What does a medical examiner do?
A medical examiner works with deceased bodies to determine the cause and time of death. They analyze available information, testify in court, act as an expert witness in various criminal and civil cases, and provide forensic evidence. They are generally only expected to investigate deaths that occur under suspicious circumstances, as not all deaths will require an autopsy.
Medical examiner responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real medical examiner resumes:
- Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
- Perform medical exams such as EKG's, blood work, vitals and review medical history and paperwork with patients.
- Assist in DNA case file management.
- Train in phlebotomy and OSHA/HIPPA regulatory compliance procedures.
- Perform independent thesis research to compare paraffin embed healthy and malignant tissue using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA testing.
- Audit income and financial resources of elderly adults and disable applicants to determine financial eligibility for various levels of Medicaid coverage.
- Conduct training seminars and training sections and prepare students for CDL tests.
- Test potential applicants for a class c driver license, test CDL drivers.
- Perform ECG's on insurance applicants.
- Perform ECG examination as per clients need.
- Perform all protocol specific regulatory duties from initial submission to IRB to final study close-out.
Medical examiner skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Medical Examiners are proficient in EKG, Medical History, and Vital Signs. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Detail oriented, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Medical Examiners that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- EKG, 16%
Perform medical examinations, EKG's and labs in home environment for insurance companies
- Medical History, 10%
Monitor and document patient responses both electronically and manually to complete their medical history based on the established insurance company form.
- Vital Signs, 8%
Perform physical examinations for various insurance companies, consisting of health histories, physical measurements with vital signs, mental assessment.
- Blood Pressure, 7%
Calculated Ankle-Brachial Indexes on participants by obtaining blood pressure in the arteries at the ankle and foot using a Doppler probe.
- Medical Exams, 7%
Conducted independent patient medical exams and records reviews for personal injury cases and insurance company appeals.
- Death Certificates, 6%
Completed death certificates for funeral homes and vital records
Most medical examiners use their skills in "ekg," "medical history," and "vital signs" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential medical examiner responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a medical examiner to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "medical assistants must be able to understand and follow medical charts and diagnoses." Medical examiners often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "worked part time going to clients homes to obtain medical data and collect blood and/or urine samples for insurance evaluations. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform medical examiner duties is detail oriented. Medical examiners responsibilities require that "medical assistants need to be precise when taking vital signs or recording patient information." Medical examiners also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided legal documentation of impairment and disability following a thorough physical examination and detailed review of patient medical records. "
Interpersonal skills. medical examiners are also known for interpersonal skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to medical examiner responsibilities, because "medical assistants need to be able to discuss patient information with other medical personnel, such as physicians." A medical examiner resume example shows how interpersonal skills is used in the workplace: "utilized strong interpersonal skills and phlebotomy expertise to schedule and conduct 208 home visits on my own. "
Technical skills. medical examiner responsibilities often require "technical skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "medical assistants should be able to use basic clinical instruments so they can take a patient’s vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure." This resume example shows what medical examiners do with technical skills on a typical day: "briefed patients using technical medical terminology"
The three companies that hire the most medical examiners are:
- State Bar of Michigan11 medical examiners jobs
- State Of Montana2 medical examiners jobs
- Nueces County2 medical examiners jobs
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Compare different medical examiners
Medical examiner vs. Md
A Doctor of Medicine or MD is the designation of a person who completed medical education. Generally, MDs focus on the treatment of conditions in need of medication. These doctors do health assessments, prescribe medication, run diagnostic tests, treat patients, and offer health and wellness advice. Among their health specialties are in the areas of neurology, gynecology, and dermatology. They may also perform surgery when necessary. All these are made possible with their knowledge and skills in medicine.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a medical examiner are more likely to require skills like "medical exams," "death certificates," "urine specimens," and "law enforcement agencies." On the other hand, a job as an md requires skills like "patients," "customer service," "surgical procedures," and "surgery." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Mds tend to reach similar levels of education than medical examiners. In fact, mds are 2.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Medical examiner vs. Doctor assistant
A health assistant is responsible for providing quality care for the patients under the supervision of registered nurses and attending physicians. Health assistants perform basic medical procedures, such as collecting specimens for examinations, checking the patients' conditions, and administering required medications. They also assist health care professionals in conducting complex medical processes by preparing the equipment and ensuring the cleanliness of the operating room. A health assistant keeps an organized record of medical charts for the doctor's reference and may also coordinate with the patient's family for medical updates.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that medical examiner responsibilities requires skills like "medical exams," "death certificates," "urine specimens," and "law enforcement agencies." But a doctor assistant might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "patient care," "appointment scheduling," and "lab results."
Doctor assistants earn similar levels of education than medical examiners in general. They're 4.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Medical examiner vs. Health assistant
A clinical assistant is responsible for assisting medical professionals with medical procedures and ensure a high level of patient care. Clinical assistants perform minor clinic procedures such as taking patients' temperature, sterilizing medical equipment, proper dumping of disposable items, responding to patients' inquiries and concerns, processing payments, arranging appointment schedules, and maintaining an organized record of patients' information, such as their medical history and health insurance records. A clinical assistant must strictly adhere to sanitary and hygienic procedures at all times to promote a safe and clean environment for the patients.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from medical examiner resumes include skills like "medical exams," "death certificates," "urine specimens," and "law enforcement agencies," whereas a health assistant is more likely to list skills in "patients," "cpr," "customer service," and "mental health. "
Most health assistants achieve a similar degree level compared to medical examiners. For example, they're 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 5.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Medical examiner vs. Clinical assistant
Types of medical examiner
Updated January 8, 2025
