Maricopa County has a new way to recruit medical examiners and the county thinks its plan is the first of its kind in the country.
Qualifying medical examiners can get up to $25,000 a year to pay student loan debt, with a lifetime cap of $100,000.
“This program is a major incentive as we seek to fill open positions, reduce turnover and, ultimately, better serve the public,” Maricopa County Chief Medical Examiner Jeffrey Johnston said.
Currently, the county has 14 forensic pathologists with funding for a total of 17 in fiscal year 2018. The agency, which is required by law to investigate certain deaths, says it expects to handle more than 5,800 cases this year.
