to practice. This program is very much dependent upon state law. If you are considering Mortuary Science and you plan on attending a school in a different state, you should contact the licensing board or a funeral director in the state in which you want to work. Alternately, a school should be able to provide information on how their program works with your state’s requirements.

• After graduation, a Mortuary Science major is usually required to complete an internship of about 12 months, although the length of the requirement varies from state to state. After the internship, he/she is required to take either the state examination or a national board examination (some states require both tests). When all requirements are met, he/she is awarded a license to practice.

Classes to take for Mortuary Science• Funeral Service Law• Death and Dying Across

Cultures• Embalming Procedures• Embalming-Anatomy • Forensic Pathology • Funeral Service

Management • Business Law• Forensic Pathology

• Funeral Service Marketing and Merchandising

• Grief Counseling • Management Internship• Restorative Art • Role Of The Funeral

Professional • The Modern Mortuary • Microbiology

How much you could make being a Mortician!

• Salaries of funeral directors depend on the number of years of experience in funeral service, the number of services performed, the number of facilities operated, the area of the country, and the director’s level of formal education. Funeral directors in large cities usually earn more than their counterparts in small towns and rural areas.

• Median annual earnings for wage and salary funeral directors were $49,620 in May 2006.

• The middle 50 percent earned between $37,200 and $65,260. • The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,410 • The top 10 percent earned more than $91,800.

Embalming Process

• The embalming process prepares a body for the funeral and eventual burial. It is performed by a mortician and is meant to prevent the spread of disease and to preserve the body until after the funeral. The process starts when the body is brought to the funeral home. Any clothes are removed, and the body is placed on a slab with draining grooves.

Step by Step!

• The first step in the embalming process is to wash off any waste, bodily fluids, or other materials on the body. Then the muscles are massaged to get rid of stiffness, called rigor mortis, which can make it difficult to move the body. This also helps to break up any congealment or clots in the blood that may have formed after death.

Step 2!!

• The next step in the embalming process is to set the face. An eye cup is placed over the eyes, to hid sinking, and the eyelids are closed and sealed, usually with glue or other adhesive substance. The mouth is sealed shut in a natural look, and the body is arranged in a natural position. This is all done first because embalming will set the features, making them impossible to move later on. Some morticians will turn the head 15 degrees to the right, so that it is easier to see during the showing.

Step 3!!!

• Once the face is ready, the mortician begins embalming the body. He makes a cut in a main artery, usually near the armpit or groin, to drain out all of the blood. Another slit is made, and approximately three gallons of embalming fluid, made of formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol, is pumped through the veins, pushing out any remaining blood.

Step 4!!!!

• The embalming process continues with a small cut above the navel. The mortician inserts a tube into the abdomen through the cut. A pump is attached to the tube, and the contents of the stomach and intestines are pumped out. This also removes all of the gases from the body, preventing bloating. During this part of the embalming process, the mortician also aspirates the abdominal cavity and the inside of any organs, drying them. Full-strength embalming fluid is then pumped into the organs and abdomen.

Step 5!!!!!

• After the body is stitched closed, the mortician washes it off, including shampooing the hair. Facial hair that may get in the way of makeup application is shaved, and then the body is dressed in clothes delivered by a family member. After that, the hair and makeup is styled, at which point the body is set in the casket for family and friends to view at the calling hours.

Pictures=D

Videos! • Part 1 Mortuary Science-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbYISoTysd8• Part 2 Mortuary Science-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc_QSyWl-GA• Part 3 Mortuary Science-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8mc-XFAtDs• Cremation-http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=VsdeC79JjIg&feature=endscreen

Forensic Science

• There are five general areas of practice • medical examiner, • crime laboratory analyst, • crime scene examiner, • forensic engineer• academic assistance - psychology (including

psychological profilers) / social science / statistics

Forensic Science

• Forensic science is not just what you see on television shows like CSI but rather the use of actual science to help determine the answer to varied legal questions. There are many different types of forensic disciplines that are used to help police and other officials answer these questions. These include criminalistics, forensic psychology, forensic pathology and others.

Forensic Pathology

• Forensic pathology is the study of the cause of death. Literally, pathology is used to determine how someone died and the forensic findings are usually used to backup a court case.

• Forensic pathology has also recently become popular for television shows such as CSI and NCIS. Many of the cases involve a mystery over death.

Forensic Pathology

• Forensic pathology is part of the larger pathology discipline. Pathologists analyze blood, fluid, and tissue samples, look at tumors and other abnormal growths removed from the human body, and sometimes may choose to specialize in autopsies and body examination. The career is challenging, but rewarding, but be warned: most practicing medical examiners suggest that the primary requirement for the job is a strong stomach.

Forensic pathology• If you are interested in becoming a forensic pathologist

and you are in high school, focus on getting a well-rounded science education. You may also choose to take foreign language electives, and classes about other cultures, so that you will have a better understanding of your patients. In college, try to get a well balanced education that includes humanities and science classes, and if you can, take some psychology. In addition to working with bodies, a pathologist must also be able to interact confidently with the public and in court, so getting a well rounded education is an excellent idea.

Forensic pathology • When planning for this career, plan on taking anatomy, pathology, and physiology in

your four years of medical school. You may also be eligible to take forensic pathology electives at some schools, especially those that have forensic anthropology departments. If you can, work at least briefly as an intern in the office of a forensic pathologist, so that you can see if the work environment is right for you. Plan on spending another four years as an intern after medical school, during which you will learn about analyzing tissue samples, how to handle ethical issues which will arise, and how to testify in court. After a brief forensic internship and board exams, you will be able to practice.

• In urban areas, you will probably spend most of your time in the lab, as part of a forensic pathology team. In more rural regions, you may also go out on site to certify that a victim is dead and collect the body. Many sparsely populated areas have a one person coroner's office, and as the professional on staff, you will handle collection and autopsy procedures, as well as court testimony, for all suspicious deaths in the region. You may also be required to travel to various sites as part of your job, so be prepared for a lot of time on the road.

Forensic pathology

• As part of the job, you will examine bodies in a wide range of conditions, from fresh murder victims to decomposed bodies. You must have a sharp eye for observation, as small details can be very important, along with a willingness to deal with stressful and unpleasant situations. In addition, you must have excellent people skills, as you will be supervising an office staff, dealing with distraught members of the public, and testifying in court.

Pictures

Videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcypaqcKesU

Medical Examiner / (M/E) • A Medical Examiner (ME) is a doctor who examines the

bodies of people who have died suspiciously or violently to determine how and why they died.

• Though the exact training and licensure requirements for someone in this position vary by jurisdiction, many places require MEs to have experience in pathology, an understanding of law, and licensure from a local board.

• The responsibilities, work system, and training of an ME are different from those of a coroner, though people often mix the two positions up.

The Role of a Medical Examiner• Many MEs are trained forensic pathologists, which means that they

study people's tissues, organs, body fluids, and cells to determine how or why they died.

• Even if the cause seems obvious, such as a bullet wound to the head, they still need to evaluate all the data before determining the cause of death.

• When possible, the ME will be called to the crime scene to investigate the body before it is moved. Seeing the body in context with the crime allows him or her to notice details that may be missed in a lab.

• In cases of violent crimes that haven't ended in death, a medical examiner may assist in rape examinations, analyses of blood, analyses of DNA evidence, and examinations of a person to document injuries.

• In addition to performing or overseeing the examination of the body, a medical examiner may be called to testify as to his or her findings in court. This includes testifying as to the cause of death or injury, establishing DNA evidence, or refuting the testimony of another expert. In addition to their legal duties, MEs also help compile reports about trends in deaths or crime that they draw from their examinations. These are used in both local and national medical and demographics studies.

Education Requirements• Qualifications to become a medical examiner vary, with the level of

specialization and training depending on the jurisdiction. Most places require at least a medical degree, with some requiring a background specifically in pathology.

• In other places, any medical degree, from dermatology to obstetrics, is accepted. In some places, a person might need training from a law school to become an ME, but many MEs take law-related classes even if they're not required for licensing so that they will be better at their jobs.

• During their education, prospective MEs typically shadow a working examiner to get an understanding of the job, and then start working on their own in a hospital or clinic after they graduate and pass any necessary licensing exams

Pictures

Videos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gus_2aOKN2c

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLH40j15m3I

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9PQxdcb1w