Understanding laws related to medical malpractice, procedures for completing death certificates, and clinical examinations.
Applied Forensic Medicine Course Outline
The “Applied Forensic Medicine” course outline has been developed for medical sciences students and covers topics related to the physician’s legal responsibilities, patients’ rights, documentation, forensic medicine in midwifery and dentistry, and related medical law topics.
Course Information
Course Title
Applied Forensic Medicine
For Medical Sciences Students
For Medical Sciences Students
Target Audience
General Medicine, Dentistry, Midwifery, and MSc Midwifery
Credits
1 Theoretical / 1 Practical
Responsible Instructor
Dr. Soheila Sadat Vaghefi
Faculty Member, Shahid Beheshti University
Faculty Member, Shahid Beheshti University
Educational Objectives
Ability to document medical records appropriately to reduce the risk of legal claims.
Understanding the importance of medical ethics when dealing with victims of violence, child abuse, and accidents.
Summary of Course Topics
1
Legal Foundations and Responsibilities
Medical errors, civil and criminal liability of healthcare professionals, malpractice, and the physician’s legal responsibility in legal claims.
2
Informed Consent and Risk Management
Elements of informed consent, documentation, high-risk surgical procedures, and potential complications.
3
Rights of Children and Adolescents
Identification of injuries, protective protocols, and reporting duties in cases of child abuse.
4
Rights of Patients Under 18
Intellectual maturity versus legal age and decision-making capacity in medical treatment.
5
Guardianship and Medical Decision-Making
Legal guardianship, the distinction between parents and legal guardians, and decision-making in cases of parental disagreement.
6
Unidentified Patients
Management of unidentified patients, recording physical characteristics, treatment priorities, and identification procedures.
7
Forensic Medicine in Midwifery
Abortion, neonatal death, complications of childbirth, and legal responsibilities concerning fetuses and newborns.
8
Forensic Medicine in Dentistry
Maxillofacial trauma, injuries resulting from violence, and identification through dental evidence.
9
Documentation and Report Writing
Preparation of detailed reports, accurate description of injuries, and prevention of ambiguity in judicial records.
10
Review and Final Examination
Review of the topics, response to practical questions, and comprehensive assessment of legal and medical ethics knowledge.
Teaching and Assessment Methods
Teaching Method
A combination of interactive lectures, case-based learning, and moot court simulation.
Assignments
Analysis of a medical malpractice case and preparation of a simulated clinical examination report.
Attendance and active participation in discussions 20%
Mid-course assignments 20%
Final examination; multiple-choice and short-answer questions 60%
References
- Jones, R. M., & Whitaker, M. I. (2017). Getting to the core of medicine.
- Kennedy, K. M., & Wilkinson, A. (2018). A student selected component in forensic and legal medicine.
- Payne-James, J. et al. (2024). Current status of undergraduate teaching in forensic & legal medicine in Europe.
- Jones, R. M., & Whitaker, M. I. (2016). Recommendations for teaching upon sensitive topics.
- Kamran, S. et al. (2021). Comparison of team-based and traditional teaching methods.
- Ansari, R. Z. et al. (2018). Undergraduate forensic medicine & toxicology curriculum.
Documents Related to the Course Outline
Forensic Medicine Course Outline
Original file of the “Applied Forensic Medicine” course outline.
Download Course Outline →
Appointment of Course Development Committee Members
Document related to the appointment of faculty members responsible for developing the course outline.
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Appointment of Course Development Coordinator
Document related to the appointment of the person responsible for developing the course outline.
View Document →
Consent and Acquittal Brochure
Educational brochure related to informed consent and risk management.
Download Brochure →
Child Abuse Brochure
Educational brochure related to the rights of children and adolescents and child abuse.
Download Brochure →
File URLs are placeholders because the actual document URLs are not provided in the current source.