Training Programs

The GBI Medical Examiner’s Office is proud to provide training opportunities to healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and attorneys.

Through agreements with a number of medical institutions, forensic pathology training and exposure are given to medical students and residents.

Program Description:

The fully Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Forensic Pathology Fellowship is located in Decatur, Georgia (Atlanta Metropolitan Area) and sponsored by the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. The GBI Medical Examiner's Office (MEO) has high-case volume and complexity and is an environment supportive of education and academic exploration. Special attention to ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Forensic Pathology are cited below.

The GBI MEO provides complete forensic pathology services to 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties in deaths that qualify as coroner cases under the Georgia Death Investigation Act. Autopsies are conducted by GBI medical examiners at the headquarters laboratory in Decatur and in the regional laboratories in Macon and Savannah. Fellows are exposed to a large volume of both homicide and non-homicide cases from urban, suburban, and rural settings, and encouraged to sign-up for challenging and complex cases. (4.11.f., 4.11.f.1).

Under direct supervision of a board-certified forensic pathologist scheduled specifically to supervise learners, the fellows will perform autopsies and postmortem examinations to determine cause and manner of death, review postmortem radiographs for identification and trauma analysis, collect specimens for toxicology, submit and review histologic specimens, collect evidence to be disseminated to various laboratories and agencies, prepare reports of postmortem examinations and autopsies, review pertinent documents such as medical records, police reports, toxicology reports, and outside laboratory reports, and testify in court when called. Two pediatric-pathology boarded forensic pathologists with expertise in child abuse, a forensic pathologist with cardiovascular fellowship completion at the Cleveland Clinic, and a board-certified forensic anthropologist are on staff. The GBI MEO has consultants in odontology, entomology, and neuropathology. Close relationships with nearby academic institutions allow for additional histopathologic subspecialty consultation, if needed.

In addition to fellowship-level training, the GBI MEO provides core and elective rotations for anatomic pathology residents training at affiliated institution Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University at neighboring Emory University School of Medicine. Two of 8 morgue workstations are available at all times for fellows and 1 station is reserved for resident-level trainees. Medical students from Medical College of Georgia, Mercer School of Medicine, and Emory University School of Medicine routinely elect to rotate in either 2-week or 4-week increments during summer intersessions and 4th year electives offered through the medical school course catalogs. Fellows may directly supervise rotating medical students in occasional organ dissection, with faculty oversight (4.11.d). The education of fellows is prioritized and protected (1.10).

On-campus crime lab with dedicated forensic science rotations: The GBI MEO is within a crime lab accredited by ASCLD-LAB to the ISO 17025 Standard and has in-house chemistry, firearms, biology, implied consent, latent prints, toxicology, and trace evidence. The fellow will rotate through divisions in the GBI Department of Forensic Sciences (4.11.b). Laboratory consultants are available for consultations in person at Headquarters (1.7.d). Fellows will attend crime scene with GBI Special Agents/Crime Scene Specialists.

Pediatric forensic pathology training: Two pediatric-pathology boarded forensic pathologists provide both living patient consults and postmortem examinations, aligned with a dedicated team of Pediatric Death Investigation Specialists (DIS). Pediatric DIS routinely perform infant evisceration and complex procedures including (routine opening of orbital plates in all infants, and in trauma cases: routine removal of eyes and removal of spinal cord within vertebral column) and train fellows to develop competency in such procedures. The Child Abuse Investigative Support Center (CAISC) and state Child Fatality Review (CFR) are housed within the pediatric wing of the MEO. Pediatric forensic pathology leadership has been instrumental in updating state legislative code and modernizing infant death certification and data collection.

Forensic anthropology training: In October, 2025, the GBI MEO hired a board certified forensic anthropologist with expertise in trauma analysis, identification of human remains through x-ray comparison, and expert witness testimony. Daily forensic anthropologist engagement in the morgue and at afternoon rounds provides practical assistance and bite-sized, high yield educational morsels throughout training (example: relevant fracture patterns such as "butterfly fractures"). A forensic anthropology workshop (trauma analysis in porcine proxy) is hosted in the Spring. (4.11.b.2).

Neuropathology training: A longitudinal neuropathology curriculum is taught remotely by a consulting neuropathologist, with an emphasis on traumatic head injuries. An interactive workshop with scanned slides to age de-identified cases of subdural hematomas is provided for fellows and GBI faculty. Of note, these trainings are shared with other interested medical examiner's offices to address practice gaps and training needs; the Program Director is working towards obtaining Emory-provided continuing medical education credits for practicing physicians who take part in this recurrent series.

Cardiac pathology training: Fellows will routinely perform histopathology on all cases with non-traumatic cause of death and may perform microscopic examination in traumatic deaths when unusual natural disease presents at autopsy. Fellows may consult with GBI faculty forensic pathologist with cardiac pathology training on difficult cases.

Legal curriculum: Fellows will work with in-house GBI managing attorneys, attend lectures provided by GBI attorneys and guest lecturers, and participate in mock trials to prepare for future courtroom testimony and depositions. The GBI in-house mock courtroom is used for many of these activities. Fellows will also learn the ethics of expert witness testimony and practical teaching for possible future consulting (creating a fee schedule, etc.) Fellows will attend pre-trial meetings with district attorneys, public defenders, and private attorneys, attend civil depositions, and attend criminal court with attending forensic pathologists with varying levels of experience, who on average testify in criminal court about once per month. (4.11.g).

Research: Expenses to original present research or case report at up to two national meeting will be covered by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Fellows will provide evidence-based presentations at journal clubs or meetings (local, regional, or national), preparation and submission of articles for peer-reviewed publications, or research (4.15).

Teaching and community outreach: In addition to in-morgue teaching, Fellows will provide occasional lectures to pathology residents of sponsoring institution Medical College of Georgia at AU (such as in preparation for the Resident In-Service Exam). Opportunities for community outreach, including high school/college presentations and gun safety presentations, are available to fellows. Fellows may also provide death certification training for internal medicine grand rounds at Georgia Hospitals, clinical residents, and advance practice providers (4.4.a.).

Quality improvement: Fellows will have opportunities to participate in quality projects with other in-house forensic science sections, attend the State Child Fatality Review, and attend and/or present cases at local Hospital Trauma Morbidity Mortality Conferences. Additional mock quality improvement exercises are available to the fellows, as well. (4.11.j).

Mentoring and well-being: Fellows will be supported and advised by faculty who have opted-in to teaching at GBI. In addition to daily educational case review rounds and a robust formal didactic lecture series (4.11.h.), fellows are encouraged to participate in informal case discussions and histology reviews with faculty. Multiple faculty of varying levels of experience, including the chief, are generally on site for the duration of normal business hours. A multiheaded scope in the fellow's workspace, digital conferencing, on-campus library, and digital library resources are available. With regards to wellness, fellows may leave the office to attend in-person healthcare appointments and may extend fellowship if parental leave is taken. Fellows are not scheduled for morgue duty on State Holidays at this time.

Designated fellow/resident workroom other provisions: Each fellow is provided with a cubicle workspace in a private workroom (with provided small refrigerator and close microwave access), furnished with a desktop computer, a microscope with digital image-capturing capabilities, and dictation devices. Each fellow will also be given a state-issued laptop and iPhone to be used during employment. The state-issued resources may be used for occasional teleworking when a fellow is in good standing. Laundry services, two break rooms, a lactation room, and a gym are on-site. Free on-campus parking with 24-hour on-site security. Local restaurant pop-ups occur on campus twice per week. Otherwise, provisions including yogurt, snacks, and drinks are available for sale on campus (1.8.b., 1.8.c.).

Forensic Radiology: The GBI is home to two CT scanners, which will soon be used for service, research, and education.

A new building with morgue expansion is currently under construction at GBI Headquarters with expected completion date in 2027. Stay tuned...

 

Organization:
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Medical Examiner Office in conjunction with the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

 

Primary Work Location:
Decatur, GA (Greater Atlanta area)

 

Requirements:
Applicants must possess a M.D. or D.O. degree and be board-eligible in AP or AP/CP prior to starting fellowship. The applicants must have a valid license to practice medicine in the State of Georgia prior to the commencement of the fellowship. Selected candidates must be able to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the office; however, no weekend service or holiday work will be required. The fellows must also be available to receive and respond to telephone inquiries from home while acting in an on-call status during the second half of the academic year. A further background check will be required through the GBI. The applicants must be physically capable of performing autopsies and post-mortem examinations and be able to prepare presentations for office meetings. The applicants must have a valid Georgia driver’s license. 

 

Stipends:
Salary will be commensurate with candidate's level of training.

 

We are currently interviewing for the '27-'28 academic year. 

Applications accepted: September 1, 2026 - November 1, 2026 
Interview Period: January 2027 – February 2027
Match opens: February 4, 2027
Ranking opens: March 11, 2027
Quota Deadline: April 1, 2027
Ranking Closes: April 15, 2027
Match Day: April 29, 2027
Fellowship Begins: July 1, 2028

 

Applications:

  • The Standardized Application for Pathology Fellowships from the College of American Pathologists, with photograph
  • Personal Statement
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • USMLE/COMLEX Scores
  • Recommendation Letters (minimum of 3 and one of which must be from your Residency Program Director)
  • ECFMG certification (if applicable)

 

Program Director: 
Rachel Geller, MD
Associate Medical Examiner
Georgia Bureau of Investigation, DOFS

 

Program Contact Information:
E-mail: [email protected]