Broward County's Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System Program: Forensic Pathology Fellowships

The Broward County Office of Medical Examiner Trauma Services (BCOMETS) will utilize this funding to train two full-time Forensic Pathology Fellows to help offset the critical shortage of forensic pathologists. BCOMETS is one of 25 medical examiner districts within Florida. This office investigates all violent, suspicious, unnatural and unattended deaths to determine cause and manner of death, which aids law enforcement investigations and unmasks trends that aid in public health and safety. BCOMETS continues to be overwhelmed with a significant increase in drug overdoses (up 33% from 2019), homicides (up 10% from 2019), and motor vehicle-related deaths (up 33% from 2019. The fellows will be provided a comprehensive educational experience at an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and The National Association of Medical Examiners accredited medical examiner office which includes an onsite toxicology laboratory. This funding will continue to help increase BCOMETS visibility nationwide, which will enable the office to attract top candidates and continue to produce qualified, highly trained forensic pathologists.