Myths and Facts about Becoming a Forensic Scientist

Myths and Facts about Becoming a Forensic Scientist

Thanks to movies and the popular crime series out there, more and more people are having wrong notions about a forensic scientist. Indeed, even I am amazed on what they actually do in their field and the way they solve crimes at hand. Thus, more and more people are actually becoming interested in forensic science and want to become a forensic scientist themselves. But is that easy to become one? What should you know and not know about becoming a forensics analyst? This is the right time to debunk these myths and set the real score about forensic scientists.

Myth #1: A degree or an interest in the field is all you need to become a forensic scientist.

While it is true that some organization need only those with a degree, it is still not enough for you to be hired as a forensics analyst. What they actually want is experience in the field, which is actually difficult for starters. A forensic scientist requires extensive training about criminal investigations. Aside from that, qualities like good decision making skills, able to control emotions under stress, detailed and organized as well as good verbal expression are important for the job.

Myth #2: A forensics examiner spends most of his time in the crime scene.

Since a forensics examiner is also called a crime scene technician, many are confused that most of them are on the field. There are also two types of forensic scientists: Forensic analyst and crime scene technician. In fact, only a few forensic scientists are out on the field. A forensics analyst rarely visits a crime scene unless he or she is required. Most of them are found only inside the laboratories analysing the specimens taken in by investigators. On the other hand, a crime scene technician usually processes the crime scenes; however, they are mainly involved in the analyses in the laboratory.

Myth #3: Every forensics examiner should be capable of everythingballistics, fingerprinting, DNA testing, etc.

On TV, a forensic scientist can go to and fro in the laboratory and crime scene and do all those scientific processes. In real life, forensics scientists focus only on one or two tasks that are related to their degree and expertise. If they are well verse with genetics and molecular biology then they may handle DNA testing and such. Their job is really limited to a specific subject and does not do another but still can coordinate with other members of the team.

In reality, how they are being portrayed on TV is not the same as the job description of real life forensic scientists. Pursuing a career as a forensic scientist, one must learn that it is not an easy job. It entails a lot of skills, patience, hard work, knowledge and being critical at all times. It is quite and interesting field but it is also as complex as it is. To become a good forensics analyst or crime scene technician, a person must prepare himself well in terms of education, personality and attitude towards work, and most especially to value the word honesty and perfection at all time.

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