State of Maryland

An Autopsy Assistant is the full-performance level of work assisting a forensic pathologist in the performance of autopsy examinations of humans.  Employees in this classification maintain, sterilize and clean the autopsy area and equipment.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other Autopsy Assistants.  

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an Autopsy Services Supervisor.  During autopsies, employees in this classification work under the direction of a forensic pathologist.  Work is performed in the autopsy room of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.  Employees in this classification may work weekends and holidays.  The work involves assisting with the lifting of corpses and employees are frequently exposed to odors from human remains, chemicals and body fluids infected with contagious diseases.  Employees are required to wear protective clothing and equipment when assisting with autopsies.  

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of a class specification.     

The Autopsy Assistant Trainee and Autopsy Assistant are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Autopsy Assistant Trainee learns to perform duties under close supervision while the Autopsy Assistant performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.  The Autopsy Assistant is differentiated from the Autopsy Assistant Lead in that the Autopsy Assistant Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains Autopsy Assistants.

Receives human remains and secures personal effects;

Prepares corpses for examination; Assists the forensic pathologist in the opening, closing and suturing of corpses;

Removes vital organs from corpses;

Collects and labels body fluids and tissues;

Preserves pathological specimens as directed;  

Uses X-ray and fluoroscopic equipment under the direction of a forensic pathologist;

Takes fingerprints from corpses;

Assembles skeletal remains for examination;

Assists grieving relatives or friends who are identifying bodies;

Prepares corpses for release;

Keeps the autopsy area, equipment and instruments in a clean and sanitary condition and restocks supplies;

Operates refrigeration and incineration equipment;

Lifts and moves corpses and equipment;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of human anatomy;

Knowledge of basic chemistry;

Knowledge of autopsy procedures;

Knowledge of infection control procedures;

Skill in the use of surgical instruments and other autopsy tools;

Skill in making proper incisions to open, close and suture bodies;

Ability to assist with autopsies of humans;

Ability to make and close incisions;

Ability to remove vital organs;

Ability to collect and label body fluids and tissue samples;

Ability to operate X-ray and fluoroscopic equipment;

Ability to apply fingerprinting techniques;

Ability to assist grieving friends and relatives in a professional manner;

Ability to apply proper sterilization and clean-up procedures.

Education:     Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience:   One year of experience embalming or assisting in the performance of autopsies on humans.    

Notes:   

1.  Possession of an Associate degree from an accredited college or university in mortuary science may be substituted for the required experience.  

2.  Experience embalming or assisting in the performance of autopsies on humans may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.    

3.  Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Mortician classifications or Mortuary Affairs Specialist or Mortician specialty codes in the Autopsy field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.  

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.  

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D, Health and Human Service Nonprofessionals classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.  

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.