Begin your journey as early as high school. Research undergraduate and graduate schools that offer the best science and medical programs. Find out what they require for acceptance of applicants, including but not limited to: grades, activities, and volunteer work. Plan your high school career accordingly.  Pursue courses such as biology, chemistry, physiology, anatomy, first aid, and health. Apply for Advanced Placement courses, particularly in science and math, if your school offers them. Take college prep courses and tests. Once you enroll in a four-year college or university, pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, preferably in pre-medicine. If you are already well on your way to obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree, be sure to fulfill and excel at all of your requisite courses in the sciences. Fill your free electives with as many related subjects (biology, chemistry, etc) as you can, or, if possible, double-major in pre-medicine or another science to improve your chances of advancing to medical school and/or being hired as a coroner in the future.  Decide a major. While some schools specifically offer “pre-med” as a major, others do not. Biology and chemistry majors are often pursued in absence of one. Though a science degree will better prepare you for med school, the exact nature of your major is less important than your performance, so whatever you major in, excel at it.  Challenge yourself. Even if you are able to cash in an AP credit earned in high school and thus skip a required course in college, take the course anyway. Cover the material over again to prepare yourself for future courses and tests.  material that may not have been covered in your high school class. Stand out as someone who is willing to skip the easy path when you apply to med school later on.  Get an advisor. Although you may not technically need one in your first or second year, still meet with one as soon as possible. Map out a timeline for you to follow regarding which courses to take and when, prepping for the MCATS, and improving your future resumes and applications with plenty of volunteer- and research work. In addition to obtaining a bachelor’s degree and a high GPA, take studying and prepping for the MCAT very seriously. Aim to score a 30 or more to improve your chances of being accepted into a medical school. If needed, take it multiple times.  You may take the MCAT three times in one testing year, four times in two back-to-back testing years, and seven times in total. Medical schools may consider your highest score, your most recent score, or your average score. Take required courses in anatomy as well as medical and administrative practice. Complete the mandatory hours of on-the-job training and clerkship (approximately 100 hours). Specialize in forensic pathology to  how to identify the causes of death.  Make sure the school’s program has been approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and/or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). Specializing in forensic pathology will often involve you training and working with local coroners and/or medical examiners. Use this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the job itself,  from personal stories of how these professionals obtained their positions, and make connections. After you finish medical school, join a residency program to finish your training. Residencies may last up to three years. Work with coroner and medical examiner’s offices to earn personal certification with the American Board of Pathology to become an officially recognized pathologist. You can become certified for either Clinical Pathology (CP), Anatomical Pathology (AP), or both (AP/CP).

Summary: Start early. Earn a bachelor’s degree. Take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Complete medical school. Complete your residency.


If you don’t want to make your own lox, you can substitute store-bought smoked salmon. However, you must cut it properly. Place 4 ounces (113 g) of smoked salmon on a cutting board, and position your knife against the fish at a slight angle in a downward motion.  Any sharp knife with a long, non-serrated blade works well for cutting the salmon. However, you can also purchase a special salmon knife that’s designed specifically for cutting smoked salmon thinly. Make sure that your knife is as sharp as possible for the cleanest cuts. To create the appropriate texture for lox, it’s important to slice it as thin as possible. When you insert the knife’s blade into the fish, keep it as shallow as you can so you can create a paper-thin slice. Once you’ve insert the knife into the salmon, move the blade back and forth in a smooth motion until you’ve cut a slice. You shouldn’t have to push too hard to cut the fish, so if you feel resistance, you may want to sharpen your blade. Use the length of the knife’s blade to make a long, sweeping back and forth motion for the cleanest cuts. After you’ve cut the first slice, repeat the cutting process until you’ve sliced all of the salmon. Be sure to leave the skin behind as you cut, and remove any black meat that you come across.
Summary: Slide the knife over the smoked salmon at an angle. Insert a knife into the smoked salmon shallowly. Use a back and forth motion with the knife to slice the salmon. Continue slicing until all of the salmon is cut.