Forensic Scientist

I need to know how can I get blood group from old dried blood?

Asked by Mou over 5 years ago

They used to do that in serology, taking threads soaked in the blood and putting them in tiny pools of blood type reagents. I don’t know exactly what the reagents were, sorry, that had never been part of my duties. But if you research old serological techniques you should find it.

Best of luck!

Haha what if some of your old co workers see your post LAMO that’s too funny

Asked by Mike about 6 years ago

Biggest pet peeve out of co workers? I also heard working at police and sherif departments your lunch is always stolen is this true?

Asked by Mike about 6 years ago

That's never happened to me at the police department, but then there's only my forensic unit with access to our refrigerator so it's not a problem. But it used to happen in the lunch room at the coroner's office all the time! I injected candy with hot sauce once. That stopped it for about a week.

I have my first interview out of college for a forensic chemist position. Do you have any tips for a first timer? Are there any questions I should really prepare for?

Asked by MIKE over 5 years ago

Wow, best of luck!! I would suggest you Google the heck out of the facility and find out everything you can about what they do—if it’s a state lab, what kind of evidence they accept from the state agencies. They probably test for illegal drugs, but are they testing the actual drugs seized, or bodily fluids from arrested people, or blood/urine/gastric samples from medical examiners or coroners offices—or all three. If you can’t find the information then that’s a good and reasonable question to ask. They’re sure to ask you what kind of instrumentation you’ve worked with, in class or in an internship, etc.—GC Mass Spec, IR, etc., how much experience and what kind of samples you tested. PS If it’s not posted you might want to ask about hours and/or overtime. They might be 9-5 M-F or they might be 24/7, depending on the size and location.

Best of luck!!

Is it ever weird cutting into and doing pretty nasty things to a dead person?

Asked by Jason about 6 years ago

I do not work at a coroner’s/medical examiner so I don’t cut anyone. At a crime scene I might examine the eyes or test the limbs for rigor or look for injuries but that’ s about it.

Have you ever did something bad, mean, or inappropriate to a dead body? What is your standard of morals and ethics?

Asked by Dolby about 6 years ago

Quite the contrary, I find myself apologizing to them if I bump into their gurney. They’re dead. How could I not feel sorry for them?Both my department and the various forensic organizations of which I am a member have published codes of ethics to which I have always adhered.

How reliable are drug tests? The ones that turn colors. I seen where a dude had doughnut glaze on the ground and it tested positive (no thats not a joke lol).

Asked by Darren over 5 years ago

I'm sorry but I've never worked in toxicology, so I've never tested drugs with any kind of test.

Sorry I can't help!