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Forensic Pathology Fellowship

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), in conjunction with the Shelby County Medical Examiner’s Office and West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center (WTRFC) offers a 1-year forensic pathology fellowship. 

The fellow will perform approximately 250 autopsies under the mentorship of five American Board of Pathology certified forensic pathologists. The WTRFC performs approximately 1,000 autopsies per year for most of the counties west of the Tennessee River. The fellow will encounter a wide variety of cases ranging from traumatic deaths, toxicological deaths and natural deaths. The trainee is expected to gain experience as an expert witness in court proceedings. Being affiliated with the UTHSC Department of Pathology, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and Methodist University Hospital allows consultations in many pathology subspecialties including pediatric pathology, neuropathology and all of the surgical pathology subspecialties, as well as access to medical microbiology and clinical chemistry. A forensic odontologist is on staff at the WTRFC to provide consultation and training in forensic odontology.

A two week course in forensic toxicology is provided at NMS Labs in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. The trainee will attend courses in forensic science at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations in Nashville, Tennessee, and a course in forensic anthropology at the University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Research Center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The fellow will take calls with ABMDI registered death investigators and attend death scenes throughout Memphis, Shelby County and most of West Tennessee. The fellow will attend a national forensic pathology conference and present research performed during the fellowship.

Applicants

Must have completed AP/CP or AP post graduate year 3 and be eligible for medical licensure in Tennessee.

Applicants should submit a copy of the CV, personal statement of interest and goals, and three letters of reference (directly) to the program coordinator. 

Completed applications must be received by October 31 of the year preceding anticipated start date.

Graduates

Year Name Position Location
2021 Sara Achrati, MD    
2021 Ashly Cordero Rivera, MD    
2020 Scott Collier, MD Forensic Pathologist West TN Regional Forensic Center, Memphis, TN
2019 Danielle Harrell, MD Forensic Pathologist West TN Regional Forensic Center, Memphis, TN
2019 William Sago, MD Forensic Pathologist West TN Regional Forensic Center, Memphis, TN
2018 Katrina Van Pelt, DO Forensic Pathologist West TN Regional Forensic Center, Memphis, TN
2017 Kevin Jenkins, MD Forensic Pathologist Franklin County Coroner’s Office Columbus, OH

Current Fellows

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Laura Bagwell, MD
University of South Carolina School of Medicine

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Ibrahim Ortanca, MD
Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi

Why Memphis?

WC Handy StatueMemphis... Home of the Blues... Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll... Barbecue Pork Capital of the World.  Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River, Memphis is a:

Memphis is also the healthcare hub of the Mid-South.  UTHSC faculty, residents, fellows, and staff can be found at:

There's no better time than now to choose Memphis!

Aug 1, 2022