Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 17, Issue 3 , Pages 137-139, April 2010

What is legal medicine – Are legal and forensic medicine the same?

  • Roy G. Beran, MD FRACP (Conjoint Associate Professor, Professor, Strategic Health Evaluators)

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress: P.O. Box 598, Northbridge, NSW 1560, Australia. Tel./fax: +61 02 9411 4991.

University of NSW, Australia

School of Medicine, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

Liverpool Hospital, Department of Neurology, Suite 5, Level 6, 12 Thomas Street, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia

Received 11 February 2009; received in revised form 20 July 2009; accepted 9 September 2009.

Abstract 

Some consider the terms “forensic” and “legal” medicine to be synonymous but this is counter to the title of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine or the dual strands for progression to fellowship of the Australian College of Legal Medicine. The paper examines a very brief historical background to legal medicine and develops a definition of the strands thereof, namely legal and forensic medicine. It demonstrates that the two are different components of the application of medical knowledge upon the legal system. Legal medicine has greater relevance to civil and tort law, impacting upon patient care, whereas forensic medicine relates to criminal law and damage to, or by, patients.

Keywords: Legal medicine, Forensic medicine, Comparison, Definition

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PII: S1752-928X(09)00159-0

doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2009.09.011

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
Volume 17, Issue 3 , Pages 137-139, April 2010

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