Download Introduction to Forensic Medicine

INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC MEDICINE
Applicable Students: Six-year system oversea students in the department of
clinical medicine.
Class Hours: It takes 30 hours to study this course.
TEACHING HOURS DISTRIBUTION
No.
Contents
Hours
1
2
4
Overview of forensic medicine
Introduction to death certification and determination
procedures
Forensic medicine related to disasters and public health
Time of death and post-mortem changes
5
Several causes of sudden death
4
6
2
7
Forensic medicine related to children as well as crimes and
abuse
Introduction to environmental injuries:
8
Environmental injury:
1
9
Introduction to Forensic Toxicology
4
10
Introduction to forensic psychiatry
3
11
Forensic serology and DNA evidence
2
Total
24
2
3
2
2
1
1
The Basic Objectives
This course is an introduction to the science of forensic medicine. Forensic medicine
is a branch of medicine and pathology that deals with medical topics related to legal
investigations concerning medical cases. The specialty also deals with issues related
to medical surveillance, public health and toxicology. This introductory course
provides an overview of several important forensic topics.
Contents
Knowledge
1. Overview of forensic medicine
(1) Definitions of basic terms
(2) Forensic pathology
(3) Autopsies
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(4) Forensic medical investigations
(5) Components of medico-legal investigations
(6) Death scene investigation examples
(7) Overview of some common causes of death in forensic investigations
(8) Further common terminologies and definitions
2. Introduction to death certification and determination procedures
(1) Several common causes and mechanisms of death in forensic medicine
(2) Death certification procedures
(3) Legal considerations and court procedures for the forensic pathologist
(4) Matters related to forensic evidence
3. Forensic medicine related to disasters and public health
(1) Victim identification procedures
(2) Aviation related forensic medicine/mass disasters
(3) Forensic autopsy topics
(4) Bioterrorism and chemical agents
4. Time of death and post-mortem changes
(1) Short post-mortem changes (hours)
(2) Intermediate post-mortem changes (days to weeks)
(3) Extended post-mortem interval (months to years)
5. Several causes of sudden death
(1) Overview of sudden death and SIDS
(2) Details about SIDS
(3) Details about sudden cardiac death
6. Forensic medicine related to children as well as crimes and abuse
(1) Infanticide and deaths in infants
(2) Child abuse
(3) Sexual battery
7. Introduction to environmental injuries:
(1) Submersion injuries (drowning and near drowning)
(2) Electrical Injuries
(3) Brief introduction to management of patient with electrical injuries
8. Environmental injury:
(1) Fire related deaths
(2) Deaths from hyperthermia
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(3) Deaths from hypothermia
(4) Deaths from venomous animals
9. Introduction to Forensic Toxicology
(1) Forensic toxicology
(2) Drug related deaths
(3) Toxicological analysis
(4) Post-mortem analysis of a drug death
(5) Ethanol and cocaine related deaths
10. Introduction to forensic psychiatry
(1) Forensic psychiatry
(2) Emotional and psychiatric related deaths
11. Forensic serology and DNA evidence
(1) Forensic serology
(2) DNA evidence procedures
(3) Use of DNA evidence in crime investigations and paternity testing
Skills
1. Gain an understanding of the role of forensic medicine in health care, and its uses.
2. Gain an understanding of several of the important definitions and terms used in
forensic medicine
3. Gain understanding of death certification procedures
4. Gain understanding of time of death determination and post-mortem changes
5. Introduction to use of forensic information in court procedures
6. Gain understanding of several areas of clinical forensic medicine, such as
environmental injury, toxicology
7. Gain understanding of deaths and injury in children, as well as deaths related to
abuse, criminal acts, as well as natural causes.
8. Introduction to forensic psychiatry
9. Introduction to use of forensic serology and DNA evidence
TEACHING METHODS
1. Problem analysis related to forensic topics
2. Review questions
3. Research of interesting topics via internet, textbooks, and medical journals
4. Final Examination at end of course
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REFERENCES
1. Internet to access numerous websites about specific forensic topics, using the main
subject heading as a search term and these can be introduced during the course
2. Forensic Pathology, Principles and Practice; David Dolinak, Evan W. Matshes,
and Emma O. Lew, Elsvier Inc. 2005
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