Posting Date:Thu, 05 Sep 2024
Date to Apply By: Until Filled
Estimated Start Date: To be Determined
Address: Central City Tower, Suite 400-13450 102 Avenue
City: Surrey, BC V3T 0H1
Pathologist – Forensic Physician
Fraser Health- Burnaby Hospital
British Columbia, Canada
Fraser Health (FH) is the heart of health care for nearly two million people in 20 diverse
communities from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of
the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations and is home to 32 First Nations within the Fraser
Salish region.
Our hospital and community-based services are delivered by a team of 48,000+ staff, medical
staff and volunteers dedicated to serving our patients, families, and communities.
JOB OVERVIEW
The Forensic Pathologist is responsible for autopsy investigations conducted into sudden and
unexpected or unnatural deaths reportable to the BC Coroners Service (BCCS), in accordance
with the Coroners Act, for the province of British Columbia. The purpose of these investigations
is to support identification of the decedent together with the cause and manner of death, to
provide documentation and expert opinion to assist with resolving civil and criminal matters that
arise from a death, and to support the Coroners Service in providing a sound source of data for
deaths investigated by coroners in British Columbia as an aid to preventing similar deaths from
occurring in the future. The incumbent will serve as a Forensic Pathologist by conducting
autopsies (including the provision of expert testimony in court as needed). He or she will also
assist the Lead Forensic pathologist and Chief Medical Officer in areas of Quality Improvement
and Assurance and with research as needed. The successful person will be expected, at times,
to be the representative of the Lead Forensic Pathologist and the Coroners Service and will
fulfill delegated leadership activities as requested by the Chief Medical Officer or the Lead
Forensic pathologist, BCCS.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
1. Completion of thorough autopsy investigations
o Provide guidance to Coroners and police officers regarding deaths to be
investigated, the extent of investigation and the medical history to be obtained.
o Working with the Coroner to help determine whether there will be an external
examination or complete autopsy, as part of the investigation, or whether the
investigation can be completed based solely upon a review of appropriate
documents.
o Complete an external examination or autopsy, with collection of appropriate
specimens for histology, toxicology, and other specialized tests as deemed
necessary.
o Work collaboratively with other experts (e.g. Forensic Anthropologist, Forensic
Odontologist) needed, when necessary, to successfully complete a coronial
investigation.
o Prepare reports outlining the findings and conclusions of all autopsy
investigations conducted in a timely manner.
o Respond to all correspondence and queries arising from autopsy investigations
conducted.
2. Balanced testimony as an expert witness in courts of law.
o Be accessible for consultations from police and lawyers regarding the findings
and conclusions of those death investigations wherein criminal or civil law
matters arise.
o Answer all correspondence from legal counsel regarding death investigations
completed by the incumbent in a timely manner.
o Respond to all subpoenas ensuring coordination of schedule between courtroom
testimony and other responsibilities.
o Meet with Crown Prosecutors, members of the Defence Bar, and other legal
counsel as required prior to testimony.
o Provide balanced testimony to the courts in a manner that ensures a clear
understanding of the interpretation of injuries, the cause of death, and any other
medical issues brought forward by legal counsel for the presiding judge and the
jury (if present).
3. Promotion of an understanding of Forensic Pathology and death investigation by
agencies and individuals outside of the BC Coroner’s Service.
o Provide education and guidance to members of the BCCS in the performance of
their responsibilities in death investigations including on-call duties to assist
coroner investigations.
o Serve as a resource and teacher for police and lawyers regarding Forensic
Pathology and death investigations.
o Serve as a teacher for medical students, residents, Forensic Pathology Fellows,
paramedics, and other professionals seeking education in various aspects of
death investigation and Forensic Pathology.
o Support any reasonable research or publication efforts undertaken by the Lead
Forensic Pathologist or office of the Chief Medical Officer, BCCS.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge and Experience:
The incumbent must be an M.D. with specialty training and certification in Anatomical or
General (Clinical) Pathology and with an additional Fellowship year of training in Forensic
Pathology together with certification in Forensic Pathology (Royal College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Canada, American Board of Pathology, DMJ (Path), or other equivalent). This
includes knowledge of all aspects of death investigation, identification techniques, autopsy and
external examination techniques, preparation of reports, and provision of expert testimony in a
court of law. The incumbent will be required to develop a thorough knowledge of and be able to
apply the provisions of the Coroners Act to his/her work, and must also be aware of and able to
apply provisions of a number of other pieces of British Columbian legislation (e.g. Vital Statistics
Act, Public Health Act, Cremation Internment & Funeral Services Act, Freedom of Information
and Protection of Privacy Act) as they apply to death investigation and the work of the
BCCS. The incumbent must also be proficient in the use of computers (including use of the
internet and Microsoft Office), must be licensed or eligible for medical licensure in the province
of British Columbia, and must have a valid driver’s license.
Problem solving
The incumbent must make a wide variety of decisions, daily, to maintain the high standards of
the BCCS and to help sustain operations, in particular the running of the BCCS Postmortem
Examination Site/s. These can include, but are not limited to, decisions made in an individual
postmortem examination, where the incumbent is conducting the examination; application of
BCCS policy, the Coroners Act, or other legislation as it applies to the operation of the BCCS
Postmortem Examination Site/s. The incumbent has a wide variety of resources available within
the BCCS (including the Lead Forensic Pathologist, Chief Medical Officer, Medical Unit
Administrator) to assist with making and implementing these decisions.
BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
Strategic Orientation: Is aware of political climate to undertake policy directions and can
assess implications of trends and developments as they affect present policies, processes and
ongoing issues.
Innovation and Change: Supports and encourages new ideas and approaches to enhance
performance and results; embraces change, takes intelligent risks, and helps others to engage
in the change process.
Results Orientation: Able to work independently while using initiative and resourcefulness in a
high volume, demanding environment; able to organize and manage concurrent activities and
projects, keeping team members, supervisor and colleagues informed of progress and
significant issues.
Analytic Thinking: Identifies key components and underlying issues and systematically
analyzes the problem and determines cause effect relationships and resolves problems in a
sound decisive manner; interprets data and draws logical conclusions using deductive
reasoning and critical thinking; able to lead analyses and develop strategies to implement
change or introduction of new policies.
Relationship Building: Able to initiate relationships on behalf of the Division or the Coroners
Service engaging people in the ministry as well as elsewhere in government and external
stakeholders and can use those relationships to gain entry to higher level decision makers or to
potentially unreceptive, critical or hostile audiences and achieve important goals.
Flexibility: Willingness to be flexible to ongoing changes in responsibilities, assignments, and
corporate structures; and willingness to be available and respond to new emerging priorities and
re-prioritize existing work in a group environment.
Leading Others: Inspires people and teams to reach their fullest potential; positively influences
people and events at entry level of the organization.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Works co-operatively with diverse teams, work groups and
across organization to achieve group organizational goals. This includes communicating
effectively and collaboratively with others.
TRAVEL
The incumbent forensic pathologist may be asked to travel to other BCCS Post-Mortem
Diagnostic Services (PMDS) sites, including Abbotsford, Victoria, Kelowna, and Vernon to
perform autopsies. The incumbent will be expected to travel to Prince George for two days (two
nights) every four to six weeks (rotating with other forensic pathologists) as part of a visiting
forensic autopsy service.
IMPACT OF JOB
The Forensic Pathologist, BCCS, is responsible for conducting postmortem examinations and
death investigation support in BC, in accordance with the Coroners Act. The conclusions drawn
in each case, by the Forensic Pathologist, are of crucial importance to the coroners’ findings as
required by the Coroners Act and to the resolution of criminal and civil law matters that arise in
many of these deaths.
COMPARABLE POSITION
Specialist laboratory physician, health authority laboratory within BC.
Qualifications:
• FRCPC
• CPSBC Eligible for Full License
Remuneration:
• Contract
Full Time/Part Time/Locum/Temporary: Full time
Facility: Facility: Burnaby Hospital
Burnaby Hospital is a 282-bed hospital offering medical, surgical, tertiary palliative care,
psychiatry, as well as 24/7 emergency services with 83,833 visits annually.
Click here for detailed services at this location.
Interested candidates may submit a letter of interest, CV and three reference letters or contact
referee names to medicalstaffrecruitment@fraserhealth.ca.
If you have questions or interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Dr.
Jatinder (Taj) Baidwan, Chief Medical Officer, BC Coroners Service, at
Jatinder.Baidwan@gov.bc.ca.
Fraser Health values diversity in the work force and strives to maintain an environment of
Respect, Caring & Trust. Fraser Health’s hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are
treated in an inclusive, equitable and culturally safe manner.
Please use the following contact information to apply for this job:
Contact Name: Sukhpreet Sidhu
Contact Address:
Contact Email: medicalstaffrecruitment@fraserhealth.ca
Contact Phone: 236.332.5021
Contact Fax: