Through the funding of a post-graduate fellowship training program, the strengthening the medical examiner system of florida project, as proposed by the district one medical examiner support, is…

The Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded District One Medical Examiner Support, Inc., $149,960 on October 1, 2025, through the Strengthening the Medical Examiner-Coroner System program (CFDA 16.037) to fund a post-graduate fellowship training program in forensic pathology.

The fellowship provides intensive, hands-on training in medicolegal death investigation under direct supervision of board-certified forensic pathology staff. Fellows complete one-on-one learning experiences with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other industry professionals, and are required to complete and present a research project at a national conference. The program aims to produce forensic pathologists qualified to achieve board certification during or shortly following training, addressing a national shortage of approximately 500 board-certified forensic pathologists against an estimated national need of roughly 1,000.

The award runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Pensacola, Florida. The assistance type is a Project Grant. The program's stated purpose is to increase the number of certified forensic pathologists and enhance the quality of medicolegal death investigations nationwide, reducing delays in death investigation report completion and supporting law enforcement investigations and closure for families of decedents.

Through the funding of a post-graduate fellowship training program, the strengthening the medical examiner system of florida project, as proposed by the district one medical examiner support, is intended to increase the number of board-certified forensic pathologists in florida and, subsequently, the united states. An extreme shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists, with an approximate number of 500 for the entire united states, is at an estimated 50% below the national need based on standards developed by the national association of medical examiners. This shortage has created limitations on replacement options upon retirement or death of current forensic pathologists and delays in report completion. This affects both the support of law enforcement agency investigations and the closure for families of the decedents requiring an examination. The district one medical examiner support organization aims to provide intensive, hands-on training under the direct supervision of experienced and board-certified forensic pathology staff. In addition to one-on-one learning experiences with the florida department of law enforcement and other industry professionals, the fellow is required to complete a research project which will be presented at one of two national conferences. The overall outcome of the project is the production of forensic pathologists who are versed in all aspects of medicolegal death investigation and can achieve board certification during or shortly following training.