To become a coroner, one must complete medical school. A person who wants to become a medical examiner must complete a doctor of medicine degree. The degree program normally lasts four years. The first two years include more book study, while the last two years are more physical work in medicine. The student must take their residency in forensic pathology. This forensic training normally lasts about four years, but students can go on further into specialty forensics.

After the completion of a residency program, the student will join a fellowship working under a medical examiner. Here, they will learn all of the ins and outs of the field. The fellowship training allows for the individual to learn crime scene investigation, medical examination of the remains, and preparing court documents on homicides and other types of deaths. The fellowship programs for medical examiners normally last around a year. The fellowship can go on longer at the discretion of the program and the country that the program is taking place in.

Depending on the country that one studies in, after the fellowship, certification is required. Most countries require a certification exam for licensure to act as a coroner in an official capacity. In the United States, the state certification exam is given by the American Board of Pathology. In some countries, certification is granted through the court system.