FSC100 (UTM - KNAPP)
CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Expense.
Answer: a bill you have every month
◍ Income.
Answer: money that comes into your budget each week or month
◍ Creator mindset.
Answer: accepts responsibility, sees options, takes effective action
◍ Victim mindset.
Answer: complains, blames others, repeats ineffective behaviors
◍ Methods of identification after death.
Answer: 1. Visual2. Photographic3. Clothing and personal effects4.
Fingerprinting5. Dental records6. DNA
◍ Early Development of Autopsy in Forensic Investigations.
Answer: 1507: Bamberg Code describes the first written records of forensic
pathology, included provisions related to the investigation of crimes and
highlighted the importance of medical evidence in death cases1530:
Constitutio Criminalis Carolina (AKA Carolina) - A more extensive and
comprehensive penal code - Aimed to standardize laws in the Holy Roman
Empire - Issued by Emperor Charles V. - requiring a medical testimony be
an integral part of the proof and trials involving decisions regarding whether
the death was a homicide, etc. - Didn't specify performing a total autopsy
but wounds were opened to determine depth & direction - First indication of
, "Some degree of expertise" - people needed to be specialized in
pathology16th Century: Ambrose Pare performed medicolegal autopsies -
Examined the lungs of smothered children to understand physiological
effects of different death - Also studied the traces left by sexual assault
◍ When do Forensic Pathologists Get Involved?.
Answer: 1. When the coroner is unable to answer any of the 5 questions2.
When there is a possibility of involvement in the criminal justice system
◍ Why do pathologists perform an autopsy?.
Answer: Two Main Reasons:1. Discovery (cause & manner of death)2.
Documentation (details on injuries, diseases, etc.)
◍ Value.
Answer: benefits you'll achieve from accomplishing the goal
◍ What is a forensic pathologist?.
Answer: - A medical doctor- Specialist certifications in anatomical
pathology and additional training in forensic pathology- Requires at least 14
years of university & postgrad training- Most forensic pathologists also hold
master's degrees or PhDs- Has the knowledge of the effects of disease &
injury on the body in the context of the law
◍ Expectation.
Answer: how likely you will achieve the goal with reasonable effort
◍ SMART goals.
Answer: SpecificMeasurableAchievableRelevantTimely
◍ The Pathologist Register.
Answer: 1. Category A (forensic pathologists) - Can perform autopsies on
all types of medicolegal cases - This includes homicides and criminally
suspicious adult and pediatric cases2. Category B (anatomical pathologists)
- Performs autoposies on non-homicide/non-criminally suspicious adult
cases3. Category C (pediatric pathologists) - Performs autopsies on
non-homicide/non-criminally suspicious pediatric cases
,◍ Cause of Death.
Answer: The actual trauma, event, disease or illness that triggers the
physiological process resulting in death (ex: asphyxia)Can be immediate or
underlying:--> Immediate: the disease, injury, or complication directly
preceding death and which is the ultimate consequence of the underlying
cause--> Underlying: the disease or injury initiating the chain of events that
ultimately lead to the cessation of life
◍ Fixed mindset.
Answer: born with static amount of ability and talent
◍ Growth mindset.
Answer: intelligence can get stronger
◍ Strategies to deal with procrastination.
Answer: chunking, start small, trick yourself, strength in numbers
◍ Mechanism of Death.
Answer: - The physiological or functional derangement resulting in failure
of one or more vital organs- Usually doesn't require mention in death
certificates- Ex: cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory arrest, sepsis, multisystem
organ failure
◍ Manner of death.
Answer: The means by which death occurredFive manners: accident,
suicide, homicide, natural, undetermined
◍ Pending Cause of Death.
Answer: - The cause of death can be named as "pending" by the pathologist
if it is still unknown after the autopsy and there is a possibility that further
information may permit his/her determination of the cause of death-
Indicates additional studies or investigations are needed, like toxicology in
drug related deaths
◍ Weekly planner.
Answer: tracking recurring scheduled events
, ◍ The Medico-Legal Autopsy.
Answer: - a medical investigation on behalf of greater society to determine
how and why its citizens die- Performed under legislation of the Coroner's
Act, NOT family consent.
◍ semester calendar/term schedule.
Answer: all weeks of the semester in one view with assignments, projects,
tests
◍ daily to-do list.
Answer: tasks to accomplish in one day
◍ True or False: When a coroner takes jurisdiction of a body, the family has
no rights to the remains until the body is released back to them.
Answer: True
◍ Goals of the medico-legal autopsy:.
Answer: - Determine the cause of death- Determine the mechanism of death-
Estimate the time of death and/or timing of injuries- Determine the nature
and mechanism of injuries- Give opinions as to the nature of
instruments/weapons that might've been involved in creating the observed
injuries- Trace evidence collection, etc.
◍ 5 Parts of the Medicolegal Autopsy.
Answer: 1. Assessment of the scene & circumstances surrounding the
death2. External examination of the body 3. Internal examination of the
body4. Interpretation of additional studies in the context of the case (testing
like toxicology if needed)5. Synthesis of a medicolegal opinion (pathologist
uses all gathered info to create a comprehensive opinion including the cause
and manner of death)
◍ The Mortems.
Answer: Antemortem: before death--> Not of significant assistance w/
manner or cause of deathUseful for identification purposes: premortem
medical/dental records, characteristics of healed injuries and
bonePerimortem: around time of death--> Can be associated with the
CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Expense.
Answer: a bill you have every month
◍ Income.
Answer: money that comes into your budget each week or month
◍ Creator mindset.
Answer: accepts responsibility, sees options, takes effective action
◍ Victim mindset.
Answer: complains, blames others, repeats ineffective behaviors
◍ Methods of identification after death.
Answer: 1. Visual2. Photographic3. Clothing and personal effects4.
Fingerprinting5. Dental records6. DNA
◍ Early Development of Autopsy in Forensic Investigations.
Answer: 1507: Bamberg Code describes the first written records of forensic
pathology, included provisions related to the investigation of crimes and
highlighted the importance of medical evidence in death cases1530:
Constitutio Criminalis Carolina (AKA Carolina) - A more extensive and
comprehensive penal code - Aimed to standardize laws in the Holy Roman
Empire - Issued by Emperor Charles V. - requiring a medical testimony be
an integral part of the proof and trials involving decisions regarding whether
the death was a homicide, etc. - Didn't specify performing a total autopsy
but wounds were opened to determine depth & direction - First indication of
, "Some degree of expertise" - people needed to be specialized in
pathology16th Century: Ambrose Pare performed medicolegal autopsies -
Examined the lungs of smothered children to understand physiological
effects of different death - Also studied the traces left by sexual assault
◍ When do Forensic Pathologists Get Involved?.
Answer: 1. When the coroner is unable to answer any of the 5 questions2.
When there is a possibility of involvement in the criminal justice system
◍ Why do pathologists perform an autopsy?.
Answer: Two Main Reasons:1. Discovery (cause & manner of death)2.
Documentation (details on injuries, diseases, etc.)
◍ Value.
Answer: benefits you'll achieve from accomplishing the goal
◍ What is a forensic pathologist?.
Answer: - A medical doctor- Specialist certifications in anatomical
pathology and additional training in forensic pathology- Requires at least 14
years of university & postgrad training- Most forensic pathologists also hold
master's degrees or PhDs- Has the knowledge of the effects of disease &
injury on the body in the context of the law
◍ Expectation.
Answer: how likely you will achieve the goal with reasonable effort
◍ SMART goals.
Answer: SpecificMeasurableAchievableRelevantTimely
◍ The Pathologist Register.
Answer: 1. Category A (forensic pathologists) - Can perform autopsies on
all types of medicolegal cases - This includes homicides and criminally
suspicious adult and pediatric cases2. Category B (anatomical pathologists)
- Performs autoposies on non-homicide/non-criminally suspicious adult
cases3. Category C (pediatric pathologists) - Performs autopsies on
non-homicide/non-criminally suspicious pediatric cases
,◍ Cause of Death.
Answer: The actual trauma, event, disease or illness that triggers the
physiological process resulting in death (ex: asphyxia)Can be immediate or
underlying:--> Immediate: the disease, injury, or complication directly
preceding death and which is the ultimate consequence of the underlying
cause--> Underlying: the disease or injury initiating the chain of events that
ultimately lead to the cessation of life
◍ Fixed mindset.
Answer: born with static amount of ability and talent
◍ Growth mindset.
Answer: intelligence can get stronger
◍ Strategies to deal with procrastination.
Answer: chunking, start small, trick yourself, strength in numbers
◍ Mechanism of Death.
Answer: - The physiological or functional derangement resulting in failure
of one or more vital organs- Usually doesn't require mention in death
certificates- Ex: cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory arrest, sepsis, multisystem
organ failure
◍ Manner of death.
Answer: The means by which death occurredFive manners: accident,
suicide, homicide, natural, undetermined
◍ Pending Cause of Death.
Answer: - The cause of death can be named as "pending" by the pathologist
if it is still unknown after the autopsy and there is a possibility that further
information may permit his/her determination of the cause of death-
Indicates additional studies or investigations are needed, like toxicology in
drug related deaths
◍ Weekly planner.
Answer: tracking recurring scheduled events
, ◍ The Medico-Legal Autopsy.
Answer: - a medical investigation on behalf of greater society to determine
how and why its citizens die- Performed under legislation of the Coroner's
Act, NOT family consent.
◍ semester calendar/term schedule.
Answer: all weeks of the semester in one view with assignments, projects,
tests
◍ daily to-do list.
Answer: tasks to accomplish in one day
◍ True or False: When a coroner takes jurisdiction of a body, the family has
no rights to the remains until the body is released back to them.
Answer: True
◍ Goals of the medico-legal autopsy:.
Answer: - Determine the cause of death- Determine the mechanism of death-
Estimate the time of death and/or timing of injuries- Determine the nature
and mechanism of injuries- Give opinions as to the nature of
instruments/weapons that might've been involved in creating the observed
injuries- Trace evidence collection, etc.
◍ 5 Parts of the Medicolegal Autopsy.
Answer: 1. Assessment of the scene & circumstances surrounding the
death2. External examination of the body 3. Internal examination of the
body4. Interpretation of additional studies in the context of the case (testing
like toxicology if needed)5. Synthesis of a medicolegal opinion (pathologist
uses all gathered info to create a comprehensive opinion including the cause
and manner of death)
◍ The Mortems.
Answer: Antemortem: before death--> Not of significant assistance w/
manner or cause of deathUseful for identification purposes: premortem
medical/dental records, characteristics of healed injuries and
bonePerimortem: around time of death--> Can be associated with the
