Medicine as a forensic science

Resumen

Introduction. Medicine is a profession whose primary objective is to seek health and prevent or cure diseases of the human being; physicians apply the scientific method through propaedeutics and semiology, integrating a diagnosis to establish treatment; for that reason, this profession is considered a science and an art. Forensic medicine is a medical specialty that applies medical knowledge for the administration of justice; however, it has been confused with legal medicine, which is in charge of the study of the rules that regulate the medical practice, causing a mistaken idea that with time and custom has become real, without being so.

Objective. The purpose of this article is to review the meaning of the concept of Forensic Medicine, the field of competence of this medical specialty and the description of its functions.

Conclusion. Medicine as forensic science, is responsible for assisting the authorities in an impartial, objective and scientific way; it uses the scientific method when carrying out its certifications and opinions, which constitute data and means of proof for the agent of the Public Prosecutor's Office to integrate the Investigation Folder.