The University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences says its Forensic Pathology Center in Grand Forks has earned accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners, with the designation valid through 2030.
The school says the accreditation followed a rigorous review and recognizes programs meeting national standards for quality, consistency and professional practice. The center, housed in the School of Medicine & Health Sciences, conducts more than 500 autopsies annually in North Dakota, according to the announcement.
UND says its center is the only medical examination program in the Dakotas with NAME accreditation. Its practice serves nearly 30 North Dakota counties, as well as Northwestern Minnesota and Northeastern South Dakota, the school said.
“This is the highest standard that medical examiners can achieve in accreditation,” said Selly Strauch, interim chair of UND’s Department of Pathology, in the announcement.
The school said findings from death investigations can help track overdose trends, identify public safety hazards and guide prevention efforts in rural communities. It also said medical students train alongside board-certified forensic pathologists at the center.
