The forensic or medicolegal autopsy. Friend or foe?

The major issue in questioning the performance of general pathologists doing medicolegal or forensic autopsies is that they are very often without a firm basis for performing this task. With minimal training in medical school and minimal exposure during their residency, practicing general pathologists, although expected or even forced to do these cases, may face criticism after their performance in a case. The necessity for teaching forensic medicine and pathology in medical schools is obvious, and the necessity of there being more forensic pathology exposure in residency training programs in the United States and overseas is also obvious. Medical educators are responsible for all phases of medicine being taught to medical undergraduates and graduates and must be pressured to support the practice of all kinds of medicine in American communities, including legal or forensic medicine, in those cases in which questions arise that lead to the performance of postmortem examination.