Designated Pathologist Program

Designated Pathologist Program The purpose of the Designated Pathologist Program is to identify, recruit and assist qualified Pathologists to perform consultations and to provide autopsy service in support of the Mississippi Medicolegal Death Investigation System. Pathologists so designated should have adequate training and experience in anatomic pathology with a special interest in forensic pathology. They will assist the State Medical Examiner’s Office in the investigation of “deaths affecting the public interest” as defined by Mississippi Statutes. The Designated Pathologists will conform to all Mississippi Statutes concerning Medicolegal Death Investigations, and will abide by Rules and Regulations promulgated by the State Medical Examiner’s Office. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §41-61-65. Rule 12.2 General Standards 1. All Designated Pathologists will be physicians (M.D. or D.O.) licensed to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi, and will be Board Certified or Board Eligible in Anatomic Pathology and have a special interest in Forensic Pathology. 2. All autopsy reports will be completed in a timely manner (normally within thirty (30) days for routine cases and ninety (90) days for complex cases.) Complete autopsy reports, including all findings and interpretations will be submitted promptly to the State Medical Examiner’s Office, with copies furnished to the authorizing county medical examiner’s/investigator’s office, District Attorney and Court Clerk, as required by Mississippi Statutes. 3. Pathology residents at University of Mississippi Medical Center will be allowed to perform postmortem examinations under the supervision of a Designated Pathologist in accordance with procedures established by the State Medical Examiner and the UMC Department of Pathology. 4. The Designated Pathologist Review Committee will develop and maintain a Quality Assurance – Enhancement Program concerning performance of autopsies and other activities of Designated Pathologists within the medicolegal death investigation system. If the standard and quality of performance by any pathologist on the designated list does not meet minimal requirements as determined by the Designated Pathologist Review Committee, that pathologist may be removed from the designated list by a majority vote of the Committee, in accordance with procedures to be established by the Committee.