GW Resident Alumnus Dr. Roger Mitchell Appointed as New Chief Medical Examiner in the District of Columbia

Congratulations to Roger Mitchell, M.D., RESD ’06, who was recently appointed the District’s new Chief Medical Examiner by Mayor Vincent C. Gray.

Mitchell, who has served as Assistant State Medical Examiner for the State of New Jersey since 2011, brings several years of experience in the field of forensic pathology to his new role. As head of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), he will oversee the agency’s move toward accreditation under the National Association of Medical Examiners.

“We are very proud to attract a top-notch candidate such as Dr. Mitchell to head the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” said Gray. “Not only is Dr. Mitchell a product of Howard University and performed his residency at George Washington University, but he also previously trained at the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and served as a DNA Analyst at the FBI. It is always a pleasure to bring back individuals who have a strong nexus to the District. Also, we are pleased to have a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist to lead OCME into its next phase as the agency grows at the Consolidated Forensic Laboratory. Additionally, we want to thank Dr. Marie Pierre-Louis and her team for her tireless efforts over the last 10+ years.”

OCME performs more than 1,000 post-mortem examinations every year. In addition to this task, the agency administers the District’s DUI testing program. “I am very excited to join OCME,” said Mitchell. “This new role will give me the opportunity to expand on OCME’s past accomplishments and strengthen efforts to ensure that OCME becomes accredited.”

Mitchell holds a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and earned his M.D. from New Jersey Medical School. He is expected to begin at OCME in February once his duties in New Jersey have been completed.