Amy R. (brightknightie) wrote,
Amy R.
brightknightie

Real ME News Brings Fictional ME to Mind

I've encountered much news coverage of a recently-released study of the state of the medical examiner and coroner systems in the US.  As summed up by Scientific American magazine, the investigative journalists discovered that "only about 20 percent of coroners have forensics certification, and most face limited resources and large workloads."  Of course this is across the border as well as across the years from our favorite fictional Toronto Medical Examiner, but the reports share diverse information and anecdotes about real life in the profession, and I thought perhaps someone might be inspired by the reporting -- besides helping address the Real Life issues, if that's within your sphere, of course! -- to write a new FK fanfiction focusing on the Coroner's Office side of the story, perhaps starring Natalie or Grace.

(In "Cherry Blossoms," Natalie says: "I'm sorry, Nick. It's been a bad day. They've cut my budget all to hell. I've got to lose two of the attendants from my shift, and they've all got families. Worst of it is, they've got nothing to go to. Working in a morgue doesn't really qualify you for anything else.")

The extensive Scientific American article is "Real CSI: Patchy U.S. Death Investigations Put the Living at Risk" by A.C. Thompson, et. al. (February 1, 2011).  The PBS Frontline documentary is now available online.  And NPR has broadcast numerous reports, including "Autopsy Cutbacks Reveal 'Gray Homicides'."

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Tags: character:foreverknight:grace, character:foreverknight:natalie, chat, fanfic:process:ideas, foreverknight:canon, foreverknight:references
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