A survey on the involvement of accident and emergency doctors in medicolegal work in Hong Kong

This study reports the results from a questionnaire survey on the pattern of medico-legal work undertaken by doctors working in Accident & Emergency Departments (ED) and their self-evaluation of competency in forensic medicine. A total of 155 questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 46%. Only 30% (46) respondents were fellows of the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine but 46% (71) had more than 6 years of experience working in the ED. Most of the requests for medical report came from police and insurance companies. Fellows had more experience writing reports on homicide, sexual assault and child abuse than non-fellows did. Nearly all fellows and three quarters (74%) of non-fellows had given evidence in courts of law. Physical assault was the commonest and sexual assault the least common experience. Most respondents had experience of attending district court (83%), followed by coroner inquest (67%), magistracy (66%) and high court (45%). Respondents were asked to rate themselves on their competence in various subject areas. It can be seen that respondents were less comfortable in areas like homicide, child abuse and sexual assault. On the job coaching by a senior seems to be the major mode of training. Both fellows (61%) and non-fellows (36%) favored some form of courses with a hands-on workshop element in future.