ABMDI Practice Test Questions
1. Medical examiner/coroner authority at a death scene comes from A.
the medical examiner official office policy manual.
B. the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from state statutory
authority.
C. the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from federal statutory
authority.
D. the coroner official office policy manual.
E. the county board of supervisors.: B. the medical examiner/coroner office
policy derived from state statutory authority.
2. When investigating a death, it is best to A.
work alone on the investigation.
B. not listen to others or ask questions.
C. use all available resources.
D. disregard how problems affect personnel.
E. assume control of the scene immediately upon arrival.: C. use all available
resources.
3. A good point to remember regarding report writing is that
A. good report writing is a skill that comes naturally; some have it, whereas
others will never have it.
B. information is of little use unless it is properly documented and
communi-cated to others.
C. organization of the report is more important than the information
contained in the report.
D. abbreviations and acronyms are important "shortcuts" to good, efficient
report writing.
E. the more medical terminology the better.: B. information is of little use
unless it is properly documented and communicated to others.
4. If you are called to a hospital's emergency department to begin the
medicolegal death investigation of a death caused by a firearm, the
medicolegal "scene" is
A. the emergency department.
B. the emergency department and any part of the hospital leading from the
street to the room.
C. the whole hospital.
,D. any location the decedent may have been prior to death.
E. any location the decedent may have been within the past 24 hours.: A. the
emergency department.
5. State systems, or states with a "State Medical Examiner" typically
investigate
A. all deaths that occur within their national "region" (i.e., southwestern,
northeastern, etc.)
B. all deaths that occur within their state.
C. all deaths within their state that fall under statute.
D. all deaths within their county.
E. all deaths that occur on federal property within the state.: C. all deaths within
their state that fall under statute.
6. You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The local
high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a presentation on
"medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE of the following topics
would be MOST appropriate? A. "Autoerotic Deaths"
B. "Suicide by Police"
C. "Animal Deaths"
D. "The Role of the Medical Examiner"
E. "Turf Wars - Medical Examiner Investigators vs. Law Enforcement": D. "The
Role of the Medical Examiner"
7. Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of the
following EXCEPT which ONE?
A. preparing cases for court.
B. keeping other involved parties informed.
C. anticipating future needs for information.
D. providing medical information to the news media.
E. helping a forensic pathologist determine the cause and manner of death.:
D. providing medical information to the news media.
8. A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS death on the
preliminary autopsy report. You, as the investigator, must contact
A. the police chaplain who will relay the findings to the family.
B. the local SIDS Center and the local police agency.
, ABMDI Practice Test Questions
C. the local police agency; wait on calling the SIDS center until the cause of
death has been finalized. D. child protection services.
E. the district attorney's office.: B. the local SIDS Center and the local police
agency.
9. When one is writing descriptive information about a death scene, the
name, address, and telephone number of the decedent are all part of the
_____________ to be included in the case file.
A. family history information
B. chronological data
C. demographic information
D. medical data
E. graphic information: C. demographic information
10. The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests
information regarding an investigation for exclusive release. The investigator
should A. advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide information
that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
B. provide the information because the PIO understands your departmental
policies and is usually fair in releasing information to all news outlets.
C. advise the PIO of the information with added request that the information
not be released until a later specified date.
D. decline to provide information stating that the office will make its own
news release at a later time.
E. None of the above.: A. advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide
information that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
11. A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local physician's
spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called the funeral director
and requested that the body be immediately removed to the funeral home.
You should do all of the following EXCEPT
A. follow your agency's policy consistent with home deaths.
B. instruct the funeral director not to remove the body.
C. explain your agency's home death procedures to the physician.
D. verify the decedent's medical history.
E. inquire whether the physician had marital problems.: E. inquire whether the
physician had marital problems.
, 12. A businesswoman from out of town is found dead in her motel room, the
victim of apparent homicidal violence. Personal items in the room reveal she
is married and lives in an adjoining state. In order to notify her next-of-kin, the
investigator should
A. telephone the husband and advise him of the death immediately, then
send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of the
death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the
husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
B. contact the law enforcement agency in the husband's jurisdiction. Ask
them to send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of
the death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the
husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
C. request the motel owner to notify the next-of-kin from the information
contained in the motel registry, then cont: B. contact the law enforcement
agency in the husband's jurisdiction. Ask them to send a police officer(s) to the
husband's residence and inform him of the death. Request that the officer(s) remain
at the residence and direct the husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
13. The medicolegal death investigator and a police officer arrive at a death
scene within minutes of each other.
A. The police officer is in charge and directs the work.
B. The death investigator is in charge and directs the work.
C. The best approach is a "team" approach to performing the work.
D. Each has specific responsibilities to perform, and they should not
interact.E. Work together only if necessary, you represent different
agencies.: C. The best approach is a "team" approach to performing the work.
14. Obtaining information regarding the decedent's medical history is a
priority. When discussing this history with family members, which of the
following is least important to consider?
A. Interview family members in the appropriate language.
B. Verification of the information received.
C. Avoid questions that may embarrass the family.
D. Consideration of language, cultural, religious and/or ethnic diversity of the
family.
1. Medical examiner/coroner authority at a death scene comes from A.
the medical examiner official office policy manual.
B. the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from state statutory
authority.
C. the medical examiner/coroner office policy derived from federal statutory
authority.
D. the coroner official office policy manual.
E. the county board of supervisors.: B. the medical examiner/coroner office
policy derived from state statutory authority.
2. When investigating a death, it is best to A.
work alone on the investigation.
B. not listen to others or ask questions.
C. use all available resources.
D. disregard how problems affect personnel.
E. assume control of the scene immediately upon arrival.: C. use all available
resources.
3. A good point to remember regarding report writing is that
A. good report writing is a skill that comes naturally; some have it, whereas
others will never have it.
B. information is of little use unless it is properly documented and
communi-cated to others.
C. organization of the report is more important than the information
contained in the report.
D. abbreviations and acronyms are important "shortcuts" to good, efficient
report writing.
E. the more medical terminology the better.: B. information is of little use
unless it is properly documented and communicated to others.
4. If you are called to a hospital's emergency department to begin the
medicolegal death investigation of a death caused by a firearm, the
medicolegal "scene" is
A. the emergency department.
B. the emergency department and any part of the hospital leading from the
street to the room.
C. the whole hospital.
,D. any location the decedent may have been prior to death.
E. any location the decedent may have been within the past 24 hours.: A. the
emergency department.
5. State systems, or states with a "State Medical Examiner" typically
investigate
A. all deaths that occur within their national "region" (i.e., southwestern,
northeastern, etc.)
B. all deaths that occur within their state.
C. all deaths within their state that fall under statute.
D. all deaths within their county.
E. all deaths that occur on federal property within the state.: C. all deaths within
their state that fall under statute.
6. You work as an investigator for the medical examiner's office. The local
high school sociology teacher has invited you to give a presentation on
"medicolegal death investigation." Which ONE of the following topics
would be MOST appropriate? A. "Autoerotic Deaths"
B. "Suicide by Police"
C. "Animal Deaths"
D. "The Role of the Medical Examiner"
E. "Turf Wars - Medical Examiner Investigators vs. Law Enforcement": D. "The
Role of the Medical Examiner"
7. Proper distribution and use of investigative reports include all of the
following EXCEPT which ONE?
A. preparing cases for court.
B. keeping other involved parties informed.
C. anticipating future needs for information.
D. providing medical information to the news media.
E. helping a forensic pathologist determine the cause and manner of death.:
D. providing medical information to the news media.
8. A recent infant death you investigated has been termed a SIDS death on the
preliminary autopsy report. You, as the investigator, must contact
A. the police chaplain who will relay the findings to the family.
B. the local SIDS Center and the local police agency.
, ABMDI Practice Test Questions
C. the local police agency; wait on calling the SIDS center until the cause of
death has been finalized. D. child protection services.
E. the district attorney's office.: B. the local SIDS Center and the local police
agency.
9. When one is writing descriptive information about a death scene, the
name, address, and telephone number of the decedent are all part of the
_____________ to be included in the case file.
A. family history information
B. chronological data
C. demographic information
D. medical data
E. graphic information: C. demographic information
10. The public information officer (PIO) for your jurisdiction requests
information regarding an investigation for exclusive release. The investigator
should A. advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide information
that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
B. provide the information because the PIO understands your departmental
policies and is usually fair in releasing information to all news outlets.
C. advise the PIO of the information with added request that the information
not be released until a later specified date.
D. decline to provide information stating that the office will make its own
news release at a later time.
E. None of the above.: A. advise the PIO of office policy and decline to provide
information that would not otherwise be provided to other news agencies.
11. A funeral director contacts you concerning the death of a local physician's
spouse. Upon discovering her dead, the physician called the funeral director
and requested that the body be immediately removed to the funeral home.
You should do all of the following EXCEPT
A. follow your agency's policy consistent with home deaths.
B. instruct the funeral director not to remove the body.
C. explain your agency's home death procedures to the physician.
D. verify the decedent's medical history.
E. inquire whether the physician had marital problems.: E. inquire whether the
physician had marital problems.
, 12. A businesswoman from out of town is found dead in her motel room, the
victim of apparent homicidal violence. Personal items in the room reveal she
is married and lives in an adjoining state. In order to notify her next-of-kin, the
investigator should
A. telephone the husband and advise him of the death immediately, then
send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of the
death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the
husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
B. contact the law enforcement agency in the husband's jurisdiction. Ask
them to send a police officer(s) to the husband's residence and inform him of
the death. Request that the officer(s) remain at the residence and direct the
husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
C. request the motel owner to notify the next-of-kin from the information
contained in the motel registry, then cont: B. contact the law enforcement
agency in the husband's jurisdiction. Ask them to send a police officer(s) to the
husband's residence and inform him of the death. Request that the officer(s) remain
at the residence and direct the husband to call the investigator's office at that time.
13. The medicolegal death investigator and a police officer arrive at a death
scene within minutes of each other.
A. The police officer is in charge and directs the work.
B. The death investigator is in charge and directs the work.
C. The best approach is a "team" approach to performing the work.
D. Each has specific responsibilities to perform, and they should not
interact.E. Work together only if necessary, you represent different
agencies.: C. The best approach is a "team" approach to performing the work.
14. Obtaining information regarding the decedent's medical history is a
priority. When discussing this history with family members, which of the
following is least important to consider?
A. Interview family members in the appropriate language.
B. Verification of the information received.
C. Avoid questions that may embarrass the family.
D. Consideration of language, cultural, religious and/or ethnic diversity of the
family.
