US faces critical shortage of forensic pathologists, delaying justice and public health

The United States is experiencing a severe deficit of forensic pathologists, with roughly 850 currently practicing-about 400 fewer than experts say are needed to handle more than three million deaths each year.

This gap is causing backlogs in autopsies and medicolegal investigations, which in turn slow criminal prosecutions, complicate insurance settlements, and leave families waiting months or even years for answers.

Burnout and low compensation are discouraging new doctors from entering the field, and the author, a forensic medicine department chair, urges policymakers to address the staffing shortfall.