What is a Medicolegal Death Investigator/Technician?

A Medicolegal Death Investigator/Technician, also sometimes referred to as a Forensic Investigator/Technician, is a trained individual who responds to the scene of death for the purpose of performing an investigation into why the person died and collecting any evidence directly related to death (such as prescription medications).  Investigators often have a four-year college degree, and may have other relevant experience in medical fields such as emergency medical technician/paramedic or law enforcement.  Specialized degree programs now exist across the U.S. offering undergraduate and Master’s degrees in forensic sciences, with some beginning to offer focus in biomedical/death investigation areas.  Certification for death investigators is available from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI).  All of the full-time Investigator/Technicians at the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office have ABMDI registry or fellow level certifications, and many of the part-time Investigators are certified or are working toward certification.  All Investigator/Technicians in the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office are dual-trained as Forensic Autopsy Technicians, and can also assist the Forensic Pathologists during autopsies.