Forensic Medicine
The Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, which was set up in 2008, uses medical knowledge in legal and criminal matters and covers areas closely linked to anatomy, pathology, psychiatry, and ethics. Located on the 1st floor of the college block, the department is highly equipped to train undergraduate and postgraduate students in medico-legal work and research, taught during the second and third professional MBBS curriculum. It supervises all medico-legal work at SIMS Hospital, assists in complex medico-legal problems, and features a well-developed museum exhibiting poisons, tissues, and weapons. The attached mortuary offers cold storage and state of the art post-mortem facilities.
Facilities
- Clinical Forensic Medicine services
- Supervision of medico-legal autopsies
- Supervision of medico-legal work in Casualty
- Regular CME programmes for faculty, residents, and hospital staff
- Museum exhibiting poisons, soft tissues, weapons, and models
Dr. Barkha Gupta
Professor & HOD
Dr. Pankaj Malia
Assistant Professor
Dr. Shikha Agarwal
Demonstrator
FAQs
What is forensic medicine?
It applies medical knowledge to legal matters, such as injuries, unnatural deaths, poisoning, and sexual offences, helping courts reach fair conclusions.
What is the difference between forensic medicine and toxicology?
Forensic medicine deals with medico-legal examination of injuries and deaths, while toxicology studies poisons, their effects, detection, and treatment.
What is a medico-legal case (MLC)?
It is a case involving injury or illness with possible legal implications, such as road accidents, assaults, burns, poisoning, or suspicious deaths.
How do doctors approach suspected poisoning cases?
They stabilise the patient, record history carefully, preserve samples for analysis, and inform authorities when legally required.
What role does medical ethics play in forensic practice?
It ensures patient confidentiality, informed consent, honest documentation, and impartial opinions, while meeting legal reporting duties in medico-legal situations.
