Pathology Forensic Anatomical Clinical Medical Examiner Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.790

Pennsylvania

Education

New York University
University College of Arts and Pure Sciences

New York Medical College
Flower & Fifth Avenue Hospitals 1950 – 1954
M.D. Degree 1954

Internship

Beth Israel Hospital, New York City
1954-1955 (Routing)

Residency

Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, Bronx, NY
(Pathology and Clinical Pathology) 1958-1961

Board Certification

American Board of Pathology
American Pathology, 1962
Clinical Pathology, 1962
Forensic Pathology, 1964

1955, Diplomat of National Board of Medical Examiners

Licensed to Practice Medicine

1970, Virginia
1955, New York State (inactive)
1966, Pennsylvania  (inactive)
1958, Connecticut (inactive)

Hospital Appointments

Assist. Visiting Pathologist
Bronx Municipal Hospital Center, NY
1961-1966

Assist. Pathologist
Union Hospital, NY
1962-1966

Assist. Visiting Pathologist
Memorial Hospital, PA
1966-1970

Visiting Pathologist
Windber Hospital, PA
1966-1970

Director of Laboratories
Northampton Accomack Memorial Hospital, VA
1970-1971

Associate Laboratory Director and Associate Pathologist
Lee Hospital, PA
1966-1970

Director of Laboratories
Suburban General Hospital, PA
1972-1998

Staff Pathologist
Western Pennsylvania Hospital, PA
199-1998

Staff Pathologist
UPMC Braddock, PA
2000-2001

Teaching Positions

1960-1961, Assist. Instructor, Pathology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY

1961-1964, Instructor, Pathology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

1961-1966, Assist. Professor, Pathology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine

1972-1985, Assist. Clinical Professor, Pathology
University of Pittsburgh Medical School

1985-Present, Clinical Associate Professor, Pathology

Member

Pennsylvania Association of Clinical Pathologists
College of American Pathologists (Fellow)
National Association of Medical Examiners
Pittsburgh Pathology Society
Pittsburgh Academy of Medicine (Fellow)

Active Duty in U.S. Navy

General Medical Officer, 1955-1957
Lieutenant

Honorable Discharge, 1967
Lieutenant Commander USNR (From Inactive Reserve)

Experience in Forensic Medicine

1960-1966, Assist. Medical Examiner
Office of the Medical Examiner, City of New York

1964, Certified by the American Board of Pathology in Forensic Pathology

1961-1966, Research Grant from the National Institute of Health for the investigation of head trauma

1966-1970, Pathologist to the Cambria County Coroner (Pennsylvania)

1971-1972, Pathologist Consultant to Northampton and Accomack County Medical Examiners
(Eastern Shore of VA)

1972-Present, Forensic Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA
Private Consultation Practice

Coroner
1972-Present, Allegheny County

Papers Published

Available upon Request

Medico-Legal Training and Qualifications

Assistant Medical Examiner in the office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City from 1960-1966.  During this time, I studied under Dr. Milton Helpern, former Chief Medical Examiner of the city of New York.  I personally performed in the neighborhood of 5,000medical examiner’s autopsies and assisted in or witnessed an additional 4,000 such autopsies.  I also investigated about 15,000 death scenes of medical examiner’s cases during the time and certified the cause of death of the majority of these cases after investigation without autopsy.  I testified on numerous occasions in courts of record as to my findings and before Grand Juries. (400-500 times)

I was certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology in 1962 and in Forensic Pathology in 1964.  From 1961-1966 I had a grant from the National Institutes of Health for the investigation of Head Trauma and had six papers published in various medical journals as the results and conclusions of my research in this area.

After leaving New York, I was consultant pathologist to the Cambria County Coroner in Pennsylvania from 1966-1970 and consultant pathologist to Accomack and Northampton County medical Examiners in Virginia from 1971-1972.  During this time, I performed about 150 medicolegal autopsies.  I have had a private consultation practice in Forensic Pathology in Pittsburgh since 1972 and served as Coroner of Allegheny County from 1981-1982 after being appointed to that position by the Governor of Pennsylvania.

Pathology

That specialty of medicine which deals with the nature and diagnosis of disease, especially with the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs of the body which cause disease or are caused by disease.

Anatomic Pathology

The subspecialty of pathology dealing with gross and microscopic changes in organs of the body caused by disease a seen in biopsy specimens or at autopsy

Clinical Pathology

That subspecialty of pathology dealing with the use of laboratory methods in clinical medicine, in turn is subdivided into:

Clinical Chemistry (including Toxicology) - concerns chemical changes in the body and blood in disease and poisoning.

Hematology – changes in the composition of blood components in disease.

Bacteriology & Parasitology – identification of Pathogenic microorganisms causing disease

Immunology, Serology & Blood Banking – changes in body antibodies as well as compatibility of blood transfusion.

To become Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology one must be a graduate of an approved Medical School and have passed a 4 year training program in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at an approved hospital.  One must then pass a 2 day examination in this field given by the Board.

Forensic Pathology

Subspecialty of Pathology dealing with legal matters as to the causation and classification of death – whether due to natural, accidental, suicidal or homicidal causes.

“To be certified in Forensic Pathology one must first have Board certification in Anatomic Pathology and then have 2 years of training in an approved medical examiners program (such as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City) and then pass a one day examination in Forensic Pathology given by the American Board of Pathology.