Episode 241 | Just Certification for Death Investigation

Original Release Date: March 17, 2023

In episode four of our Supporting Medicolegal Death Investigators mini season, Just Science sat down with Bridget Kinnier and Bethany Smith, the President and Executive Director of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators or ABMDI, to discuss the importance of standardization and accreditation within the medicolegal death investigator community.

Because of the complex and multidisciplinary role of a medicolegal death investigator, it is important that there are national standards of knowledge for those who work in the field. In 1996, the ABMDI developed a certification process for practicing investigators, and the board continues to update this process to meet the evolving needs of the field. Listen along as Bridget and Bethany describe what it means to be ABMDI certified, what the certification exam looks like, and an exciting new development in the certification process.

This episode of Just Science is funded by the National Institute of Justice’s Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (Award #: 15PNIJ-21-GK-02192-MUMU).

Some content in this podcast may be considered sensitive and may evoke emotional responses, or may not be appropriate for younger audiences.

Just Science · Just Certification For Death Investigation

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Episode Citation

Keyes, K., Kinnier, B., & Smith, B. (2023, January 27). Just Science. Just Certification for Death Investigation. [Audio podcast episode]. The Forensic Technology Center of Excellence. https://forensiccoe.org/podcast-2023-supporting-mdis-ep4/

Guest Biography

Bridget Kinnier is the President of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators and the Chief Medicolegal Death Investigator at the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. She began her career as a forensic autopsy technician and has worked in the field of medicolegal death investigation for over 20 years.

Bethany Smith is the Executive Director of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. She is also a per diem Forensic Investigator at the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and has been in an investigator position for 13 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in forensic science and a Master of Public Administration. She is currently the Treasurer for the Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board.

Episode 241 | Just Certification for Death Investigation

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