Health Matters: National Center on Forensics

Did you know health care and forensic sciences often use the same skills? The University of Alabama recently opened up the National Center on Forensics, and this organization will help the state alleviate a backlog in Alabama’s medical legal system.

UA Institute for Rural Research Founder Dr. John Higgenbotham said there’s a major lack of forensic pathologists around the country, and the National Center on Forensics is designed to help fix that.

“We’re wanting to bring medical students into this so they get interested and maybe they become forensic pathologists, which we have a dire need for,” Higgenbotham said. “More than 400 across the country that we don’t have. We want to help find those medical students who are going to rural areas and may want to be a deputy coroner and bring more medical expertise to that issue that can help proceed through that.”

Especially in rural areas, a lack of forensic investigators means families who have loved ones die under potentially criminal circumstances have to wait while their cases are sent to larger cities.

Watch the full interview below:

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