The Department of Pathology at Landspítali offers a structured specialized training program in forensic medicine, which was approved by the Assessment and Qualification Committee in May 2018.

Duration of Study: 1.5 years

This is a one-and-a-half-year general foundation program in forensic medicine, while training leading to specialist certification in forensic medicine takes at least about five years. It is therefore expected that specialist trainees will complete their training abroad in order to gain further experience and expertise.

Marklýsing

Tasks of a Forensic Pathologist

The traditional task of a forensic pathologist is post-mortem examination (usually a medicolegal autopsy; external and internal examination) to determine the cause and circumstances of death — and sometimes the time of death. The forensic pathologist also examines living individuals for possible injuries and similar signs, documents and interprets them. Other tasks include, among others, the examination of exhumed remains, identification of deceased persons, and evaluation of imaging materials. In accordance with their expertise, forensic pathologists provide expert opinions in court in cases involving death and/or violence.

At the Department of Pathology, approximately 200 medicolegal autopsies and 50 injury assessments are performed annually. The cases are diverse and can provide the specialist trainee with extensive foundational knowledge in forensic medicine, as well as basic skills in the methods of the discipline, and in the gross and microscopic morphology of diseases and injuries.

Specialist Training Conducted in Iceland

In the one-and-a-half-year specialist program in Iceland, trainees work on their own cases and receive training in medicolegal autopsy methodology and in the assessment of injuries in the living and deceased. In this way, the trainee gains a broad foundation in general forensic medicine and solid skills in common and straightforward work involving death investigations, documentation and assessment of injuries, and other assistance to the police or other authorities — as well as considerable skill in more complex forensic medical work.

Specialist trainees also receive training in interpreting investigations, identification, and communication with the police, prosecutors, and relatives .

The most important and extensive experience and knowledge in the program is gained through daily work, which is largely carried out under supervision and in close collaboration with specialists, where teaching plays a major role. In addition, there are regular educational meetings, educational visits to partners such as the Police Technical Department, the Office of the District Prosecutor, and the University of Iceland’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and self-directed study by the trainees is expected.

Location

The training takes place mostly at the Department of Pathology at Landspítali, Hringbraut, which is a relatively small department where there is close personal contact and cooperation among all professional groups within the department.