“Averting Collapse”

Why Crimes May Soon Go Unsolved

Staff shortages are now putting forensic medicine under massive pressure. (File photo)(Bild: Andi Schiel)

Staff shortages, an aging workforce, a lack of new recruits, and empty coffers—Austria’s forensic medicine is up against the wall. Experts are sounding the alarm: Crimes could go unsolved in the future!

At a high-profile press conference on Friday, Medical Association President Johannes Steinhart painted a grim picture: Over decades, forensic medicine has been “gradually dismantled.” The result: massive delays in solving violent crimes—in some cases, it has even become impossible.

“Institutes Consistently Starved of Funding”
Particularly dramatic: “The institutes, and above all training programs, have been consistently starved of resources. The medical associations have consistently warned that this would lead, with full knowledge of the consequences, to a critical shortage of forensic pathologists,” laments Steinhart.

Staff shortages are now putting forensic medicine under massive pressure. (File photo)(Bild: Andi Schiel)

Court of Auditors confirms collapse
Now exactly that has happened. A recent report by the Court of Auditors confirms the collapse of what was once a flagship discipline. The figures are alarming: In Vienna, an autopsy report takes an average of 152 days; in Graz, it still takes 77 days. In some cases, the entire workload rests on a single person. If that person is absent—for example, due to illness or vacation—everything comes to a standstill!

It’s no use generating interest in this exciting field if prospective students then find themselves facing closed doors.

Ärztekammer-Präsident Johannes Steinhart

Bild: Martin A. Jöchl

Steinhart is therefore calling for clear measures: The profession must become more attractive, and at the same time, more funding for training is urgently needed. After all, there is certainly interest in the field—but many are deterred by a lack of training positions. “It’s no use generating interest in this exciting field if prospective students then find themselves facing closed doors because no one has the resources to train them,” said the Medical Association president. 

Only one forensic pathologist is under 35
Mario Darok, President of the Society for Forensic Medicine, also confirms the dire situation: Across Austria, there are just 37 specialists—with an average age of over 53. Half of the currently active specialists will retire in the next ten years. The next generation? Barely there. There is currently only one forensic pathologist under the age of 35!

At the same time, the workload is increasing massively. Violence emergency rooms are reporting more and more cases: around 1,000 per year in Vienna, about 500 in Graz—and the trend is rising. Forensic medicine is becoming increasingly “clinical,” and the demands are growing.

But the infrastructure isn’t keeping up. Training is only available at university institutes—and that’s exactly where resources and positions are lacking. “Conditions there must be further improved, primarily the number of training positions, in close coordination with the federal states,” says forensic pathologist Darok.

President of the Austrian Medical Chamber Johannes Steinhart (left) and Mario Darok from the Medical University of Graz, President of the Austrian Society for Forensic Medicine.(Bild: Martina Münzer)

Neighboring Italy serves as a model
A comparison with Italy highlights the dire situation: In Bari alone, 45 aspiring forensic pathologists are being trained—supervised by twelve specialists. In Pavia, there are 34 trainees for a population of just 71,000. These are numbers Austria can only dream of.

Urgent action is now needed
The experts agree: urgent action is needed now. More training positions, better funding, and international recognition of degrees could help alleviate the crisis. Because one thing is clear: without enough forensic pathologists, legal certainty is at risk.

Or, as Steinhart warns: “We must act now to avert the collapse of forensic medical assessment in Austria.”