Answer

Educational Requirements, Nature of Forensic Work, and Certification Required by Different Areas of Forensic Science

The educational requirements for forensic scientists are based on their specialty and the nature of forensic work that they undertake. Some of the areas of forensic science include forensic pathologists, forensic scientists, and associated scientists (IFF Lab, 2020). Whereas the forensic pathologists are professionals who oversee clinical forensic examinations, forensic scientists work in law enforcement, private forensic labs, and in government. Such persons include ballistic experts and toxicologists among others (Farnen, 2018). Associates scientists are scientific professionals who led their scientific knowledge to forensic science and include  botanists, anthropologists, and odontologists (IFF Lab, 2020). The nature of the work of each professional depends on the category that they are classified.  For instance, associated scientists provide investigators with critical information from a wide array of areas such as insect infestation, bite marks, and postmortem.

Generally, an entry-level forensic scientist ought to have a bachelor’s degree in forensics science or a related field such as chemistry, biology, or physics. Additional training is then done when forensic scientists begin to work. For instance, employers would usually train new hires on aspects to do with molecular biology, biochemistry, evidence tracing and analysis, and handling of materials among others (Farnen, 2018). Certification for forensic scientists is optional. However, some areas of forensic science usually need certifications. For instance, an odontologist would usually need a dental license whereas forensic psychiatrists and pathologist must have medical licenses. However, for the other areas of forensic science, bodies such as the American Board of Criminalists, the International Association for Identification (IAI), and the American College of Forensic Examiners provide voluntary certifications (Farnen, 2018). For instance, IAI provides certifications to forensic scientists in specialties such as crime scene investigations, forensic photography, and blood stains among others.