N.J. Admin. Code § 8:70-7.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 8:70-7.1 - Eligibility standards of county medical examiner, deputy or assistant county medical examiner, and forensic pathologist

(a) Any person appointed or reappointed to the position of county medical examiner pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-83, deputy or assistant county medical examiner pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-84, or forensic pathologist authorized by the State Medical Examiner pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-88, on or after the effective date of this subchapter shall be a physician fully licensed in the State of New Jersey of recognized ability and good standing in his or her community, and shall have met the following standards relating to prior training and experience:

1. Successful completion of a minimum of 30 hours of basic education in death investigation conducted or sponsored by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the College of American Pathologists, the National Association of Medical Examiners, or an institution of higher education or other agency approved by the State Medical Examiner.

i. In addition, all persons appointed or reappointed to the position of county medical examiner pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-83on or after the effective date of this subchapter who are to serve in the capacity of "County Medical Examiner", in addition to the above educational requirement, shall have completed a minimum of 20 hours of advanced education in death investigation conducted or sponsored by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the College of American Pathologists, the National Association of Medical Examiners, or an institution of higher education or other agency approved by the State Medical Examiner.

2. Successful completion of a basic course conducted by the Office of the State Medical Examiner on the laws, rules and regulations relating to the New Jersey Medical Examiner System.

3. Successful completion of seven full days of internship training at the New Jersey State Medical Examiner Office or equivalent approved by said office.

(b) Any person appointed to or holding the position of county medical examiner, deputy or assistant county medical examiner or designated forensic pathologist on or after the effective date of these amendments shall enroll in and complete a program of continuing medical education in the forensic sciences for a minimum of 20 hours of American Medical Association Category I credit, every two years while holding said position.

(c) Any person appointed to or holding the position of county medical examiner, deputy or assistant county medical examiner or designated forensic pathologist on or after the effective date of this subsection shall enroll in and complete a supplemental program conducted by the Office of the State Medical Examiner on amendments to the laws, rules and regulations relating to the New Jersey Medical Examiner System or for any other necessary training. The State Medical Examiner shall conduct such courses when necessary.

(d) Only those county medical examiners, deputy or assistant county medical examiners or forensic pathologists authorized by the State Medical Examiner as competent to perform autopsies pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-88, shall perform such autopsies. Such person shall be qualified in one of the following categories:

1. Pathologists who shall have completed a two-year program of supervised training in anatomical pathology approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education of the American Medical Association are eligible to conduct death investigations and to perform postmortem examinations and autopsies under the direct guidance and supervision of a designated pathologist who has already been qualified to practice in an unsupervised capacity in the New Jersey Medical Examiner System, pursuant to (d)2 below and under the general supervision of the State Medical Examiner as provided by law. The reports prepared by this person shall be countersigned by the designated pathologist who has supervised the autopsy.

2. Pathologists who qualify as anatomic pathologists as defined in (d)1 above, and who have at least one year of formal supervised training in a forensic pathology program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or two years supervised experience in forensic pathology in a situation comparable with that of a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education are eligible to conduct death investigations and to perform postmortem examinations and autopsies under the general supervision of the State Medical Examiner as provided by law.

3. Physicians of any speciality who, by virtue of their experience in a medical examiner system, are able to produce a portfolio of personal case studies acceptable to the State Medical Examiner and who, further, are able to demonstrate by interview a knowledgeable approach to forensic problems may be declared eligible to conduct death investigations and to perform postmortem examinations and autopsies under the general supervision of the State Medical Examiner as provided by law.

(e) Nothing in this section is intended to prevent a qualified person from serving both as a county medical examiner or deputy or assistant county medical examiner and simultaneously as a designated pathologist authorized by the State Medical Examiner to perform autopsies pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:17B-88.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:70-7.1

Amended by R.1989 d.110, effective 2/21/1989.
See: 20 N.J.R. 2856(b), 21 N.J.R. 447(a).
Substantially amended.
Amended by R.1994 d.30, effective 1/18/1994.
See: 25 N.J.R. 5104(a), 26 N.J.R. 484(a).