Difference between a Coroner and Medical Examiner

The main difference between a Coroner and a Medical Examiner in Australia is that a coroner does not necessarily have a medical degree.  Quite often a coroner is officially elected to oversee what medical examiners might need to determine when investigating deaths that are sudden and unexpected.  Coroners can come from a range of backgrounds – law or criminal justice, for example, and their official role permits them to authorise autopsies, etc. which must be undertaken by a medical examiner who is a qualified doctor or pathologist.  

Note:  Questions are sometimes asked about how the role of a mortician links to the above roles.  Morticians are involved with funeral services including embalming.  They work with the bereaved families regarding services – religious or secular, take care of the body, and handle legal documents, easing the burden of handling these processes by their grieving clients.