What to Watch for in Emerging Trends in Forensic Pathology — National Expert Dr. Banerjee
What to Watch for in Emerging Trends in Forensic Pathology — National Expert Dr. Banerjee
Banerjee provides expert consultations to attorneys, law enforcement and other clients. She teaches at both Brown University and serves as is an adjunct professor at the Boston University School of Medicine.
She has given nationally televised (CNN, MSNBC Law and Crime), interviews about various aspects of forensic pathology.
“The most prominent national case that I commented on was the Derek Chauvin George Floyd trial,” said Banerjee. “That case in particular, we know the case of the death, the autopsy, was such a heavy element of the case — that’s where people really understood what medical examiners do.”
“So it was helpful to have an outside person like myself who’s not directly involved in the case comment and explain all these medical terms,” she added. “Probably the biggest thing I fight is the ‘CSI effect’ I call it— you know, everything doesn’t wrap up in an hour magically come together.”
Emerging Trends — and Coronavirus
“I think behind the scenes, the part about forensic pathology medical examiner work that really intrigues me is what’s call emerging trends — whether that’s new drugs on the streets or new infections,” said Banerjee. “I mean, we sadly see people die all the time and if it’s an unexplained death, sometimes of detecting whether it’s a new infection, a new drug to warn the public, so we’re always ready.”
Banerjee, who worked in the state medical examiner’s office, said that regarding the coronavirus — and variants — the “scariest part is the unknown.”
“I think eighteen months ago, if you told me that the virus was going to emerge, I would have told you that it was like a movie, like it’s so theoretical, the world shutting down, things aren’t happening like normal — that was inconceivable to me, not only as a physician, but a member of society,” she said.