.png)
Forensic medicine
Providing medical and scientific knowledge for the administration of justice
In the field of forensic medicine, the first step is usually to clarify the manner of death and then the cause of death. Forensic medicine is commissioned by the public prosecutor's office if the manner of death is unclear or unnatural. Determining identity and answering questions to reconstruct a sequence of events are often additional tasks here. In this department, deceased people in any condition are examined.
​
The main task of human taxidermists here, as in the pathology department, is to assist with autopsies. This includes preparation, supporting doctors during implementation, carrying out particularly complex and technically challenging procedures and professionally restoring the corpse as follow-up care.
The area of responsibility also includes dealing with undertakers and, if necessary, with relatives. In addition to photography, other imaging methods such as computer tomography are also used today. The preparation of permanent preparations is now the exception rather than the rule in forensic medicine, but the most common preparation procedures should still be mastered. The further area of responsibility depends heavily on the requirements of the institute. This can include, among other things, responsible work in the area of imaging, support from other departments, ordering and disposal of materials and chemicals, etc.
​
In this specialist area, human taxidermists need not only anatomical knowledge but also deeper knowledge of traumatology, a high degree of flexibility and psychological resilience and, of course, manual skills.