ACFEI: Uniting forensics professionals with training, education & certification courses
About ACFEI
Certified Medical Investigator, CMI
About the CMI program:
The spectrum of professions involved in forensic investigation has broadened dramatically over the past 20 years. Although the individual specialties of CMI program attendees vary widely, the core of the forensic process—and in particular the legal process—remain the same for them all. Evidence that cannot be properly entered into and presented in court may seriously and adversely alter the course of justice.
The Certified Medical Investigator, CMI, program was developed to provide everyone in the forensic specialties with a base of knowledge that prepares them for the intricacies of the legal process that follow identifying and securing a piece of evidence. The Certified Medical Investigator, CMI, program helps prepare professionals to be competent and confident medical investigators through classroom instruction and practical, hands-on training that often includes a mock crime scene exercise.
What the CMI program does for you:
The CMI course will prepare and educate you on the following tasks:
The Five Levels of Certification and their requirements:
Certified Medical Investigator-I
Certified Medical Investigator-II
Certified Medical Investigator-III
Certified Medical Investigator-IV
Certified Medical Investigator-V
CMI-V is ONLY offered live at our conferences.
» Click here to register for the next national conference
How to Apply:
ACFEI members have two options on taking the CMI course and exam:
Live Instruction Course and Exam. The most valuable way to earn the CMI designation is by attending the CMI course at an ACFEI National Conference. The course features two full days of classroom instruction, followed by the comprehensive exam. Applicants may select their desired CMI level when registering for the course and exam.
» Click here to register for the next national conference
Online Exam. The most convenient way to earn the CMI designation is to enroll for the exam online. Applicants are required to purchase the textbook separately which covers material from all five levels and may study at their own pace. Applicants may take the comprehensive exam online when ready.
Approved for G.I. Bill Benefits:
The CMI program is approved for G.I. Bill benefits. General information on the G.I. Bill and the links to the reimbursement forms can be found at www.gibill.va.gov.
How to maintain the CMI designation:
Individuals are expected to complete 15 hours of forensic-related continuing education credits per year to maintain their CMI status. The initial CMI course provides 15 CE credits, fulfilling this requirement.
Future CEs may be earned through ACFEI’s National Conferences and journal learning articles from The Forensic Examiner provided on our online course catalog.
Other sources may be submitted to ACFEI by using the CE Reporting Form for CMI (PDF).
Testimonials about the CMI program:
"When I talk to collaborating professionals, I state that I am a Certified Medical Investigator, CMI. The CMI designation shows that I have advanced training from the largest forensic organization in the world, which has a credible and prestigious reputation."
—Charla M. Jamerson, BSN, RN.C, SANE-A, CMI-III
"I would suggest that anyone prosecuting or investigating crimes should consider this course. It makes for a better investigation and expands your knowledge base to understand what can or cannot be determined from the information found. Any forensic scientist, clinician with any connection to law enforcement or provider of expert testimony should consider this course. Overall, the knowledge is indispensable."
—E. Robert Bertolli, OD, CMI-V, CHS-V
"Not everybody will be involved in disasters. Not everybody will be involved in criminal cases. But everybody will be involved in a forensic case at some point in their career, and ACFEI is the body that will best prepare them for that day."
—Michael Karagiozis, DO, MBA, CMI-V, CMI Course Instructor
For more information call toll free (800) 423-9737.
The spectrum of professions involved in forensic investigation has broadened dramatically over the past 20 years. Although the individual specialties of CMI program attendees vary widely, the core of the forensic process—and in particular the legal process—remain the same for them all. Evidence that cannot be properly entered into and presented in court may seriously and adversely alter the course of justice.
The Certified Medical Investigator, CMI, program was developed to provide everyone in the forensic specialties with a base of knowledge that prepares them for the intricacies of the legal process that follow identifying and securing a piece of evidence. The Certified Medical Investigator, CMI, program helps prepare professionals to be competent and confident medical investigators through classroom instruction and practical, hands-on training that often includes a mock crime scene exercise.
What the CMI program does for you:
The CMI course will prepare and educate you on the following tasks:
»
Conduct superior independent medical investigations.
»
Identify and gather evidence while protecting the forensic scene.
»
Interpret relevant case law, reports, analyses, and evidence to write comprehensive, accurate, unbiased reports.
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Provide credible, defensible testimony in a court of law.
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Develop critical thinking skills crucial to forensic investigation.
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Understand foundational anatomy and physiology and apply this knowledge, a skill-base crucial to medical investigation.
The Five Levels of Certification and their requirements:
Certified Medical Investigator-I
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Must possess a bachelor’s degree or 5 years experience in the medical or forensic fields and pass the exam for the CMI-I.
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Should be proficient in basic criminalistics; crime scene law and protocols; forensic evidence collection and preservation; and the respective roles of the police, firefighters, coroner, and medical investigator in a forensic scene investigation.
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Should possess the requisite skills and experience to participate in crime scene investigations, produce accurate reports of activities and observations, and collect and preserve evidence.
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Should be competent to secure and protect the integrity of a forensic scene; establish a perimeter for the forensic scene and document participant entry into the scene; and coordinate activities with forensic experts and specialists at the forensic scene and afterward.
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Should demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the chain of custody, crime scene investigation, basic
principles of drug and alcohol use/abuse, and criminal law.
Certified Medical Investigator-II
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Must be a CMI-I or a coroner, investigator, RN, LPN, or other professional in a forensic field and pass the CMI-II exam. In addition to the CMI-I competency requirements, additional areas of proficiency include patterns of trauma, bite mark identification, fingerprints, authentication of evidence, alcohol and drug testing principles, and basic death evaluation.
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Should possess the requisite skills and experience to participate in forensic investigations, evidence collection and preservation, disposition of the body, and collection of blood/biological evidence from victims or suspects.
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Should be competent to provide concise reports of investigations,
accurately and proficiently maintain the integrity of the chain of custody, and coordinate activities with other forensic experts and specialists at the forensic scene and afterwards.
»
Should demonstrate appropriate understanding of the chain of custody, crime scene investigation, and criminal law.
Certified Medical Investigator-III
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Must be a CMI-II or a coroner, investigator, RN, LPN, or other professional with 5 years experience in a forensic field and pass the CMI-III exam. In addition to the CMI-II competency requirements, additional areas of proficiency include basic trial court procedure, basic anatomy and physiology, STDs, sudden infant death syndrome, sexual assault, bodily harm, principles and patterns of substance abuse, rules of confidentiality, victim’s rights, perpetrator’s rights, signs and symptoms of child/elder abuse, basic death investigation and post-mortem pathology, and basic principles of crime scene investigation and evidence collection.
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Should possess the skills and experience to conduct forensic investigations involving institutional deaths, sexual assaults, and evidence collection and preservation.
»
Should be able to provide clear
testimony to attorneys, the courts, police, or other agencies about forensic investigations; defend conclusions; and explain the technical aspects of scientific tests in a language understandable to the non-expert.
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Should be competent to provide accurate documentation of forensic scenes, photograph a forensic scene or accident/assault victim, examine and interview an accident/assault victim, and identify suspicious deaths.
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Should demonstrate appropriate understanding of the chain of custody, autopsy protocols, and criminal law.
Certified Medical Investigator-IV
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Must possess an MD, DO, DDS, PhD, or other doctorate-level degree in a field relevant to forensic investigation and pass the CMI-IV exam. In addition to the CMI-III competency requirements, additional areas of proficiency include biomechanics, basic court procedure and case law, types and admissibility of evidence, identifying and qualifying expert witnesses, intermediate toxicology and pharmacology or prescription and non-prescription drugs, advanced anatomy and physiology, communicable diseases, advanced pathology, and evaluation of post-mortem changes.
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Should possess the skills and experience to perform crime scene investigations and death investigations, determine cause of death, perform forensic reviews of medical records, and coordinate a forensic investigation with other medical investigators and criminalists.
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Should be able to provide expert direction or assistance to attorneys, police, or other agencies in the investigation of accidental deaths, homicides, and suicides.
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Should be competent to provide expert testimony in the areas of accident reconstruction, interpretation of medical records, toxicology, cause of death, and
time of death.
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Should demonstrate an understanding of special forensic photography, courtroom decorum and authentication, and evaluation of evidence in civil and criminal proceedings.
Certified Medical Investigator-V
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Must possess an MD, DO, DDS, PhD, or other doctorate-level degree in a field relevant to forensic investigation; possess 5 years of appropriate experience in forensics, investigation, criminology, or a related field; and pass the CMI-V exam. In addition to the CMI-IV competency requirements, additional areas of proficiency
include legal medicine, current case law and statutes relating to forensic science, forensic pathology, forensic anatomy, forensic autopsy, death analysis, mass casualties, and weapons of mass destruction.
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Should be competent to organize an evidence-based forensic case evaluation and provide expert guidance to attorneys
in developing cases with forensic implications.
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Should possess the requisite skills and experience to provide expert analysis of toxicology reports, imaging studies, laboratory reports, pathology reports, and DNA analysis to police agencies, attorneys, judges, juries, and legislative bodies.
»
Should be able to provide expert direction or
assistance to police or governmental agencies in disasters, terrorist actions, and hazardous material exposures involving biological, chemical, or nuclear contamination.
»
Should demonstrate appropriate comprehension of forensic anthropology, psychology, psychiatry, dentistry, medicine, toxicology, and pathology.
CMI-V is ONLY offered live at our conferences.
» Click here to register for the next national conference
How to Apply:
ACFEI members have two options on taking the CMI course and exam:
Live Instruction Course and Exam. The most valuable way to earn the CMI designation is by attending the CMI course at an ACFEI National Conference. The course features two full days of classroom instruction, followed by the comprehensive exam. Applicants may select their desired CMI level when registering for the course and exam.
» Click here to register for the next national conference
Online Exam. The most convenient way to earn the CMI designation is to enroll for the exam online. Applicants are required to purchase the textbook separately which covers material from all five levels and may study at their own pace. Applicants may take the comprehensive exam online when ready.
Approved for G.I. Bill Benefits:
The CMI program is approved for G.I. Bill benefits. General information on the G.I. Bill and the links to the reimbursement forms can be found at www.gibill.va.gov.
How to maintain the CMI designation:
Individuals are expected to complete 15 hours of forensic-related continuing education credits per year to maintain their CMI status. The initial CMI course provides 15 CE credits, fulfilling this requirement.
Future CEs may be earned through ACFEI’s National Conferences and journal learning articles from The Forensic Examiner provided on our online course catalog.
Other sources may be submitted to ACFEI by using the CE Reporting Form for CMI (PDF).
Testimonials about the CMI program:
"When I talk to collaborating professionals, I state that I am a Certified Medical Investigator, CMI. The CMI designation shows that I have advanced training from the largest forensic organization in the world, which has a credible and prestigious reputation."
—Charla M. Jamerson, BSN, RN.C, SANE-A, CMI-III
"I would suggest that anyone prosecuting or investigating crimes should consider this course. It makes for a better investigation and expands your knowledge base to understand what can or cannot be determined from the information found. Any forensic scientist, clinician with any connection to law enforcement or provider of expert testimony should consider this course. Overall, the knowledge is indispensable."
—E. Robert Bertolli, OD, CMI-V, CHS-V
"Not everybody will be involved in disasters. Not everybody will be involved in criminal cases. But everybody will be involved in a forensic case at some point in their career, and ACFEI is the body that will best prepare them for that day."
—Michael Karagiozis, DO, MBA, CMI-V, CMI Course Instructor
For more information call toll free (800) 423-9737.
ACFEI | 2750 E. Sunshine St, Springfield, MO 65804 | 800-423-9737 | Fax: 417-881-4702
Copyright ©2008 ACFEI.com - All Rights Reserved. Managed by Management Executives, Inc.
Copyright ©2008 ACFEI.com - All Rights Reserved. Managed by Management Executives, Inc.