A medical examiner (ME) (an alternative name for coroner in the United States) is a health care professional who performs and administers autopsies to determine cause and time of death. They are sometimes elected officials who direct the investigations of deaths that occur within their jurisdiction, and who have been licensed by the state. Medical examiners/coroners help law enforcement entities in determining the cause of death, not due to natural causes. They also perform autopsies for deaths occurring from illness and non-criminal causes. These professionals can have either a forensic pathology or anatomical pathology background. A forensic pathologist works with law enforcement agencies to help solve criminal cases, while an anatomical pathologist studies and examines the internal organs of a body to determine the cause of death and are often employed by hospitals and other health care facilities.
Medical examiners must write reports showing their findings and conclusions, which are submitted to authorities for analysis. In some cases, they must testify in court. Their responsibilities may include writing death certificates.
Medical examiners may also assist in cases where violence has occurred without a death, and may perform examinations of victims, and do analysis of blood or DNA to capture evidence for the case.