What does a medicolegal death investigator do? 

A medicolegal death investigator helps investigate sudden, unexpected, or unexplained deaths. They respond to death scenes (which may or may not be crime scenes) where someone has passed away and gather information to help figure out how and why the person has died. They may take notes, document the scene, and talk to witnesses or family members to learn more about what happened. They also work closely with medical examiners or coroners, who make the final determination about the cause of death. 

What does a typical day look like in this job? 

Medicolegal death investigators have many responsibilities, and these can change depending on the day. Medicolegal death investigators may have to respond to death scenes and conduct on-site investigations. At the scene, they might take notes, photographs, and document important details. They help coordinate the transport of the body and evidence from the death scene. 

Medicolegal death investigators might interview family members, witnesses, or medical professionals to find out about the person’s medical history and the events leading up to their death. Medicolegal death investigators write detailed reports about what they find and document all the evidence they have collected. Sometimes they might be asked to share their findings in court or during official investigations. They may also spend time reviewing records and communicating with law enforcement and forensic professionals. 

What skills or abilities are important for this job? 

Medicolegal death investigators must pay close attention to details. They need to know the laws for collecting evidence so that they can make sure they are following the rules. They need to be able to keep track of evidence and make sure that it is stored correctly. Medicolegal death investigators should be able to build relationships with people because they have to work with other departments or agencies during an investigation. 

It is very important for medicolegal death investigators to have strong written and verbal communication skills so that they can share their findings with other people. They need to be able to keep their findings confidential because they might learn sensitive information during an investigation. They should also have emotional resilience and the ability to remain professional when working in stressful or traumatic situations. 

What kind of education, certification, or training are required? 

Different places have different educational requirements for medicolegal death investigators. Most places in Arizona require a medicolegal to have a GED or a high school diploma well as work experience in fields such as healthcare, emergency services, or investigations. Some employers will accept an associate or a bachelor's degree in fields like biology or forensic science instead of experience. 

In Arizona, medicolegal death investigators are required to get a certification from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. Some jobs allow medicolegal death investigators to be hired without this certification, but they are usually required to achieve certification within one to two years of being hired. This certification requires medicolegal death investigators to show that they have the necessary skills and experience to conduct a proper medicolegal death investigation. 

What is challenging about this job? 

One of the most challenging parts of this job is working in uncomfortable situations. Medicolegal death investigators often must work in physically and emotionally difficult environments and may see upsetting things. This can be hard because these situations might be emotional or stressful. It is important for medicolegal death investigators to stay calm and focused so that they can do their job well. They must also be able to manage stress over time and cope with repeated exposure to traumatic situations. 

What is the average salary in Arizona? 

Visit ZipRecruiter to see recent information about the average salary of a medicolegal death investigator in Arizona.