Dr. Jo Duflou

Name: Dr. Jo Duflou

Career stage: Consultant

Location: Sydney

Position:

Medical Specialty: Pathology

What are some of the things you enjoy most about being in your specialty?

Probably the best part about forensic pathology is the variety. The public perception of the forensic pathologist is of a non-communicative elderly doctor performing autopsies on murder victims in a dimly lit, mist filled morgue. In fact, forensic pathology involves extensive communication, both verbal and written, with fellow medical practitioners, family members, death investigators, Coroners, the Courts and members of the public.

Our day is divided between autopsies, histology, and report writing, and to a lesser extent court appearances, death scene examinations, family conferences, research and teaching. As opposed to many branches of clinical medicine where many patients are seen for a few minutes each, the investigation of a case in forensic pathology usually takes many hours, and on occasion days at a time, allowing a thorough and in-depth investigation of the death.

Although homicide investigations are very much the public face of forensic pathology, I find there are more interesting and challenging cases from an intellectual perspective, particularly the investigation of sudden unexpected death in young people, which often reveal inherited diseases which could affect other family members – forensic pathologists try to save lives too!

What are some of the challenges of being in your specialty?

Unfortunately, there is a shortage of forensic pathologists, both in Australasia and world-wide, for many reasons, but to a large extent because of the low profile of the specialty in the crowded medical curriculum.

Also, the autopsy is not as valued by clinicians and the general public as it once used to be. In the case of clinicians, the major reason appears to be an often misplaced confidence in their diagnostic and treatment skills – after all, the autopsy is the ultimate medical quality assurance tool.

A percentage of cases we investigate are of course very unpleasant – child homicide, elder neglect and mass fatalities, for example, can all be very challenging.

Many medical practitioners find attending Court and having their work and conclusions questioned an awful experience – to most forensic pathologists and other expert witnesses who spend considerable time in court, the experience is intellectually interesting and a positive challenge.

What are some of the things that you did to help you decide and plan your career for this specialty?

As a medical student I did an elective in chemical pathology. I found this much more interesting than clinical medicine in general, and decided on pathology as a career at that time. When it came to finding a registrar position, the only available job was in forensic pathology, which I reluctantly took – the first autopsy I performed was later published as a case report, and I have never looked back.

What advice do you have for students interested in your specialty?

Try to spend some time doing an elective in forensic pathology. Get to know your local friendly forensic pathologists.

What do you do outside of medicine to relax?

Spending time with my family, cooking and eating (to excess), reading the New Yorker magazine.

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