[Education of medical examiners qualified for death certification]

Death certification is very important from public health perspective, in particular, referring to gathering of data for mortality statistics on local and national level. When examining the deceased, medical examiner is capable of detecting indications of violent death and report the case for further inquest. The Public Health Care Act of the Republic of Serbia defines the responsibilities of medical examiner (ME) to certify death and estimate the time and cause of death. On the territory of Belgrade, this Service is organized by Department of Public Health of the City Council. Education of doctors-medical examiners certifying death in Belgrade area was organized during 2002 and 2003.

Demonstrate the structure of the Program of continual medical education (CME) of medical examiners in Belgrade area, to look into some aspects of their professional career, and to analyze the results of their testing.

Based on the Program of CME for medical examiners, test consisting of 13 questions was prepared. These questions were related to thanatology and current legislation. The evaluation of test results as well as particular characteristics (age, duration of professional engagement, etc.) of tested doctors was carried out.

A total of 138 participants of CME Program were subjected to test. Mean age of tested MEs was 40.27 +/- 8.06 years, while an average duration of professional engagement was 13.43 +/- 8.00 years. Almost 2/3 of tested MEs were employed as general practitioners, while the rest were specialists, mainly in internal medicine and emergency medicine. Slightly more than 1/5 of tested MEs (21.7%) failed on the test (less than 60% of maximum score).

Given the fact that slightly more than 1/5 of tested MEs (21.7%), regardless of duration of their professional engagement, did not pass the test, the level of their specific knowledge of death certification was not sufficient. Therefore, it is necessary to organize periodical CME on specific topics, including practice related to death certification. Accordingly, the Institute of Forensic Medicine in cooperation with Center for CME, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, has created a specific program of CME whose realization is in progress.