Trip to the Morgue
Peanut (my baby!) wants to go into forensic medicine, preferably an ME or Coroner. Since she's got a long term project that includes hands on research with a mentor and a science-fair type presentation on any subject, of course she chose to research her intended career.
Unfortunately, because we live in a large metro area, she is not allowed to assist or even sit in on an autopsy until she is in college. So I arranged with the local coroner's office to get a tour of their facilities, and sit down and talk with one of the forensic pathology assistants. So off we go, and get a full tour to include the cooler (with bodies) and the holding room where samples are kept in case they need to go back and look at something later. This is nothing new to me (I worked in research long enough to deal with both human and animal cadavers), but this was her first live experience.
Now most kids would be a bit apprehensive - her only complaint was that she was not allowed to touch anything! Seeing the covered bodies was just so tempting for her, and she wanted to ask if she could hold one of the preserved brains, but knew it would'nt be allowed. That's my girl!
The tech giving us the tour told her that she's doing the right thing by looking now and making sure her name gets known, so she'll have a better chance of internships in the near future. She was excited to see everything, but disappointed she could'nt DO anything. One thing I found interesting about this particular facility - out of 15 professionals, there are 3 men- one MD and two field investigators. That, to me, seems very odd for this field.
We do know a coroner in another location who is willing to let her shadow and even assist, but he is on a long-term personal leave, which will not be over until her project is due (of course this does not preclude her from shadowing at a later date :)) . One of his colleagues, however, is willing to let her sit in on a procedure. Hopefully we can make this happen in the next couple months.
My kids do not pick standard careers, but then neither did I.
Unfortunately, because we live in a large metro area, she is not allowed to assist or even sit in on an autopsy until she is in college. So I arranged with the local coroner's office to get a tour of their facilities, and sit down and talk with one of the forensic pathology assistants. So off we go, and get a full tour to include the cooler (with bodies) and the holding room where samples are kept in case they need to go back and look at something later. This is nothing new to me (I worked in research long enough to deal with both human and animal cadavers), but this was her first live experience.
Now most kids would be a bit apprehensive - her only complaint was that she was not allowed to touch anything! Seeing the covered bodies was just so tempting for her, and she wanted to ask if she could hold one of the preserved brains, but knew it would'nt be allowed. That's my girl!
The tech giving us the tour told her that she's doing the right thing by looking now and making sure her name gets known, so she'll have a better chance of internships in the near future. She was excited to see everything, but disappointed she could'nt DO anything. One thing I found interesting about this particular facility - out of 15 professionals, there are 3 men- one MD and two field investigators. That, to me, seems very odd for this field.
We do know a coroner in another location who is willing to let her shadow and even assist, but he is on a long-term personal leave, which will not be over until her project is due (of course this does not preclude her from shadowing at a later date :)) . One of his colleagues, however, is willing to let her sit in on a procedure. Hopefully we can make this happen in the next couple months.
My kids do not pick standard careers, but then neither did I.