How Do I Become an Emergency Medicine Expert Witness?

If you want to become an emergency medicine expert witness, you'll need a background in medicine with a specialized focus on emergency medicine. In addition to a degree and license to practice medicine, professional experience in medicine is integral to this career. Your actual experience, however, can vary, as you can have experience as a practicing doctor in a hospital or as a teacher of emergency medicine. It can also be easier to become an expert witness if you have experience with speaking engagements and a clean professional record.

To become an emergency medicine expert witness, you should first receive an education in medicine. This means you likely need to attend a program in medicine at a college or university, usually to become a doctor. While a nurse can become an expert witness, many lawyers prefer to work with individuals who have as much experience and education as possible, which often means a doctor. You should work on receiving a degree in medicine and performing any other work necessary in your area to become licensed to practice medicine.

It may also be easier to become an expert witness in this field if you have a specialized focus in emergency medicine, including trauma training and emergency room procedures. You should try to gain professional experience in medicine as well, not just educational training. This means you may need to work as a doctor or a registered nurse for several years, though you can also work in education and teach medical students in emergency procedures. Since your reputation will be quite important, you should be sure to maintain a clean professional record.

As you complete the educational and professional experience you need to become an emergency medicine expert witness, you should try to gain experience in public speaking. You will be expected to do a great deal of speaking as a witness, in front of a judge and jury and under the scrutiny of legal professionals. It can be easier to perform the tasks necessary of an expert witness if you have experience with public speaking and are able to clearly communicate medical ideas to other people. You can then contact law offices to offer your services, or advertise through a number of websites and professional agencies that work with expert witnesses to help match you with lawyers in need of your testimony.