Forensic specialists evaluate and analyze physical evidence using different methods. These methods could be chemical, instrumental, microscopic, and physical. They need to work with hair, gunshot residue, biological fluids, blood, etc. They use to work in labs or as crime scene investigations. Their main responsibilities are collecting, preserving, testing, and reporting evidence to those in charge of the case. Their work also goes into legal boundaries; their reports and criminal findings can help determine the case. So in case, you’re wondering what forensic specialists can do for the healthcare sector. Here’s what they can do:
1. Forensic Chemist
When a body comes back from a crime scene before it’s washed and put away in the morgue, a forensic chemist needs to work on the scene. A forensic chemist analyzes any non-biological evidence found at either the crime scene or on the body and matches the unknown substance with a known substance. They can also retrieve drugs and uncontrolled substances from the scene and categorize them for identification. They work in labs and use various microscopy, optical analysis, gas chromatography, or other technologies. Once they know what they found, they record the information in comprehensive reports and send it ahead.
2. Forensic Psychologist
Many criminals are unable to sit through the trial due to their deteriorating mental state. Apart from pulling multiple roles, they are also responsible for treating these criminals. You can easily start your career as a forensic psychologist and administer help by doing a forensic psychology degree and bring order to the system. As a forensic psychologist, you are responsible for devising treatment routes and helping your patients get better. When counseling and therapy are not enough in severe cases, you may even take patients down the medication route. For such situations, you can consult a psychiatrist and licensed professionals to help you determine what dosage of medicine and what kind of medicine the patient needs.
3. Forensic Pathologist
As a forensic pathologist, you are also a trained medical examiner. It means you have enough medical knowledge to help out in hospitals if necessary. As a forensic pathologist, if you get the body of someone who suddenly died due to a horrific crime or in a violent manner, it’s your job to find out why. You first need to determine what injuries the person sustained that ultimately lead to their death, such as blunt trauma, asphyxiation, or homicide. When you start working on your case, you need to study medical histories first and review crime scene evidence and witness statements. Following what you read, you may need to conduct an autopsy. That is, dig into the body and look for bullets or injured organs. If you find any questionable or vague item, you can always take it ahead for further analysis. You can also choose to do specializations in toxicology, blood sampling, and ballistics.
4. Forensic Biologist
Forensic biologists are investigators who look at body fluids. Your job is to identify any blood, semen, saliva, or body fluid that can act as physical evidence. Once you swab the sample, you can perform DNA analysis to determine who it belongs to. You’re also capable enough to carry out genetic testing such as paternity tests. Your work is mainly with identification. It can help when hospitals look to match samples to determine how many people have the same blood type in the hospital’s database.
5. Forensic Odontologist
Forensic Odontologists are also called forensic dentists. You are a specially trained dentist that helps in identifying unknown remains or figure out the indents in bite marks on different bodies. You may be called in for an investigation or by a medical examiner. When you examine dead bodies, you may do an autopsy and take pictures, making cranial measurements and dental impressions. You then use these samples to measure the marks to make a match. In cases where you’re investigating bite marks on bodies, leftover food, or chewing gum, you will use the same method to study indents and discover the source of the bite.
Forensic isn’t just about finding clues and patterns. It is also reporting what you saw and found. You need to make detailed reports enough for the medical examiner or police force to understand. You’re necessary for identifying human remains that fail at identification through methods such as face recognition or fingerprints. Determine sources of injury. Help figure out if dental malpractice occurred or help identify bodies in fatalities such as plane crashes.
6. Forensic Toxicologist
If you want to know how chemicals affect the human body, you should go into toxicology. As a forensic toxicologist, you will perform tests on body fluids and tissue samples to identify if it was impacted by drugs or due to the presence of chemicals that flow in the body. You will work on samples that are collected and prepared by forensic pathologists. The methods you will use are of high sophistication, such as chemical reagents that signify the presence of a chemical. The substances you need to identify are alcohols, illegal drugs, poisons, metals, gases such as carbon monoxide.
Wrap Up
Forensic specialists hold an esteemed position in medicine and law enforcement. If you venture this path, you will be a valuable asset to the community. You can choose any career from a forensic chemist, psychologist, pathologist, biologist, dentist, or toxicologist. Each field has its importance, especially when the medical sector needs help in DNA profiling, sample matching, or generating a toxicology report. The reports you write may help draft research papers and act as additional study material for medical students or law enforcers. So, if this field holds your interest, you should go for it and explore your career.