What is the difference between a coroner and a medical examiner, and what are the duties of each?

Answer 1

Coroner:

A public officer whose primary function is to investigate by inquest any death thought to be of other than natural causes.

Medical Examiner:

A physician officially authorized by a governmental unit to ascertain causes of deaths, especially those not occurring under natural circumstances.

Answer 2

A Coroner is elected by the people for a four-year term, and as long as they are re-elected they may run as often as they like. The State Of Wisconsin Statutes require that whomever is running for the Office of Coroner need be a resident of Outagamie County, have no felony convictions and be at least 18 years of age. Outagamie County does not designate any specific training to hold this office. A Medical Examiner may or may not be a physician and is appointed by the County Executive and they will hold that position until they are ready to step down or they are released from their position.
http://www.co.outagamie.wi.us/Coroner/FAQ's.htm

A coroner is an elected official. Here in the state of Kansas a coroner has to be a physician but in some states they don't have to be. A medical examiner usually is a forensic pathologist.
http://www.teenink.com/Past/2002/June/Interviews/MedicalExaminer.html

The medical examiner is an appointed official who has an M.D. or D.O. degree and has as their specialty forensic pathology. The coroner is an elected official who is not required to have a medical diploma.
http://www.co.collin.tx.us/medical_examiner/faq.jsp

Answer 3

It's basically the same thing except the coroner is elected and the medical examiner is a doctor.

Answer 4

A guess- A coroner pronounces a person dead and the medical examiner knows why a person is pronounced dead.

Answer 5

They're usually considered one in the same.