FAQs
Q: What is Forensic Toxicology?
A: Forensic toxicology is the practice of toxicology and other disciplines such as analytical chemistry, pharmacology and clinical chemistry to aid medical or legal investigation of death, poisoning, and drug use.
Q: What are the areas of Forensic Toxicology?
A: Currently there are 3 types of Forensic Toxicology, which are:
- Postmortem toxicology
- Human-performance testing
- Forensic urine drug testing
Q: What role does forensic toxicology play in a homicide investigation?
A: Forensic toxicology is also applied in cases of post-mortem investigations where toxicology is required to establish if excessive intake of the drug occurred and, if so, whether this contributed to the death. Forensic toxicology testing allows forensic scientists to identify substances and determine a pattern of use.
Q: What are the various types of Toxicology?
A: Different types of toxicology are:
- Analytical toxicology
- Applied toxicology
- Clinical toxicology
- Veterinary toxicology
- Forensic toxicology
- Environment toxicology
- Industrial toxicology
Q: What is the best college providing Forensic Medicine & Toxicology?
A: Top colleges providing M.D. in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology are:
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi
- Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry
- Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore
- King George’s Medical University, Lucknow
- Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata
- Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore
- B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad
- Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore
Q: How to get admission to Forensic Medicine & Toxicology?
A: Generally admission into M.D. in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology is done through entrance exams such as NEET PG. While some colleges conduct their own exams such as AIIMS PG, JIPMER PG, etc. While there are some colleges who offer admission through a merit basis.
Q: What is the eligibility criteria for M.D. in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology?
A: The basic eligibility criteria to get admission into M.D. in Forensic Medicine & Toxicology is having an MBBS degree with a 1-year rotating internship.
Q: What are the duties of a Forensic Toxicologist?
A: A Forensic toxicologist performs scientific tests on bodily fluids and tissue samples to identify any drugs or chemicals present in the body. Working in a lab, the forensic toxicologist performs tests on samples collected by forensic pathologists during an autopsy or by crime scene investigators