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Coroners

Coroners is the O*NET name for people who direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths. With a code of ICE, this is mostly a job for people drawn to research, analysis and working through hard problems. Conventional interests also help, rated 4.9 out of 7. The preparation level is medium preparation, typically one or two years of vocational training, an apprenticeship or an associate’s degree. O*NET’s skill data points to speaking, critical thinking, and reading comprehension as the ones to build. One core duty is to complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death. If you want research, analysis and working through hard problems, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.

What they do

Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.

Main tasks

  • Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
  • Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
  • Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
  • Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
  • Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
  • Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Coordination
  • Writing

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are willing to put in a year or two of focused training.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and critical thinking.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.5 out of 7 here.
  • You need to start within a few months, with no training period.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ICE takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Medium preparation. Expect vocational school, an apprenticeship, related experience or an associate’s degree, usually one or two years in total.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Autopsy Facilities Manager
  • Coroner
  • County Coroner
  • Death Investigator
  • Forensic Pathologist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.