The Forensic Scientist

Forensic science represents a group of lab coatlaboratories.
wearing sleuths who solve some of the mostMedical services include: pathology, psychiatry,
impossible crimes with not very much evidence at all.psychology, forensic medicine and dentistry.
Unfortunately, the shows you see on the televisionLaboratory services are chemistry, biology,
give the impression you have to be a mastermind ortoxicology, ballistics, fingerprints, and questioned
always have a miraculous results to be a forensicdocuments and marks and impressions. Clinical
scientist. That is wrong. Not every day is filled withlaboratory scientists make good forensic scientists
miracles, though sometimes in this job theybecause of the vast array of skills acquired and
sometimes happen.developed in clinical laboratory programs.
Forensic science is the application of science in legalThe minimum education required is a bachelor's
proceedings. Therefore any type of science such asdegree in physical or applied science such as clinical
clinical laboratory science, medicine, dentistry, biology,laboratory science. Although, advanced degrees are
chemistry, and engineering can use the title "forensic".desirable and are available at a number of different
Forensic science is an umbrella term for many distinctuniversities including The University of South Alabama.
disciplines that may be used to aid in determination ofFollowing employment, training is available is many
a court case. Unlike the characters on the t.v. shows,different agencies such as the FBI, DEA, California
the forensic scientist is usually confined to a particularCriminalistics Institute. Certification in specialized areas
discipline and often to a specialty within that discipline.is very recommendable. Forensic scientists are
There are many different specialties in forensicemployed by regional, state, and local forensic
science and they are: criminalistics, engineeringlaboratories. They can also be hired by the district
sciences, jurisprudence, odontolgy, pathology/biology,attorney's office, private firms, and also colleges and
physical anthropology, psychiatry and behavioraluniversities. Forensic scientists is a very wide field as
science, and toxicology. You can divide forensicyou have read. There are so many different fields
science into 3 groups: medical, laboratory, and fieldthat it is a complex job. We also will always need
services. These are not exclusive divisions and thereforensic scientists for the evidence to be sorted out
may be overlap between divisions. Also manyand dealt with to solve a crime. Forensic scientists will
different disciplines may be involved in thealways be need as long as there is still crime in the
investigation of a case depending on the type ofworld.
evidence that was found at the scene. Field scienceOnce training is completed, there are many great
has to deal with investigations that have to deal withopportunities for a Career In Forensics.
fire and explosion scenes and secret drug