Forensic medicine in crisis: Are we training clinicians or administrative clerks?

Forensic medicine is a confluence of medical science with law to help deliver justice. Traditionally, forensic doctors were trained as clinicians who examined the dead and the living, understood injuries and diseases, and gave clear, independent medical opinions to the courts. However, in recent years, this role has slowly changed, and the subject has become more about paperwork, legal formats, and documentation rather than about clinical thinking and scientific judgment. This article highlights the rising crisis in forensic medicine training where undergraduate students often treat the subject only as an exam topic, while postgraduate trainees are overburdened with reports, autopsies, and court duties, with little time for learning or reflection. As a result, many forensic doctors are perceived more like administrative clerks rather than independent medical experts. This article also discusses how excessive reliance on fixed, pre-filled formats and templates has reduced medical opinions to mechanical exercises. This affects the quality of forensic evidence, care of living victims, research, and public trust in the justice system. The article concludes that forensic medicine must return to its original clinical, scientific, and ethical roots through strong practical training, clinical exposure, better infrastructure, and encouragement of independent thinking.