ABPath Forensic Pathology case studies
ABPath Forensic Pathology · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Forensic Pathology examination is an American Board of Pathology (ABPath) subspecialty certification exam for physicians who have completed forensic pathology training and wish to demonstrate subspecialty competence to the public, employers, and medico-legal systems. According to ABPath, it is a one-day, computer-based examination combining Written/Practical sections with Virtual Microscopy (VM) sections; there are no glass slides, only VM. The ABPath Forensic Pathology case studies are 5 cases and about 2,522 words.
1Infant with Bruising and a Healing Fracture: Accident or Abuse?
A 7-month-old infant is brought to the emergency department by parents after the mother reports the baby 'rolled off the couch' onto a carpeted floor from a height of about 50 cm. The infant is alert but has a 2 cm purple bruise over the left cheek and another over the right upper arm.
562 words, about 3 min2Sudden Death After a Minor Assault: Sorting Trauma From Natural Disease
A 54-year-old man collapses and dies shortly after a brief altercation in which he was punched once in the chest and fell backward, striking the back of his head on pavement. At autopsy there is a 3 cm scalp contusion and a linear skull fracture, a small subdural hematoma, and a 4 cm area of hemorrhage in the anterior chest wall.
609 words, about 3 min3Postmortem Ethanol: Endogenous or Antemortem?
A 61-year-old man is found dead in his apartment. He has a history of alcohol use disorder but had reportedly been abstinent for months.
435 words, about 2 min4Bite Mark on a Victim: Odontology and the Limits of Comparison
A 24-year-old woman is found dead with a crescentic area of bruising and abrasion on her left forearm, 3 cm across, with what appear to be small paired marks. A suspect is identified.
429 words, about 2 min5Decomposed Body in a Field: Anthropology, ID, and Manner
Skeletal remains are found in a wooded area. The remains are largely skeletonized with some mummified tissue.
487 words, about 2 min