Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
Practical Skills in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
Forensic practical skills for MBBS: injury and MLC reports, age estimation, exhibit dispatch, blood grouping, skeletal examination and dying declaration support, mapped to NMC codes FM14.1 to FM14.21.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Practical Skills in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
Forensic practical skills for MBBS: injury and MLC reports, age estimation, exhibit dispatch, blood grouping, skeletal examination and dying declaration support, mapped to NMC codes FM14.1 to FM14.21.
This capstone chapter gathers the practical, examinable skills of the subject: writing an injury and medico-legal report, estimating age, collecting and dispatching exhibits, identifying blood and grouping samples, examining skeletal remains and weapons, and supporting the examination of survivors, the accused and the dying declaration.
High-yield: Practical Skills in Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
- An injury report must describe each wound by its type, size, shape, site, direction and estimated age, and state the weapon likely used.
- The medico-legal report is dated, signed and written objectively, avoiding conclusions that are not supported by the findings.
- Age estimation combines dental eruption, ossification of long-bone epiphyses and secondary sexual characters, cross-checked against radiographs.
- Exhibits in a poisoning case are collected, sealed, labelled with the case details and dispatched with a forwarding note to the laboratory.
- Viscera for chemical analysis are preserved in saturated common salt, with a separate control sample of the preservative.
- Blood-stain identification proceeds from a presumptive test to confirmation of human origin and then ABO or DNA grouping.
- ABO and Rh grouping of a stain or sample is a basic practical skill and supports exclusion in disputed parentage.
- Skeletal remains are examined to establish that the bones are human, then to estimate sex, age, stature and any identifying features.
- The pubic symphysis, skull sutures and sternal ends of ribs help estimate age from adult skeletal remains.
- Weapon examination correlates the dimensions and edges of a weapon with the pattern of the wounds it could produce.
- Bullet and cartridge examination records the calibre, rifling marks and any deformity to link a projectile to a firearm.
- In an alleged sexual offence, both the survivor and the accused are examined and forensic samples are collected under consent and chain of custody.
- A drunkenness examination records gait, speech, pupils, coordination and the smell of alcohol, supported by a blood or breath alcohol level.
- Support for recording a dying declaration includes certifying that the person is conscious and mentally fit to make the statement.
- DNA exhibits are collected without contamination, kept cool and dry, and dispatched with an unbroken chain of custody.
Core practical procedures
- **Injury and MLC report:** Describe each wound by type, size, site, direction and age; state the probable weapon; sign and date.
- **Exhibit dispatch:** Seal, label with case details, add a forwarding note and preserve the chain of custody.
- **Age estimation:** Combine dental eruption, epiphyseal ossification and secondary sexual characters with radiographs.
- **Stain analysis:** Presumptive test, then human origin, then ABO or DNA grouping.
NMC competencies in this chapter
- **FM14.1:** Injury examination and the medico-legal report
- **FM14.3:** Poisoning exhibits: collection, preservation and dispatch
- **FM14.4:** Age estimation examination and report
- **FM14.7:** Blood-stain identification and species origin
- **FM14.8:** ABO and Rh grouping practical
- **FM14.9:** Skeletal-remains examination and opinion
- **FM14.16:** Drunkenness examination and certificate
- **FM14.21:** DNA exhibit collection and dispatch
Frequently Asked Questions
What must an injury report describe?
Each wound by type, size, shape, site and direction, its estimated age, the probable weapon, and whether the injury is simple or grievous, written objectively and signed and dated.
How is age estimated in a living person?
By combining dental eruption, ossification of the long-bone epiphyses seen on radiographs, and secondary sexual characters, giving a range rather than a single exact age.
How are exhibits dispatched to the forensic laboratory?
Each exhibit is individually sealed, labelled with the case details, accompanied by a forwarding note, and sent with an unbroken chain of custody, along with any required control sample.
What is recorded in a drunkenness examination?
Gait, speech, coordination, pupil size and reaction, and the smell of alcohol, supported where possible by a blood or breath alcohol measurement, all set down in a signed certificate.
Continue reading
MBBSAll Forensic Medicine and Toxicology chapters
Continue through the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology chapter map.
Continue studying Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
Explore clinician-written learning resources, structured revision and practice across the MedNext platform.
Open in the MedNext appSee plans