Main ContentDivision of Forensic Medicine
In the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, health care professionals including future pediatricians are trained in the specialty of forensic medicine to assess and treat children and adolescents with concern for possible maltreatment. The forensic division serves as the only statewide medical referral resource for child maltreatment assessments. Consultations are available for retrospective case review. The Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine provides an assessment of child abuse and neglect issues using national standards. The formal consultation service provides medical expertise on the diagnosis, documentation, and follow-up of suspected cases of child physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.
The pediatric forensic medicine team serves as the liaison between the hospital team and community partners such as law enforcement, Child Protective Services (CPS), and the court system. Research in the Forensics Division of the Department of Pediatrics is aimed at creating innovative methods of delivery of treatment, including telemedicine and clinical decision modeling.