TERRA: “Being a Forensic Pathologist is a Bit like Being in Criminal Minds!”

Hello/Good evening, I hope you are well. My name is Terra and I have been a forensic pathologist at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City for 5 years. My job is to determine the cause of death for people who died under criminal, suspicious, or unexpected circumstances. To do this, I perform an autopsy. In other words, I conduct a thorough examination of the body by closely observing the exterior of the body, as well as the internal organs, looking for injuries or natural diseases.

My goal in performing an autopsy is to find a natural disease or any injury that caused the person’s death. I must not only know the cause of death (aneurysm rupture, strangulation, …) but also how the person died (naturally, accidentally, by suicide or homicide). Therefore, I constantly work with the police and detectives in charge of the investigation. Additionally, I write reports on what I discovered during the autopsy. I also testify in court as an expert in forensic pathology in murder trials.

After the autopsy, I have a very important task: calling the grieving families to give them more explanations about their loved one’s death. It’s an opportunity to answer all their questions. Alongside my work, I share my experience by teaching medical students.

To give you an idea, my work is not so far from what you see on TV in police investigation shows or crime series (NYPD, Criminal Minds, etc.). It’s an exciting job, and I will never get tired of it. Sometimes, I feel like I’m living in a TV series!

It’s so interesting to piece together all the information to understand the cause of a death. It’s literally like a puzzle: the autopsy, the investigation, the toxicology results, etc. Each element represents a piece that needs to be placed correctly to reach the final result. I love it!

You’re probably wondering how I did it?

I discovered the profession of forensic pathologist at the “age of 13 or 14: I was reading a series of detective novels (the ‘Scarpetta’ series by Patricia Cornwell) whose main character is a female forensic pathologist named Dr. Kay Scarpetta. I immediately knew I wanted to become my own version of Kay Scarpetta – to be a Forensic Pathologist ! That’s when I decided to make it my professional career. In total, I completed 13 years of studies after my high school diploma to get here:”

First, at the Collège de Candolle in Geneva, Switzerland, I chose a curriculum with biology and chemistry as the main subjects.

Then, I spent 4 years “studying at an American university, Tufts University in Boston, USA, following a pre-medical curriculum (it’s not a program in itself, it’s a sort of pre-medical” preparatory school where courses are concentrated in scientific subjects like biochemistry, physics, chemistry, math, and biology… it’s called “pre-medical” because you need these courses as prerequisites to apply to medical school) I obtained a Bachelor of Science with a major in biology.text-align: justify;rcv-block19text-align: justify;normalautoAfter this degree, I applied to “medical school and was accepted into my first choice, Tufts University School of Medicine, where I earned my medical degree after 4 years of studies and clinical rotations.text-align: justify;rcv-block20text-align: justify;normalautoAfter medical school, I completed 4 years of specialization in anatomical and clinical pathology. This specialization is necessary to pursue a career in forensic pathology, as we must understand pathological processes in all human organs.text-align: justify;rcv-block21text-align: justify;normalautoFinally, I completed my studies with a year of subspecialization in forensic pathology.text-align: justify;rcv-block22text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewertext-align: center;image-viewer-9432bhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Coroner-New-york-3.jpg740493text-align: justify;rcv-block23text-align: justify;normalautoIt’s a field I find extremely fascinating! I continue to make discoveries and be surprised. Honestly, I can’t really see myself doing any other job than this one. I might be a surgeon, as I think it’s the closest to what I do.text-align: justify;rcv-block24text-align: justify;normalautoDon’t think I had an effortless journey during my years of study! To tell you the truth, I was never particularly good at science.I was almost terrible at physics and mathematics.I was simply drawn to biology because of my interest in the human body. On the other hand, I was better at art, literature, and languages (I speak four!). So, I had to work harder than others to get there. Moreover, I encountered a major difficulty during my hospital internships: Patients who saw me coming into their room directly assumed I was a nurse and not a doctor. There is still work to be done to change this mentality. Fortunately, there are more and more women in medicine!text-align: justify;rcv-block25text-align: justify;normalautoEven though I love my job, know that I don’t just work!text-align: justify;rcv-block26text-align: justify;normalautoMy work schedule allows me to spend time with my three children and my husband, but also to develop my other passions. Indeed, if I had to choose a profession not related to the scientific field, I would certainly be an artist, because in my free time, I paint, draw, and even sell my works. Here are a few:text-align: justify;rcv-block27text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: center;rcv-block28https://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-2.jpg740987text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewerimage-viewer-7fm9htext-align: justify;rcv-block29text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;rcv-block30text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewerimage-viewer-hvvbhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-1.jpg740987text-align: justify;rcv-block31text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: center;text-align: justify;rcv-block32text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewertext-align: center;image-viewer-dfe2qhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-3.avif740565text-align: justify;rcv-block33text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewer-5ia1ptext-align: center;rcv-block37falsehttps://static.wixstatic.com/media/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_560,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpgTerra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”https://www.sciencesforgirls.com/post/terra-cederroth-etre-médecin-légiste-c-est-un-peu-comme-être-dans-esprits-criminelshttps://static.wixstatic.com/media/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_726,al_c,q_85/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg10.134.2ltrcontent-viewertext-align: justify;normalautoFinally, I want to tell young girls who are afraid to pursue a career in the scientific field not to be discouraged and to follow their dreams. The path will undoubtedly be long and difficult, but it will be worth it, especially for a job that is passionate. Meet people who do what you want to do, ask them questions, and if possible, spend time with them. There are so many ways at our disposal to get informed. You just have to never lose motivation, that’s the key!text-align: justify;rcv-block38text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;rcv-block39text-align: justify;normalautoArticle written by Ségolène M.text-align: justify;rcv-block40text-align: justify;normalautoTerra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”text-align: justify;rcv-block41text-align: justify;rcv-block-lastpost-footerltrMots-cléstag-cloud-roottext-align: justify;https://www.sciencesforgirls.com/blog/tags/m%C3%A9decinenoopener noreferrerMedicineMedicine

After this degree, I applied to “medical school and was accepted into my first choice, Tufts University School of Medicine, where I earned my medical degree after 4 years of studies and clinical rotations.text-align: justify;rcv-block20text-align: justify;normalautoAfter medical school, I completed 4 years of specialization in anatomical and clinical pathology. This specialization is necessary to pursue a career in forensic pathology, as we must understand pathological processes in all human organs.text-align: justify;rcv-block21text-align: justify;normalautoFinally, I completed my studies with a year of subspecialization in forensic pathology.text-align: justify;rcv-block22text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewertext-align: center;image-viewer-9432bhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Coroner-New-york-3.jpg740493text-align: justify;rcv-block23text-align: justify;normalautoIt’s a field I find extremely fascinating! I continue to make discoveries and be surprised. Honestly, I can’t really see myself doing any other job than this one. I might be a surgeon, as I think it’s the closest to what I do.text-align: justify;rcv-block24text-align: justify;normalautoDon’t think I had an effortless journey during my years of study! To tell you the truth, I was never particularly good at science.I was almost terrible at physics and mathematics.I was simply drawn to biology because of my interest in the human body. On the other hand, I was better at art, literature, and languages (I speak four!). So, I had to work harder than others to get there. Moreover, I encountered a major difficulty during my hospital internships: Patients who saw me coming into their room directly assumed I was a nurse and not a doctor. There is still work to be done to change this mentality. Fortunately, there are more and more women in medicine!text-align: justify;rcv-block25text-align: justify;normalautoEven though I love my job, know that I don’t just work!text-align: justify;rcv-block26text-align: justify;normalautoMy work schedule allows me to spend time with my three children and my husband, but also to develop my other passions. Indeed, if I had to choose a profession not related to the scientific field, I would certainly be an artist, because in my free time, I paint, draw, and even sell my works. Here are a few:text-align: justify;rcv-block27text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: center;rcv-block28https://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-2.jpg740987text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewerimage-viewer-7fm9htext-align: justify;rcv-block29text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;rcv-block30text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewerimage-viewer-hvvbhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-1.jpg740987text-align: justify;rcv-block31text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: center;text-align: justify;rcv-block32text-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewertext-align: center;image-viewer-dfe2qhttps://sciencesforgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Terra-Oeuvre-3.avif740565text-align: justify;rcv-block33text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;normalfigure-IMAGEimage-viewer-5ia1ptext-align: center;rcv-block37falsehttps://static.wixstatic.com/media/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_740,h_560,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpgTerra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”https://www.sciencesforgirls.com/post/terra-cederroth-etre-médecin-légiste-c-est-un-peu-comme-être-dans-esprits-criminelshttps://static.wixstatic.com/media/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_726,al_c,q_85/6c0c5a_26b928cbbb1b4a53b31ad8da4b01b81a~mv2.jpg10.134.2ltrcontent-viewertext-align: justify;normalautoFinally, I want to tell young girls who are afraid to pursue a career in the scientific field not to be discouraged and to follow their dreams. The path will undoubtedly be long and difficult, but it will be worth it, especially for a job that is passionate. Meet people who do what you want to do, ask them questions, and if possible, spend time with them. There are so many ways at our disposal to get informed. You just have to never lose motivation, that’s the key!text-align: justify;rcv-block38text-align: justify;normalautotext-align: justify;rcv-block39text-align: justify;normalautoArticle written by Ségolène M.text-align: justify;rcv-block40text-align: justify;normalautoTerra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”text-align: justify;rcv-block41text-align: justify;rcv-block-lastpost-footerltrMots-cléstag-cloud-roottext-align: justify;https://www.sciencesforgirls.com/blog/tags/m%C3%A9decinenoopener noreferrerMedicineMedicine

After medical school, I completed 4 years of specialization in anatomical and clinical pathology. This specialization is necessary to pursue a career in forensic pathology, as we must understand pathological processes in all human organs.

Finally, I completed my studies with a year of subspecialization in forensic pathology.

It’s a field I find extremely fascinating! I continue to make discoveries and be surprised. Honestly, I can’t really see myself doing any other job than this one. I might be a surgeon, as I think it’s the closest to what I do.

Don’t think I had an effortless journey during my years of study! To tell you the truth, I was never particularly good at science. I was almost terrible at physics and mathematics. I was simply drawn to biology because of my interest in the human body. On the other hand, I was better at art, literature, and languages (I speak four!). So, I had to work harder than others to get there. Moreover, I encountered a major difficulty during my hospital internships: Patients who saw me coming into their room directly assumed I was a nurse and not a doctor. There is still work to be done to change this mentality. Fortunately, there are more and more women in medicine!

Even though I love my job, know that I don’t just work!

My work schedule allows me to spend time with my three children and my husband, but also to develop my other passions. Indeed, if I had to choose a profession not related to the scientific field, I would certainly be an artist, because in my free time, I paint, draw, and even sell my works. Here are a few:

Terra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”

Finally, I want to tell young girls who are afraid to pursue a career in the scientific field not to be discouraged and to follow their dreams. The path will undoubtedly be long and difficult, but it will be worth it, especially for a job that is passionate. Meet people who do what you want to do, ask them questions, and if possible, spend time with them. There are so many ways at our disposal to get informed. You just have to never lose motivation, that’s the key!

Article written by Ségolène M.

Terra: “Being a forensic pathologist is a bit like being in Criminal Minds!”