Death Investigation & Forensic Pathology Practice
Test – ABMDI, Medical Examiner, Coroner, Crime
Scene, and Evidence Handling Review (2025/2026).
B
Q. In 1923, August Vollmer established the first crime laboratory in ___________________.
A. New York, New York
B. Los Angeles, California
C. Charlotte, North Carolina
D. Washington, D.C.
B
____________ are elected officials and in most jurisdictions the only credentials required for
being placed on the ballot are a high school diploma and a voter registration.
A. Forensic pathologists
B. Coroners
C. Medical Examiners
D. Funeral directors
A
______________ are forensic pathologists with education as a medical doctor, completion of at
least 4 years of anatomic pathology, and at least 1-2 years of subspecialty training in forensic
medicine.
A. Medical Examiners
B. Coroners
C. Medicolegal Death Investigators
D. Fellows
C
The ______________ is the organization that was established in 2005 to insure basic skills and
knowledge as a death investigator.
A. National Association of Medical Examiners
,B. American Board of Pathology
C. American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators
D. American Academy of Forensic Sciences
D
____________ supply the cause of death to coroners.
A. Magistrates
B. Law enforcement officers
C. Funeral directors
D. Forensic pathologists
B
Forensic science has its origins in early China and was documented in an early transcript of text,
____________, by Sung Tz'u written in 1248.
A. Forensic Sciences For Today and Tomorrow
B. Washing Away of Wrongs
C. Death Investigations Manual
D. Medicolegal Death Investigator's Manual
A
__________________ has been recognized by the American Board of Pathology as a
subspecialty since 1959.
A. Forensic pathology
B. Surgical pathology
C. Clinical pathology
D. Neuropathology
A
Forensics refers to the application of various fields of science and medicine in the resolution of
legal proceedings and is derived from the word "forum."
A. True
B. False
B
, Forensic science has its origins in early China and was documented in an early transcript of text,
Washing Away of Wrongs, by William Osler written in 1248.
A. True
B. False
B (Passed in 1954.)
In 2004, the United States passed the Model Post-Mortem Examinations Act which outlined
general classes of deaths that need to be further investigated and certified by a government
body rather than a hospital pathologist or treating physician.
A. True
B. False
A
The Model Post-Mortem Examinations Act outlines reporting of all violent deaths; unusual,
unnatural, or suspicious deaths; all prison deaths; and any death thought to represent a public
health hazard.
A. True
B. False
B (Hospital autopsies done in less than 10% of hospital deaths)
Today it is estimated that hospital autopsies are done in more than 92% of hospital deaths.
A. True
B. False
A
In the situation of religious objections and deaths falling under the jurisdiction of the death
investigator, an autopsy may proceed without family permission.
A. True
B. False
A
There is no universal body governing the death investigation system at a national level and each
state performs death investigations differently from its neighbor.
Test – ABMDI, Medical Examiner, Coroner, Crime
Scene, and Evidence Handling Review (2025/2026).
B
Q. In 1923, August Vollmer established the first crime laboratory in ___________________.
A. New York, New York
B. Los Angeles, California
C. Charlotte, North Carolina
D. Washington, D.C.
B
____________ are elected officials and in most jurisdictions the only credentials required for
being placed on the ballot are a high school diploma and a voter registration.
A. Forensic pathologists
B. Coroners
C. Medical Examiners
D. Funeral directors
A
______________ are forensic pathologists with education as a medical doctor, completion of at
least 4 years of anatomic pathology, and at least 1-2 years of subspecialty training in forensic
medicine.
A. Medical Examiners
B. Coroners
C. Medicolegal Death Investigators
D. Fellows
C
The ______________ is the organization that was established in 2005 to insure basic skills and
knowledge as a death investigator.
A. National Association of Medical Examiners
,B. American Board of Pathology
C. American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators
D. American Academy of Forensic Sciences
D
____________ supply the cause of death to coroners.
A. Magistrates
B. Law enforcement officers
C. Funeral directors
D. Forensic pathologists
B
Forensic science has its origins in early China and was documented in an early transcript of text,
____________, by Sung Tz'u written in 1248.
A. Forensic Sciences For Today and Tomorrow
B. Washing Away of Wrongs
C. Death Investigations Manual
D. Medicolegal Death Investigator's Manual
A
__________________ has been recognized by the American Board of Pathology as a
subspecialty since 1959.
A. Forensic pathology
B. Surgical pathology
C. Clinical pathology
D. Neuropathology
A
Forensics refers to the application of various fields of science and medicine in the resolution of
legal proceedings and is derived from the word "forum."
A. True
B. False
B
, Forensic science has its origins in early China and was documented in an early transcript of text,
Washing Away of Wrongs, by William Osler written in 1248.
A. True
B. False
B (Passed in 1954.)
In 2004, the United States passed the Model Post-Mortem Examinations Act which outlined
general classes of deaths that need to be further investigated and certified by a government
body rather than a hospital pathologist or treating physician.
A. True
B. False
A
The Model Post-Mortem Examinations Act outlines reporting of all violent deaths; unusual,
unnatural, or suspicious deaths; all prison deaths; and any death thought to represent a public
health hazard.
A. True
B. False
B (Hospital autopsies done in less than 10% of hospital deaths)
Today it is estimated that hospital autopsies are done in more than 92% of hospital deaths.
A. True
B. False
A
In the situation of religious objections and deaths falling under the jurisdiction of the death
investigator, an autopsy may proceed without family permission.
A. True
B. False
A
There is no universal body governing the death investigation system at a national level and each
state performs death investigations differently from its neighbor.
