Deputy Coroner: Job Description, Skills & Requirements

Deputy coroners examine remains of the deceased to determine the cause of death. They work closely with law enforcement and the morgue during their investigation. Some states require certification and a bachelor's or master's degree.

Deputy coroners serve as a liaison between law enforcement and the morgue, focusing on examining the remains of a body in order to determine both how and why a death occurred. Typical duties associated with deputy coroner positions may change from state to state, but usually include identification of the body, photographing the crime scene, notification of the next of kin and transportation of the body to the morgue.

Deputy Coroner Jobs and Responsibilities

A deputy coroner will have a wide range of duties that they must fulfill as they are determining the manner and cause of death. These duties include:

• determining whether a death was natural or violent
• identifying the remains
• conducting investigative work at the scene of death
• interpreting autopsy results

Deputy coroners are not necessarily required to perform autopsies, but may if they are also board certified pathologists. Once the case has been solved, it is the deputy coroner's duty to:

• prepare forms (such as the deceased's death certificate)
• complete any additional state or local forms required

There are a number of skills that you should work on as you learn how to become a deputy coroner. These skills will ensure that you are prepared for the workforce and are able to stand out within your field. By working on these skills you may become better prepared for the everyday tasks associated with a career as a deputy coroner.

• Attention to detail: A coroner must be able to distinguish small details that provide evidence to a case and can be used to determine a cause of death.
• Empathy: As a coroner working on deceased bodies, you must be compassionate and respectful while carrying out investigations.
• Medical knowledge: A coroner must possess extensive medical knowledge to properly complete an autopsy or determine cause of death.
• Analyzing information : A coroner must be able to take in significant amounts of data and analyze it so that accurate results can be determined.
• Legal compliance : A coroner must follow aspects of the law when conducting investigations and dealing with sensitive information, especially in an open investigation.
• Objectivity: A coroner must remain objective when investigating a case and not let personal judgment or bias interfere with their work. Additionally, although working with bodies may be emotionally difficult, a coroner must remain professional and conduct the job well.

Typically a deputy coroner will work:

• directly for a government
• for a court
• as part of a police force
• within a hospital

Depending on the state where the deputy coroner is based, there may be no specific degree requirements for the position except a high school diploma or GED. However, same states require deputy coroners to have a bachelor's or master's degree in anthropology, criminal justice or forensic anthropology.

Many states require deputy coroners to obtain certification by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI). For entry-level coroners who have a high school diploma or a GED and at least 640 hours of death scene experience, the ABMDI offers the opportunity to sit for the Registry Certification examination. More experienced coroners may earn the Board Certification credential. To sit for the ABMDI exam, applicants must be registry credentialed, have an associate's degree from an accredited institution and have 4,000 hours of experience.

There are many career paths that you may take before becoming a deputy coroner. Before you become a deputy coroner, you must gain experience as an assistant coroner. Before becoming an assistant coroner, you may work as an EMT, paramedic or police officer. However, many people enter an assistant coroner out of school. As you gain experience in the field, you may continue to progress and become a specialist or work on larger and more famous cases.

The field of forensic science, which includes those working in morgues and coroner offices, is projected to grow by 14% during the 2019-2029 decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS reported that the median deputy coroner salary, and that of all forensic science technicians in May 2019 was $59,150 a year. The bottom tenth percentile of forensic science technicians earn less than $35,620 annually, while the top 90th percentile earn over $97,350. The states with the highest wages for this profession are as follows.

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Deputy coroners work in collaboration with law enforcement and the morgue to examine human remains and determine cause of death. Experienced coroners may earn Board Certification, which requires an associate's degree, registry credentials, and 4,000 hours of experience. Some states require a bachelor's or master's degree.