The International Forensic Program at Physicians for Human Rights offered its first introductory course on forensic laboratory services and medical examiner’s office operations in February 2007. The course took place at the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office (TCME) in Fort Worth, Texas and was attended by PHR staff, anthropologists from Central and South America, and human rights investigators.

In addition to classroom lectures on the various branches of forensic science, participants completed practical exercises in forensic anthropology, firearms and toolmarks analysis, and DNA. They also observed a complete autopsy performed by forensic pathologist Dr. Nizam Peerwani.

In this photo, course participants examine bone fragments in the forensic anthropology laboratory.