How to Become a Forensic Pathologist in Australia

How to Become a Forensic Pathologist in Australia | intoSET

Prerequisites

Registration: general medical registration before specialist training starts
Clinical experience: at least 2 years of postgraduate clinical experience after your medical degree. In exceptional circumstances, alternative relevant experience of a similar level is considered
Training position: a position at an RCPA-accredited laboratory, won through its selection. An observer post earns no training time
- Coordinated appointment: where your state runs a coordinated appointment process for your discipline, your position must come through it, or the College may not accredit your training

Applications

Timeline

No information available.

When to apply

Apply in postgraduate year 2 at the earliest, to start training in postgraduate year 3.

Selection format

Referee report
Panel interview

Competition

Moderate

Places are limited by the training positions accredited laboratories offer each year. Trainees already in training who progress well are offered continuing posts before new trainees are appointed.

Program structure

Three published ways to train as a forensic pathologist

Five years in forensic pathology

Includes 18 months of training in anatomical pathology.

Part I first, then forensic pathology

Complete Part I of the RCPA anatomical pathology examination, then continue training in forensic pathology.

A Post-Fellowship Certificate

Complete training in anatomical pathology, then complete the Post-Fellowship Certificate in forensic pathology.

Total training
5 years
Full-time equivalent, 60 months in accredited departments
Anatomical pathology
18 months
At least, before the Part II examination
Fellowship
Year 5
Once Part II, the casebook and the portfolio are complete

Throughout training

In any one institution: 4 years; At most, so you train at 2 sites at least
Forensic pathology: 30 months; At least, in accredited forensic departments
Outside the College's sphere: 2 years; At most, such as overseas, approved before it starts

Rules and conditions

Training covers the full range of autopsy practice, histopathology and the forensic sciences. Before Part I it includes non-coronial autopsies where available, a wide range of biopsies and laboratory management
Exposure to neuropathology, neonatal and paediatric, and gynaecological and obstetric pathology is assumed, and more training may be required where it is lacking
Staying longer than 4 years in one laboratory needs dispensation, granted only in exceptional circumstances and applied for at the start of training

Stage by stage

Stage 1 of 2

Training to Part I

Usually the first 3 years

Anatomical and forensic pathology in accredited departments, on the route you choose, to the Part I examination.

Competencies

Medico-legal investigation of sudden or unexpected death, worked with police and other investigative agencies, for the criminal and coroners courts
Forensic pathologists give the coroner the medical and pathology evidence needed to identify the deceased and establish how, when and where they died
Postmortem examination and dissection, analysis of tissue and body fluids, and more recently postmortem imaging
Many of the deaths investigated are caused by natural disease, so the job needs a thorough knowledge of anatomical pathology, haematology, microbiology, chemical pathology, immunopathology and cytogenetics
Beyond the deceased
An inherited disease found at autopsy can matter to the health of the family, and patterns in deaths and injuries can change government policy
The work brings ongoing exposure to deaths from accidents, disasters and human violence, to grieving families and to an adversarial legal system

Examinations

Basic Pathological Sciences examination
One 2.5-hour paper of 100 multiple choice questions, open before training to medical students and graduates
- A pass or an exemption is needed before Part II
- Applications to sit the examinations close 28 February each year, and late applications are not accepted
Forensic Pathology Part I
Usually in the third year, after 24 months of training

Your route to Part I

Choose before you start. Both lead to Fellowship in forensic pathology.

Selection criteria

Score your portfolio

Clinical experience

Breadth of clinical experience: clinical experience relevant to pathology. Success in another college's postgraduate examination, such as Part 1 of the dermatology, physician or surgical Fellowship examination, also counts
Pathology experience: work experience in pathology, and a pass in the Basic Pathological Sciences or a similar examination

First Nations

Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori applicants who meet the registration and clinical experience criteria are all interviewed

Academic

Higher degrees: a master's degree, a doctorate or another postgraduate degree
Teaching: teaching you have given, such as to medical students, junior doctors or laboratory staff

Publications & research

Publications: papers published in peer-reviewed journals
Presentations: presentations you gave at hospital meetings, or at external meetings and symposia
Research, including projects involving scientific enquiry

Academic achievement

Honours, awards and scholarships

Referees

At least two, each sent a standard report form. Their reports count toward professionalism and ethics, and communication. Where reports conflict, more references may be sought, or you may be asked to answer an adverse comment

Interview

Selection interview: a structured interview with a panel of department heads and an RCPA representative
- Commitment to pathology: your interest in pathology, what you know of it, and why you are applying
- Enquiring mind: analytical and clinical reasoning, tested with scenario questions
- Professionalism and ethics: tested with scenario questions
- Communication: your verbal communication at interview. Your written communication is assessed in the application
- Flexibility: willingness to work in every area of the rotation, including outer metropolitan and regional sites, and the hours the workplace needs

Scoring

Strong weighting is recommended for professionalism and communication
- Feedback: if you are not appointable, you are told soon after the interviews, and the panel chair gives feedback if you ask. You can appeal, with a review outside the panel

Application process

1. Apply for a training position through your state's selection for your discipline. Each state's process is on the RCPA's training positions page. Apply to the accredited forensic departments, and watch the RCPA job listings
2. The selection panel draws up a shortlist from the applications and referee reports
3. The panel interviews the shortlisted applicants
4. The panel ranks the applicants and offers positions in rank order, matched to each laboratory's needs and your preferences. An appointable applicant not placed may be offered a position that comes free later
5. Register with the RCPA within 2 months of starting, with a training program your supervisor has signed, and register again by 28 February each year

Practise this interview with each station timed. Interview practice

Entry tips

Medical school

Sit the Basic Pathological Sciences examination as a medical student, since students sit it at a reduced price, and you need a pass or an exemption before Part II.

Earlier specialty training

As a Fellow in anatomical or general pathology, take the Post-Fellowship Certificate in Forensic Pathology, since it needs only 24 months of full-time forensic pathology training, or 18 with extensive documented autopsy experience.

Clinical experience

Spend your two clinical years in areas such as emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, paediatrics, or adult medicine, surgery or general practice, since forensic pathology training needs two years of clinical experience first.

Training posts

Confirm before you start that you can do your anatomical pathology training in an accredited laboratory, since a large part of early training is spent there.

What the college has changed

2025-01
Trainees starting from 2025 register, record training changes and submit supervisor reports through the online training portal.

Training posts

None available.

Available Forensic Pathology training positions

None available.

Official resources

Official links

Requirements, application windows and criteria change every year. Verify with RCPA before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.

Forensic Pathology