The commonwealth of virginia has been impacted by the critical shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists, and through its office of the chief medical examiner (ocme), propose to address this…

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded $149,999 to the Virginia Department of Health, operating as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), on October 1, 2025, under the Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System program (CFDA 16.037).

The award funds a twelve-month forensic pathology fellowship training program addressing Virginia's shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists. The fellowship is an accredited training program covering forensic autopsies, external examinations, autopsy report preparation, evaluation of death reports from hospitals and law enforcement, interpretation of toxicological reports, scene response and investigation, and evidence handling. The Chief Medical Examiner and fifteen board-certified assistant chief medical examiners provide supervision and guidance. Funding also supports professional development for the fellow through attendance at training events and professional meetings where the fellow can build technical skills, meet colleagues in the field, and understand critical issues facing medical examiners.

Virginia's OCME investigated a 98.5 percent increase in cases between 2013 and 2023, driving the need for additional qualified forensic pathologists. The program aims to increase the national supply of board-certified forensic pathologists while building professional and technical skills for the trainee.

Period of performance runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. Place of performance is Richmond, Virginia.

The commonwealth of virginia has been impacted by the critical shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists, and through its office of the chief medical examiner (ocme), propose to address this through an application for funding to identify and intensively training one forensic pathology fellow. A critical component of the shortage in virginia relates to the increase of sudden, violent and suspicious deaths requiring a death investigation in the context of shrinking state budgets for medical examiner services. In the period between 2013 and 2023, virginias ocme had a 98.5% increase in the number of cases investigated statewide. This project will meet two goals. First, IT will increase the number of qualified forensic pathologists in the united stated by mentoring and training one forensic pathology fellow to meet board certifiable standards. The virginia office of the chief medical examiners forensic pathology fellowship is an accredited twelve-month training program. Training includes the performance of forensic autopsies and external examinations; preparation of autopsy report and other documents showing injury patterns; evaluation of death reports from hospitals, health care provides, and law enforcement; interpretation of toxicological reports; scene response and investigation; and proper evidence handling. Virginias chief medical examiner and fifteen board-certified assistant chief medical examiners are the core faculty who provide supervision and guidance to forensic pathology fellows. Second, IT will build professional and technical skills for the forensic pathology fellow through multiple training and education opportunities. Funding will provide a wide exposure to a variety of professional meetings and training events whereby the forensic pathology fellow can meet colleagues in the field, understand critical issues and challenges for medical examiners, and add technical skills and understanding to complement the hands-on work they are doing at the ocme.