Forensic pathology is the study of evidence from an unexpected or suspicious cause of death. A forensic pathologist uses medical knowledge applied to legal problems to investigate and evaluate causes of death. The forensic pathologist can also act as the coroner or medical examiner, or can perform a medical and legal autopsy for those officials.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 331 practicing forensic pathologists. Broken out by state, forensic pathology doctor density in Alabama is 8, in Alaska is 2, in Arizona is 7, in Arkansas is 4, in California is 57, in Colorado is 14, in Delaware is 1, in District of Columbia is 8, in Florida is 34, in Georgia is 15, in Hawaii is 2, in Illinois is 8, in Indiana is 12, in Iowa is 5, in Kansas is 1, in Kentucky is 12, in Louisiana is 7, in Maine is 16, in Maryland is 21, in Massachusetts is 18, in Michigan is 13, in Minnesota is 12, in Missouri is 13, in Montana is 2, in Nebraska is 2, in Nevada is 9, in New Hampshire is 1, in New Jersey is 8, in New Mexico is 9, in New York is 33, in North Carolina is 22, in Ohio is 18, in Oklahoma is 3, in Oregon is 4, in Pennsylvania is 18, in Rhode Island is 1, in South Carolina is 14, in South Dakota is 4, in Tennessee is 10, in Texas is 27, in Utah is 1, in Vermont is 3, in Virginia is 5, in Washington is 12, in West Virginia is 3, and in Wisconsin is 14.