Coroner degree pathways? Second bachelors

[hr99]

I’m very interested in becoming a coroner or coroner tech one day, but I’m running into trouble finding a school that offers a second bachelor’s in forensic science. I already obtained my BS in kinesiology, with a concentration in strength and conditioning, and a minor in aging studies. Schools in California only seem to accept second bachelors for nursing. Any advice on where to look and what other degrees are acceptable for aspiring coroners? The pathway to becoming a coroner isn’t very clear, so any help would be appreciated 

[rachel83az]

I would look up state regulations for becoming a coroner. It's possible that (for instance) a biology degree with X number of forensic credits might be acceptable. I don't know.

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Okay, quickly looking at things, it seems you need to be a fully licensed physician to be a coroner. So you have to go through medical school.

https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/co...ornia.html

[ss20ts]

Definitely check your state licensing. In my state, you need to be a licensed MD to be a coroner.

[Jonathan Whatley]

Schools almost never advertise second bachelor's programs as such, the most common exception being nursing as you saw.

But most bachelor's degrees can be taken as a second bachelor's by students transferring in their existing credit and meeting requirements of the new degree. Expect that at least 30 semester hours must always be completed since the date of the first bachelor's. Excluding our Big Three schools, expect that at least 30 semester hours, which can overlap with the above, must be earned from the second school.

[Pats20]

My state. High school diploma or GED

[bjcheung77]

@hr99, Welcome to the board, that's a good introduction post but it's missing the most important details on both the addendum and template. It's best to provide much more details so we know the overall picture of your situation clearer. Each state is different, we don't even know the basics such as your budget, commitments, study habits, etc?

[indigoshuffle]

It's different from state to state. Kind of weird but that's how it is. Last I checked you needed to be a DO or MD
Actually, I'm pretty sure I saw a nurse practitioner doing it somewhere. For the life of me, I can't remember which state that was.

[Lady_Gumshoe]

I’m very interested in becoming a coroner or coroner tech one day, but I’m running into trouble finding a school that offers a second bachelor’s in forensic science. I already obtained my BS in kinesiology, with a concentration in strength and conditioning, and a minor in aging studies. Schools in California only seem to accept second bachelors for nursing. Any advice on where to look and what other degrees are acceptable for aspiring coroners? The pathway to becoming a coroner isn’t very clear, so any help would be appreciated 

Hi hr99. I volunteered as an autopsy tech at Riverside County Coroners Office for a year before it merged with the sheriff's department. In the meantime, I earned a certificate in forensic identification at Rio Hondo College in Whitter, which led me to intern with the Los Angeles County Office of the Coroner for 6 months. San Bernardino County still accepts autopsy tech volunteers. Later, I became a licensed private investigator; I'm a former deputy sheriff. I also took a class in death investigation at Santa Ana College. Although I only had the equivalent of an AA, I was hired by Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner in Phoenix as a medicolegal death investigator. Both Riverside County and San Bernardino County Coroners send all their new death investigators to Orange County for death investigation training. I think your present degree in kinesiology already qualifies with many coroner's offices. You can also take a 40-hour medicolegal death investigation course through St. Louis University School of Medicine. Most coroner's office gives you a full year to earn an AMDI certification. What you may want to seek is hands-on experience, but that's just my personal opinion. Good luck in your pursuits.