Forensic radiology is one of the many specializations in forensic science. Forensic means suitable for a court of law. Forensic radiology refers to finding evidence and preserving those findings so that they may be used as evidence in a court case. It is a fascinating forensics career that uses medical imaging to help doctors and law enforcement officials with legal matters. For example, a forensics radiologist will be consulted prior to autopsies involving suspicious death or murder, body identification, drug trafficking and donor bank analysis. Forensic radiology was crucial in helping to identify remains after the 9/11 attacks.
Requirements for a Career in Forensic Radiology
A forensic radiologist or technologist will use medical equipment such as x-rays, CT scans, MRI machines and ultrasound. There are several career opportunities for someone who wants to work in the field of forensic radiology. If you want a career in forensic science, however, you’ll need a fair amount of education and training to prepare. For example, you may want to get your initial radiology tech training online—this can be done through one of the many accredited online colleges that offer this option. Additionally, classes in criminal justice will be needed. A Master’s of Forensic Science is offered online and offline.
To work in forensic radiology you must be a graduate of an accredited school of radiologic technology. There are several education options available for a radiation technologist. Getting a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement to be successful in forensic radiology. However, you can start with a diploma in Radiologic Technology or an Associate’s Degree in Radiologic Technology. You will be eligible at that point to sit for the licensing exam and work as a Registered Technologist, Radiography (RT,R). You can then work and gain experience as you return to school for your Bachelor’s of Science in Radiographic Technology (BSRT).
Most medical forensic cases are led by a forensic pathologist. They typically are the only medical professional that works full time in forensics. All other members of the medical forensics team typically do consulting work in addition to their other full-time jobs. Be sure to be credentialed and certified in your radiology position. There are no credentials at this time for forensic radiology in America, although other countries do have certification. Being at the top of your field and adding the necessary criminal justice classes will improve your marketability.
Here are some options for forensic radiology careers.
- Crime Lab Forensic Radiologist or Criminologist: You will be asked to analyze a body prior to autopsies, especially in cases where the body needs to be identified and the death involved murder or is suspicious. This is the type of forensic radiologist job that we see on television programs.
- Wildlife Forensics Expert: This is a branch of criminology but involves animals instead of humans. You will need to be able to identify types of animals based on bone or other samples. There is employment in zoos and museums, as well as government agencies that deal with animal smuggling, illegal hunting and poaching.
- Private Legal Radiologist: You may work for private companies that are utilized by legal teams as part of either the prosecution or a defense strategy. You will be asked to analyze existing forensic evidence and give a third party opinion on results and data in legal cases and you may even be asked to testify in court. You will provide expert interpretation of autopsy findings, and matters involving civil and criminal matters. You should have effective communication skills with the ability to explain highly technical things in layman’s terms.
- Hospital Radiologist Analyzer: A forensic radiologist is needed in a hospital when adverse events happen during a patient’s stay or medical treatment in a hospital facility. He will review radiographic images of the patient and his findings. These along with the patient’s autopsy will help the hospital improve their procedures to help prevent future problems and malpractice lawsuits.
- Donor Analyzer: You will need to analyze all body parts donated for patient transfers to check for any diseases, while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the live organ. Highly sensitive radiographic techniques are utilized.
- Government and Military Forensic Radiologist: This forensic radiologist will perform the same duties as a crime lab radiologist, only in a military setup. His services will be needed in military investigations. There are several offices of government that need this expertise such as the Center for Disease Control, FBI and CIA. He may also be part of a disaster response team.
Salary and Career Outlook
Salary for forensic radiology is hard to pin down exactly. Salary ranges from $46,000 to $450,000 but it depends upon location, education (tech vs MD) and the amount of work available. To make really good money you will need to be employed by a facility specializing in forensics, for instance a crime lab. Unfortunately, crime seems to be here to stay. Forensic radiology is a very selective and specialized field. The need for radiology technologists as a whole is expected to grow by about 15% in the next ten years. The growth rate for radiologists is expected to be around 7% in the next ten years.
If any of these specific forensic radiology jobs appeal to you, make sure you have no criminal record, your credentials are up to date and you stay current with new developments in your field.