Autopsy means "see for yourself". It is a special surgical operation, performed by specially-trained physicians, on a dead body. Its purpose is to learn the truth about the person's health during life, and how the person really died.

There are many advantages to getting an autopsy. Even when the law does not require it, there is always something interesting for the family to know. In doing around 700 autopsies, I have always found something worth knowing that wasn't known during life. Even at major hospitals, in about one case in four we find major disease which was unknown in life. Giving families the explanations they want is one of the most satisfying things that I do.

A pathologist is a physician with a specialty in the scientific study of body parts. This always includes a year or more learning to do autopsies.