City and County of San Francisco

1. Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the activities of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to include medical, investigative, administrative and custodial functions; reviews and inspects the department's operations in accordance with State laws, ordinances of the City and County, court directed policies, professional procedures and sound managerial practices.
2. Responds to homicide scenes as part of the major crime investigative team and as required for other scenes to make preliminary findings as to the cause and circumstances of death; directs activities concerned with the collection and preservation of evidence. Examines living persons for medico-legal reasons, documenting injuries, collecting evidence and interpreting changes of potential legal importance.
3. Establishes standards for the conduct of forensic autopsies and other forensic work, reviews and supervises the work of the medical and toxicological staff; interprets reports prepared by staff physicians, toxicologists and investigative staff; performs forensic autopsies as required in accordance with state law and consistent with the policies of the department.
4. Confers with medical and investigative personnel in making determinations as to the cause, circumstance and manner of death; presides at inquests; examines witnesses; confers with private physicians and attorneys; consults with police officers and district attorneys in the preparation of court cases; testifies in court as an expert witness.
5. Oversees relationships with law enforcement agencies and organ procurement agencies, and maintains relations with public and news media; meets with families of deceased to discuss medical aspects of cases within the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
6. Develops proposals for research projects; establishes procedures, methodology, standards, and objectives for the conduct of such projects; supervises the preparation of reports and/or the publication of findings.
7. Establishes policy and ensures compliance with all blood borne pathogen, biohazard, injury and illness prevention and other safety programs in accordance with local, state and federal laws. Establishes controls for the use of X-ray and other dangerous radiation equipment, and directs the publication and enforcement of appropriate safety rules relating to such equipment. Acts as radiation safety officer, with the required experience or training in nuclear medicine and knowledge of radiation safety and x-ray procedures.
8. Secures the services of medical and technical consultants for the support and extension of the Medical Examiner's staff; reviews and evaluates the findings of such specialists.
9. Consults with other professionals in the field of forensic sciences, and may represent the City and County of San Francisco at conferences of particular interest to Medical Examiner staff personnel.
10. Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of: federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the operations of the Medical Examiner’s Office; professional standards, such as those promulgated by the National Association of Medical Examiners (N.A.M.E.), for the practice of forensic medicine; procedures and techniques of scene investigation, recognition, documentation and collection of trace evidence; medico-legal techniques necessary to determine the cause, circumstances and manner of death, as required by law; procedures and techniques utilized in forensic medicine, including the medico-legal autopsy, the collection of evidence for forensic toxicology and/or DNA testing; methods and procedures for the interpretation of forensic toxicology and laboratory results, and interpretation of histology and clinical chemistry results, especially as associated with the cause and time of death; biohazard and blood borne pathogen standards applicable to forensic medicine, as well as other safety procedures necessary for the safe performance of forensic examinations; procedures and practices related to the gathering of forensic evidence, its processing and correct storage and the performance of forensic autopsies.

Ability or Skill to: administer a department staffed in part by fellow professionals; establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators of local medical schools, with physicians in the private sector, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, surviving family members, and supervisory personnel in other departments of the City and County; examine an injured child or adult and recognize abused individuals; examine victims and suspects for signs of injuries and/or intoxication, document those injuries, collect biological or physical evidence, and interpret injuries as to age, cause, and the degree of force necessary to effect those injuries; recognize those factors that contribute to or alter injuries; maintain the standards of the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office and the National Association of Medical Examiners; communicate effectively a reconstruction or interpretation of the scene and evidence, the medico-legal autopsy, investigative and observational findings in writing and verbally; testify clearly and concisely at public hearings, courts of law, and before the Grand jury in a professional, neutral, and convincing manner; review and evaluate medical records and related investigative reports; prepare clear, concise and effective written report or communications; speak in a clear and understandable manner appropriate to the understanding of an audience or jury; listen and effectively elicit information; set task priorities and coordinate the work schedule of the Forensic Autopsy Technicians in a logical and productive manner; train and monitor the performance of staff, fellows and/or physicians in the safe performance of legal medicine and forensic autopsies; use a computer to access and input information as well as to prepare written documents and reports of their examinations and findings.

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.  Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

Education:

1. Graduation from an approved medical school with possession of an M.D. or D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree, or the United States accepted equivalent; AND
2. Satisfactory completion of a residency program approved by the Council for Graduate Medical Education in pathology with board certification in anatomic and/or clinical pathology, and the subspecialty of forensic pathology; the applicant must possess a certificate in forensic pathology at the time of application for the position.

Experience:

License and Certification:

1. Possession or the ability to obtain a valid license as a Physician and Surgeon issued by the California State Board of Medical Examiners, with Board certification in anatomic and clinical pathology or anatomic pathology and forensic pathology within six months of appointment to the position of Chief Medical Examiner.
2. Possession of registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States Department of Justice with authority to possess, use and prescribe drugs and controlled substances.
3. Possession of an X-ray Supervisor and Operator certificate issued by the State of California Department of Public Health. As an alternate, an applicant may show registration and eligibility for such a certificate, with completion of the application within six months of appointment to the position of Chief Medical Examiner; incumbents must be able to perform the duties of radiation safety officer for the department.
4. Possession of a valid California Driver’s License, class C or higher.

Substitution:

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Other Legal Requirements: In accordance with State of California Penal Code Section 830.35 and Government Code 24010, the Chief Medical Examiner is a peace officer. Applicants must qualify for peace officer status as set forth in State of California Government Code sections 1031, and must pass a peace officer's background investigation prior to appointment. In addition, appointees must be eligible for and receive Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification. Specialized P.O.S.T. Basic requirements for this position include: successful completion of the PC 832 course (Peace Officers Firearms and Arrest Procedures) and successful completion of the Basic Death Investigation course. An appointee may assume office pending completion of the PC832 course and full POST certification, but these requirements must be met within one year of appointment.

Special Requirements: Nature of duties may require sustained physical effort involving manual skill and dexterity, physical ability to lift dead bodies and remove them from the scene of death, and 24-hour "on call" availability to respond to scenes of sudden death or injuries. Work environments may entail exposure to accidental, physical, chemical, and/or biological health hazards; unpleasant odors or conditions; frequent exposure to sudden, unexpected, and sometimes violent deaths; and exposure to disagreeable elements or situations inherent in this specialized field.

Note: This class is exempt from Civil Service appointment under Section 10.104.05 of the City Charter.

PROMOTIVE LINES

From: 2598 Assistant Medical Examiner

ORIGINATION DATE:

01/12/1964

AMENDED DATE:

11/02/1973, 01/04/1978, 03/02/01 (Amended & Retitled), 08/24/20

REASON FOR AMENDMENT:

To accurately reflect the current tasks, knowledge, skills & abilities, and minimum qualifications.

BUSINESS UNIT(S):

COMMN

All City and County of San Francisco employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.