The proposed bill would amend current statutes regarding the supervision of autopsies and related functions performed by medical students, residents, and fellows in pathology training. Under the new law, a licensed physician would only need to be trained in forensic pathology, rather than board-certified, to supervise these activities. This change is reflected in the deletion of "board certified" and the insertion of "trained" in the relevant sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes. Additionally, the bill clarifies that medical students, residents, or fellows in pathology training may perform functions of the county medical examiner under the supervision of a licensed physician trained in forensic pathology.

Furthermore, the bill makes several technical and conforming changes to existing language, including the insertion of provisions that authorize medical students, residents, or fellows to perform autopsies under supervision, and updates the terminology used to refer to deceased individuals, replacing "dead person" with "decedent." The bill also includes clarifications regarding the responsibilities of the medical examiner and the process for handling specimens during autopsies, ensuring that the duties and procedures align with the updated qualifications for supervising physicians. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline the supervision process while maintaining the integrity of forensic pathology practices.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 11-594, 32-3207, 36-831, 11-593, 28-668, 13-1210, 36-670, 11-251.08
Senate Engrossed Version: 11-594, 32-3207, 36-831, 11-593, 28-668, 13-1210, 36-670, 11-251.08