Steven Shapiro On Vermont’s Medical Examiner Office

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Every year, about 5000 Vermonters die. That’s about 100 people a week. And if there’s any question about how they died or what they died of, it’s the job of the medical examiner to figure it out. Sometimes that’s done with a quick phone call. Other times it requires collecting evidence and a bit of detective work.

The Chief Medical Examiner’s office in Burlington has a staff of five full time employees, plus a part time staff of more than 60 investigators statewide. These investigators are the office’s foot-soldiers. They have some related training – as EMT’s or nurses, for example but being a death investigator is part time work and they all have day jobs.

Since 2006, Vermont’s Chief Medical Examiner has been Dr. Steven Shapiro. Before that he was deputy chief. VPR’s Jane Lindholm talked with Dr. Shapiro about his job and how his office serves law enforcement, health officials, and the public.

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