What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Examiner position at Adams County Government?
Description
Performs difficult skilled technical work responding to incidents involving death, performing death investigations, collecting personal and medical information of deceased, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the general direction of the County Administrator. Departmental supervision is exercised over all personnel within the department.
Examples of Duties
- Responds to death calls and documents the death scene; examines the deceased and the circumstances of the death; performs the death scene investigation; determines cause and manner of death; determines the need for an autopsy, toxicology, or x-ray; determines the need for detectives, crime lab, and District Attorney; administers death notification and pronouncements, interviews witnesses, and documents death scenes.
- Conducts death investigations; examines the body and requests an autopsy if necessary; identifies the deceased; performs physical examinations. Obtains personal data and medical history of the deceased; interviews relatives, friends, and acquaintances of the deceased.
- Attends training meetings and seminars; maintains current knowledge of methods and procedures through professional literature, publications, and the Internet; provides training, in-service, and public speaking as needed; maintains facility upkeep and security.
- Participates in planning disaster drills; updates disaster morgue plan.
- Attends Public Safety & Judiciary Committee meetings; provides updates on general operations, training, and expenditures.
- Collect, maintain, and dispose of evidence; obtains samples and specimens; maintains and sorts records and documents; maintains, sorts, and reviews photographs; prepares presentations and slides.
- Provides court testimonies and testifies as an expert witness as needed.
- Maintains complete files on all cases reported to the Medical Examiner’s office; maintains a log and statistical data on all cases reported to the Medical Examiner’s Office; completes forms, prepares and presents questionnaires and reports; maintains appropriate records.
- Manages department purchases, and maintains property audits of the office; prepares and administers department annual budget; monitors, oversees, and authorizes expenditures and purchases and maintains supplies and equipment; manages the billing for various services provided.
- Reviews and authorizes Deputy timecards reflecting activities related to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Oversees and trains Deputies in the policies and procedures of the Medical Examiner's Office
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Performs other related functions and duties as assigned or required.
It is unlikely an employee will perform all the duties listed on a regular basis, nor is the list exhaustive in the sense it covers all the duties that an employee may be required to perform. The examples are merely indicative, not restrictive.
Essential Qualifications
- Possess American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) board certification.
- Associate degree in nursing, medical terminology, chemistry, biology, medicine, pre-med, paramedic, EMT, Forensic Science, Criminal Justice or closely related field and a minimum of 2 years of medicolegal investigative experience or,
- A combination of education and experience with training that provides the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities.
- Continuing education to improve death investigation skills and stay current with ever changing trends and information.
- Basic accounting, secretarial and computer skills are preferred.
- Have a valid Wisconsin driver's license.
Additional Information
OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
Thorough knowledge of County and department policies and procedures to include emergency and inclement weather policies; ability to prioritize and manage multiple, concurrent projects; attention to detail and ability to effectively organize time and anticipate, plan and successfully respond to changing circumstances; knowledge of the statutory duties affecting the Medical Examiner’s Office, methods of conducting death investigations, and supervisory techniques; knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures of pathological medicine; thorough knowledge of determining the cause of death, ability to train deputies, knowledge of billing third parties; ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals; ability to operate and use standard office equipment; knowledge and ability to use standard office and position-specific software; ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, other departments and the general public.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 100 pounds of force; work regularly requires standing, speaking or hearing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling and lifting, frequently requires walking, climbing or balancing, reaching with hands and arms and pushing or pulling and occasionally requires sitting, using hands to finger, handle or feel and tasting or smelling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work regularly requires exposure to fumes or airborne particles and exposure to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment, frequently requires exposure to wet, humid conditions (non-weather) and exposure to outdoor weather conditions and occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus; work is generally in a quiet location (e.g. library, private offices).
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Exposure to bloodborne pathogens is considered high for this position.
Salary : $32