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- CAP Positions on Forensic Pathologists and Pathologists Assistants
During the CAP23 meeting of the House of Delegates, a question was raised concerning the CAP’s position on the scope of practice for forensic pathologists, pathologists assistants, and the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) autopsy standards. To provide greater awareness of the CAP’s policies, the following points highlight the CAP’s position in this area:
- The CAP advocates the autopsy as a valuable, and in some circumstances, essential postmortem medical procedure that requires professional consultation and constitutes the practice of medicine. The consultant pathologist is a physician trained in autopsy pathology.
- The CAP advocates that chief medical examiners/directors of medical examiner systems be physicians certified in anatomic and forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology (or an equivalent certifying organization) and have at least two years of experience practicing forensic pathology.
- Unless otherwise permitted by law, pathologists’ assistants cannot act independently of the pathologist; finalize written reports; or make preliminary, official, or other pathologic interpretations.
In 2022 in Arizona, for example, the CAP did not support a bill pertaining to pathologists assistants perform autopsies independently. The Arizona Society of Pathologists and the CAP successfully amended the bill to ensure pathologists assistants assisting with the autopsies could only do so under the direct supervision of licensed forensic pathologists More information can be accessed by CAP members on our Public Policies webpage.