POLK MEDICAL EXAMINER ASSISTS WITH SCHIAVO AUTOPSY

Dr. Stephen Nelson is not used to the type of attention or the slew of questions he faced yesterday. While he has handled high profile local cases in his position as Medical Examiner for the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties, this type of high profile is not usual.

Dr. Nelson was invited to assist his collegue from Pinellas-Pasco, Dr. Jon Thogmartin, in the autopsy of Terri Schiavo this week due to Nelson's experitse in neuropathology, and participated in the nationally televised news conference with Dr. Thogmartin on Wednesday when the results were announced.

Neuropathology is the study of diseases of the brain, spinal cord, muscle, and eye, and our ME is board certified in the specialization after training at New York City's Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. Dr. Nelson came to Bartow nine years ago after serving as Associate Medical Examiner in Broward County. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Florida Medical Examiners Commission