FORENSIC MEDICINE

Major Introduction

Forensic Medicine is a natural science based on medicine, and it is also an interdisciplinary field between medicine and law. This major primarily uses medical theories and techniques to solve legal problems and provide scientific evidence for judicial authorities. 

The Forensic Medicine major aims to cultivate advanced professionals with solid foundational knowledge in medicine and forensic medicine, capable of undertaking forensic identification, teaching, and research.

Training Objectives

This major trains talents to meet the development needs of forensic medicine and legal construction in China, with the following objectives:

1. Adhere to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system.
2. Develop comprehensively in ethics, intellect, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.
3. Master systematic theories and basic skills in forensic medicine.
4. Have the ability to self-study, lifelong learning, and basic identification skills.
5. Uphold scientific, fair, just, and legal principles.
6. Possess good professional qualities, humanistic knowledge, and social responsibility.
7. Have an innovative spirit.
8. Be able to work in public security, procuratorate, judicial authorities, forensic identification institutions, universities, and related organizations.

Graduation Requirements

Graduates of the Forensic Medicine major need to acquire the following qualities, knowledge, and abilities:

Quality Requirements

1. Establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values, love the motherland, support the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system.
2. Have a healthy physique and strong will, master scientific exercise skills and methods.
3. Have positive aesthetic tastes, noble moral sentiments, civilized qualities, and humanistic knowledge.
4. Have a correct view of labor value, master necessary labor skills.
5. Love the forensic medicine profession, volunteer to contribute to the development of forensic medicine, and regard fairness and scientific identification as professional ethics.
6. Have the quality of enduring hardship and psychological resilience to withstand different pressures, have confidentiality, ethical, and legal awareness.
7. Have team cooperation spirit and awareness of collaborative work.
8. Have meticulous observation and cautious judgment qualities, able to flexibly respond to changes.
9. Have a scientific attitude, rational analysis ability, critical spirit, and innovative spirit.
10. Practice according to the law, able to protect the legal rights of oneself, the client, and the identified person.
11. Have a realistic work attitude.

Knowledge Requirements

1. Master basic knowledge and scientific methods related to humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
2. Master basic theories and knowledge of basic medicine, clinical medicine, and law.
3. Master basic theories and skills of forensic medicine.
4. Master basic knowledge of forensic identification and case analysis methods, able to solve practical problems in forensic medicine.
5. Be familiar with relevant laws and regulations related to forensic medicine and policies and procedures of forensic work.
6. Understand the formation and characteristics of the theoretical system of forensic medicine, understand the application prospects and development trends of forensic medicine.
7. Master basic methods of literature retrieval and information collection, have preliminary scientific research and practical work abilities.
8. Understand the interdisciplinary influence and relationship between forensic medicine and other disciplines, be good at summarizing theoretical knowledge from practical knowledge.

Ability Requirements

1. Have thinking and analytical abilities in the forensic profession.
2. Have the ability to reasonably use forensic theories, techniques, and methods for identification.
3. Have the ability to conduct identification and write identification reports.
4. Have the ability to effectively communicate with clients and identified persons.
5. Have preliminary ability to testify in court.
6. Have the ability to educate the public about forensic knowledge.
7. Have the ability to use libraries, computers, networks, and modern information technology to research forensic issues and acquire new knowledge and related information.
8. Have the ability to read medical and forensic literature in a foreign language.
9. Have the ability to self-study, lifelong learning, continuous self-improvement, and pursuit of excellence.
10. Have an innovative spirit and entrepreneurial awareness, with the ability to engage in practical innovation and entrepreneurship.

Core Courses

• Systematic Anatomy
• Regional Anatomy
• Histology and Embryology
• Physiology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Medical Microbiology
• Medical Parasitology
• Medical Immunology
• Pathology
• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Diagnostics
• Medical Imaging
• Internal Medicine
• Surgery
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pediatrics
• Introduction to Forensic Medicine
• Forensic Law and Judicial Identification
• Forensic Pathology
• Forensic Clinical Medicine
• Forensic Evidence
• Forensic Toxicology
• Forensic Toxicological Analysis
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Forensic Entomology and Microbiology
• Criminal Science and Technology

Research Directions

The main research directions of the Forensic Medicine major include:

• Law (Non-Law)
• Police Studies
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Forensic Medicine
• Basic Medicine
• Human Anatomy and Histology and Embryology

Degree Awarded

The Forensic Medicine major generally awards a Bachelor of Forensic Medicine degree.

Career Development

Graduates of the Forensic Medicine major have broad career prospects and can work in the following fields:

1. Pass the civil service exam to enter forensic identification institutions in public security, procuratorate, and judicial authorities to conduct evidence and corpse examination and identification.
2. Work in research institutions and schools to teach or research forensic pathology identification and other forensic examination techniques.
3. Work in medical units or insurance companies to conduct death identification and cause of death analysis to resolve medical disputes and liability compensation.
4. Work in interdisciplinary medical fields to research, develop, sell, and train medical instruments.

Related Majors

• Clinical Medicine
• Basic Medicine
• Law
• Criminal Investigation

Top Universities Offering Forensic Medicine Programs in China

1. Sichuan University
2. Fudan University
3. Sun Yat-sen University
4. Huazhong University of Science and Technology
5. Soochow University
6. Southern Medical University
7. China Medical University