Chief Medical Examiner, Francisco J. Diaz, MD, FACP
Dr. Francisco J. Diaz received his medical degree in his native country, the Dominican Republic. After receiving his medical degree, Dr. Diaz trained in Anatomic Pathology at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania/Temple University. In 2000, Dr. Diaz accepted a fellowship in forensic pathology with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in affiliation with Hahnemann University (now Drexel University).
After completing the forensic pathology fellowship, Dr. Diaz joined the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Wayne County, Michigan as an Assistant Medical Examiner. In January 2012, in affiliation with the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office, Dr. Diaz was appointed to the University of Michigan faculty, Department of Pathology as Assistant Professor. Dr. Diaz was a Medical Examiner in Michigan for 16 years.
In 2017, Dr. Diaz was appointed as Deputy Chief Medical Examiner and Medical Director for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, DC, where he supervised the pathology, mortuary, transport, anthropology, and medicolegal death investigation departments.
In January of 2021, Dr. Diaz was appointed Chief Medical Examiner for Washington, DC.
Dr. Diaz has performed more than 10,000 autopsies during his career and testified hundreds of times in circuit, district, and federal courts. He has also provided numerous civil depositions. Dr. Diaz is the co-author of "Spitz and Fisher Medicolegal Investigation of Death in its 5th edition.
He was awarded an honorary doctorate (Honoris Causa) by the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for his contributions to the field of Forensic Pathology in July of 2022.
Dr. Diaz has also co-authored 35 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and presentations and has been invited on numerous occasions to speak at regional, national, and international conferences. He is board-certified in Anatomic Pathology as well as Forensic Pathology. He is a fellow of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).
He is a member of the board of directors and the government affairs committee's chair for NAME. After joining DC OCME, Dr. Diaz was appointed to the faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and holds the rank of Assistant Professor. Dr. Diaz enjoys reading and traveling when he is away from the office.