FORENSIC MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY

Forensic Medicine is medical specialty which deals with the application of medical knowledge in administration of justice. A Forensic expert deal with crime scene investigation, post mortem work and medicolegal cases like examination of rape victim and rape accused, examination for issue of drunkenness and injury certificates, examination of person and evidence for age estimation etc. In course of work a forensic expert is also involved in expert opinions and court evidences.

The department imparts comprehensive knowledge to the IInd and IIIrd MBBS Students in the subject Forensic Medicine, Toxicology & Medical Jurisprudence. This is during the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Semesters of their study period.

The Department started functioning in the College in the year 2010 when Prof. Dr. A. Ramachandran took charge as Head of Department in Forensic Medicine department and Chairman of Research Committee in the college.

Prof. Dr. A. Ramachandran was (Former) Principal, Yenopoya Medical College, Mangalore, Medico- Legal Expert & Consultant to Govt. of Kerala , Police Surgeon , Professor& HOD of Forensic Medicine, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai , Vice Principal, Medical College, Calicut, Professor& HOD of Forensic Medicine Calicut, Thrissur, Guest Faculty to High Court of Kerala, Faculty for Police Training, President of Kerala Medico legal Society , member of various professional bodies like IMA, Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine, Kerala Govt. Medical College Teachers Association, subject expert for Kerala Public Service Commission.

DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES

At the end of the medical course the student should be able to:

• Understand the working of the Judicial system and the role of a Indian medical graduate in the administration of justice
• Recognize the rights and duties as a medical practitioner
• Familiarize and understand with the laws relating to the medical profession
• Examine cases of injury, burns, poisoning etc. and perform all medicolegal duties connected with them.
• To study and understand how to interpret the results of laboratory examination, correlate them with the clinical / autopsy data and furnish a opinion.
• Observe medicolegal autopsies and attain the knowledge to draft a postmortem certificate and to ascertain the cause of death and time of death
• Preserve the necessary material objects of evidentiary value and dispatch them to the appropriate laboratories as per the rules laid down by the State/ Central government.
• Prepare and issue various forms of reports / certificates as required by law and tender medical evidence in courts of law
• How to help the Police, Forensic Scientist and other functionaries in the investigation of crime and administration of justice.
• Realize his own limitations of knowledge and seek help from appropriate sources whenever necessary.

ACTIVITIES

The Department imparts teaching and practical training in the Subject Forensic Medicine, Toxicology & medical Jurisprudence to the MBBS Students. Practical classes are taken on various aspects of medicolegal autopsy and preparation of various medicolegal certificates. These include Post Mortem Certificates, Wound certification, Potency certification, examination for certification of Sexual offence victim, Certification of cases of Drunkenness, examination of skeletal remains examination of subjects for age estimation and certification.

Practical classes also include study of ossification data by taking x-ray films, study of infant death cases, demonstration of various specimens related to forensic pathology, bones, snakes, toxicology specimens (including poisonous plants), ammunitions, weapons, demonstration of various slides of medicolegal importance.

Previous Batches of MBBS Students have witnessed various medicolegal autopsies. (This was from General Hospital, Ernakulam and Victoria Hospital attached to Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute and General Hospital).

Smart class room facility is provided in the demonstration rooms and lecture halls with audio visual aids for teaching purpose.

Department also offers medicolegal consultations on demand/request.

MUSEUM

The Department has an excellent Museum with good collection of wet specimens, human bones, toxicology specimens, including poisonous plants, snakes, weapons, ammunition specimens, entire human skeleton, microscopic slides of medicolegal importance, X-ray films for demonstrating ossification data, besides various models, charts and photographs.

DEPARTMENT LIBRARY

We have vast collection of Medical books pertaining to different subjects. Latest editions of few more books will be added to the library collection shortly. The department library collection is update with latest editions yearly.

MORTUARY

The Department has a well equipped Mortuary in the college campus with all facilities to conduct medico-legal autopsies / pathological autopsies. The department has qualified and competent staffs, if there is need to conduct autopsies. Since our college is a self-financing college, Govt. has not given permission to conduct medico-legal autopsy.

FACULTY