LIsa Black
Cape Coral, FL
Female, 49
I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.
a) I work at a police department. We have a small lab with equipment for processing for fingerprints and the rest of the office is regular office stuff--desks, computers, supply cabinet, coffee machine.We work mostly days, with someone on call tonight. b) Both. I work on my own for most call-outs and working on pieces of evidence, but for larger cases then we work as a team. c) Both, again. We have a lab but I probably spend only 5-10% of my time, on average, in there.
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The coroner's or medical examiners office, or find a college with an anthropology major and ask one of the professors.
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Apart from the physical hardships (bad smells, having to get out of bed in the middle of the night, sometimes having to work 16-20 hour days), the worst part is what would be the worst part in any job--problem co-workers or bad management. Happily I don't have issues like that right now, but if a really horrible management staff were hired in, that might make me quit or at least look for another agency.
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See above.
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Obstetrician Gynecologist
If a baby has health complications resulting from a difficult delivery, do you ever feel guilty?
Meter Maid
Is it tough to have a job that consists exclusively of ruining peoples' days?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
How often do people wake up during surgery?
I don't understand what you mean by 'purification of blood.'
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I very much doubt anything self-ignites, but I'm not an expert on explosives. But where oil is concerned I'm fairly sure you would need a spark to ignite it.
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Having to testify in court, which is the most awful kind of public speaking ever because there are people there trying to make you look incompetent. You deal with it by practicing and preparing and training yourself not to take it personally. The other challenge is learning to communicate, in different ways with different groups. With victims and family/friends of victims, you have to be empathetic without talking to them about the investigation, because that's the detective's job. With co-workers, detectives and cops, you have to give them all the information they need or want without bruising their egos. This takes practice and focus.
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