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ABMDI User Application

Registry certification has two tracks: Diplomate and Associate. In order to apply for the Registry certification of the ABMDI you must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be at least eighteen years of age at time of application.
  • Must have a high school diploma or equivalent.
  • Must currently be employed by a Medical Examiner/Coroner jurisdiction or equivalent federal authority and have the experience and responsibility to independently conduct medicolegal death investigations or supervise such investigations at time of application and examination.
    Associate:
    • For applicants to "independently conduct a medicolegal death investigation" refers to the death investigator completing an investigative report and facets of a medicolegal death investigation, other than scene investigation.
    • For applicants to “supervise such investigations” means that the applicant must have prior experience independently conducting medicolegal death investigations, as referenced above.
    Diplomate:
    • For applicants to “independently conduct a medicolegal death scene investigation,” refers to the death investigator performing medicolegal death scene investigations in person on location at the death scene. This includes but is not limited to, completing a body examination (e.g., document injuries and personally assess postmortem changes), photographing the scene, completing an investigative report, etc.
    • For applicants to “supervise such investigations” means that the applicant must have prior experience independently conducting medicolegal death scene investigations, as referenced in this document.
  • Applicants in reserve positions would not qualify as being currently employed as defined above unless they are currently activated.
  • Applicants shall have experience conducting medicolegal death investigations.
  • 640 points are required and the activity must have been completed within five years of the date of application submission.
    1. Employment Experience (Minimum 384 points required, may be used for all 640 points.)

      The following conversions may be used to determine eligibility.

      • Each on-call hour = 0.25 points (Maximum 100 points)
      • Investigation of a natural death, no scene investigation = 1 point
      • Investigation of non-natural death, no scene investigation = 2.5 points
      • Investigation of a death with scene investigation = 5 points (For Diplomate a MINIMUM of 100 points are required.)
      • Secondary investigator or intern at the scene = 2.5 points (Maximum points = 100 points)
      • Case log with dates may be requested for verification.
    2. If unable to obtain the full 640 points in employment experience, the following categories may be used for points:
      • Advanced Degree
      • Education/Training
      • Conferences/Courses
      • Viewing Forensic Autopsies
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