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Forensic Pathology has an image – clever doctors solving murder. But the reality is that the specialty is much more than that and it plays a central role in public health and death prevention.

The Ottawa Hospital houses the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service’s (OFPS) Eastern Ontario Forensic Pathology Unit, which is staffed by four full time Forensic Pathologists, all of whom have gone through Anatomical Pathology training as well as further specialist training in Forensic Pathology with certification by examination. The Ottawa Unit plays a full role in the OFPS, which is a leading organization recognized internationally for its high-quality work in Forensic Pathology.

The Unit at The Ottawa Hospital provides the Forensic Pathology Service for Eastern Ontario with cases coming from as far as Belleville, Bancroft and Petawawa, as well Ottawa and the surrounding areas. Cases also come from Nunavut. In any given month, we will deal with cases of sudden death in children and adults, accidents, suicides and yes, occasionally murders as well. In the last two years, we have been involved in many cases and have conducted the autopsies for a number of high profile cases such as the First Air crash in Resolute Bay and the Shafia murder case from Kingston.

Beyond these services, our unit also provides examiners for the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and teaches medical students, medical residents and law students at the University of Ottawa. We also provide extensive teaching for the Canada Police College, the judiciary and other organizations in Canada. Personally, I will be leading a conference on the difficult area of shaken baby syndrome in Texas in 2013.

Dr. Christopher M Milroy MBChB, MD, LLB, FRCPath, FFFLM, FRCPC, DMJ
Forensic Pathologist
Division of Anatomical Pathology
The Ottawa Hospital

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