Las Vegas in the Summer: Behind the Scenes at the Clark County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office

This past summer, I interned at the Clark County Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office. As a forensic biology student aspiring to attend medical school, I finally had the chance to experience first-hand what I'd always considered my dream job.

Going into the internship, I had no idea what to expect. Now that it's over, I can confidently say that I have not only met some of the most interesting and dedicated people ever, but I also want to be just like them.

A Day in the Morgue

Most mornings began with processing decedents who had arrived the day before and those who had arrived overnight. After changing into scrubs and putting on full PPE, I helped move bodies, update cooler locations, assist with photography, fingerprint decedents, and prepare cases for autopsy.

Once the doctors arrived, the pace would pick up. I washed instruments, brought in the next case, helped collect blood and vitreous humor samples and watched the autopsies whenever I had the chance. Sometimes the caseload was only about 12 decedents; other days, it was nearly double. The best part was asking the doctors questions about anatomy, pathology, trauma and anything else that caught my attention.

One part that stood out to me was how different everyone is on the inside. Things that look the same in a textbook can look completely different once you're standing in an autopsy suite. Every case had something unique to teach me, whether it was an unusual disease, injury or circumstance.

After the autopsies were finished, I'd help clean and sanitize the workstations before heading to receiving. There, I'd help process new arrivals by assisting with fingerprinting, measurements and X-rays, and by preparing decedents for the cooler. I also helped retrieve decedents being released to funeral homes.

Class Preparation

I was surprised by how much I was able to follow along and understand the process. A lot of what I saw reflected what I had already learned in class. Anatomy helped me understand what I was looking at every day, and my Investigative Methodology and Forensic Science class made fingerprinting, photography and decomposition much more familiar.

Immunology helped me better understand the diseases I was seeing and how they interacted with other conditions in the body. Abnormal Psychology helped me think about the circumstances surrounding some of the decedents who struggled with mental illness. All my lab classes prepared me for the documentation required and for the careful recording of every unusual finding. Instrumental Analysis and Trace Evidence also gave me a much better appreciation for the importance of the chain of custody and for documenting every step.

I also learned things that simply can't be taught in a classroom. I began recognizing signs of medical intervention, such as CPR injuries and intubation; learned how unidentified decedents are identified; and realized just how different every human body is. I've seen hearts that could fit in one hand and others that weighed over a thousand grams. No two cases were ever the same, and honestly, that was one of my favorite parts.

The Biggest Challenge

Surprisingly, the hardest part wasn't seeing death. That was relatively easy.

The hardest part was learning to speak up.

At first, I felt awkward constantly asking, "Is there anything I can do to help?" I didn't want to get in anyone's way. Eventually, I realized that being curious and taking initiative were the only ways I was going to learn and the best ways I could help the technicians.

Over time, I earned more responsibility. I went from moving decedents and washing instruments to fingerprinting, closing decedents after autopsy and collecting blood and vitreous humor samples for testing. I became comfortable approaching the doctors during an autopsy to ask questions, knowing they encouraged curiosity and were always willing to teach.

So... Am I Still Going to Medical School?

Absolutely.

Without question.

This internship didn't change my career goals — it confirmed them.

I left with a much greater appreciation for the work medical examiners do. It's so much more than performing autopsies. It's paying attention to every detail, documenting everything because it may one day end up in court, working alongside law enforcement, giving someone their name back and helping provide answers for families during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Turn Your Interest in Forensics Into Experience

Interested in Forensic Biology? At Embry-Riddle, you can gain hands-on experience that connects what you learn in the classroom to real-world opportunities. Explore our Bachelor of Science in Forensic Biology program and take the next step toward your future.