Core Competency Areas
Medicolegal Death Investigations
Below are the eight areas of core competency on which the certification examination is based. Each section highlights the areas of knowledge and skills our certification board feels are the critical base of knowledge required to qualify as a Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator, C-MDI
Effective Communication Strategies
Demonstrate clear, professional written and verbal communication.
Prepare accurate investigative narratives and reports.
Conduct professional testimony and courtroom communication.
Maintain professionalism, clarity, and documentation integrity across all communications.
Build cooperative relationships with law enforcement, EMS, funeral homes, and ancillary agencies.
Communicate appropriately with media while maintaining confidentiality.
Liaising with Next of Kin and Families
Conduct timely, compassionate, and accurate death notifications.
Obtain critical background and medical information from families.
Prepare families for identification and postmortem procedures.
Facilitate information requests, explain processes, and report findings such as autopsy results.
Recognize and respond appropriately to emotional and behavioral reactions of family members.
Working with different cultures and people groups during an investigation
Scene Response & On-Site Investigation
Arrive safely and establish jurisdictional authority on scene.
Ensure scene safety and secure the environment.
Utilize proper equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)
Perform proper scene documentation through photography
Conduct thorough documentation and evidence recognition.
Conduct scene assessment identifying inconsistencies and indicators of staging
Interview witnesses and coordinate with other responders.
Establish presumptive identification
Demonstrate basic knowledge of Mass Fatality protocols
Post-Mortem Examination & Decedent Dignity
Perform systematic physical assessments and body documentation.
Demonstrate professionalism while maintaining dignity of the deceased.
Maintain chain of custody during recovery, transport, and storage.
Facilitate organ and tissue donation processes.
Demonstrate drawing and preserving blood and fluids for toxicology
Apply foundational medical and forensic pathology concepts to support accurate case conclusions.
Anatomy and Injury Recognition
Demonstrate a working knowledge of basic anatomy
Recognize acute medical intervention, surgical artifacts, postmortem changes
Recognize, assess, and document injuries to the body (gunshot, force trauma, abuse)
Demonstrate knowledge of forensic science specialties
Demonstrate knowledge in determining cause of death
Demonstrate knowledge in determining time of death
Understanding basic medical and forensic terminology
Evidence Identification, Collection & Preservation
Distinguish evidence from personal property at the scene.
Collect, label, and preserve physical evidence in accordance with forensic standards.
Complete all forms, maintain chain of custody, and coordinate release of evidence.
Integrate evidence findings with investigative reports and scene documentation.
Obtaining medical records and conducting a social history investigation
Ethical & Legal Accountability
Understand manners of death and certification procedures.
Uphold professional ethics and investigative integrity.
Protect confidentiality and ensure legal defensibility of findings.
Understand jurisdictional authority between coroner/medical examiner offices and law enforcement.
Demonstrate the need for updated office policy and procedures
Apply HIPAA and other legal standards for information release.
Professional Resilience
Recognize the emotional and psychological effects of medicolegal death work.
Develop and apply strategies for personal health, wellness, and longevity in the field.
Manage exposure to traumatic scenes and maintain mental resilience.
Demonstrate leadership in promoting wellness culture within investigative teams.
Navigate conflict resolution in workplace and investigative interactions
Recognize the effects that confirmation and anchoring bias have on an investigation
Establish ongoing professional development and education
