ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Death isn’t always easy to talk about. A self-proclaimed expert on the topic is helping make it a little easier with a look inside the office of the medical investigator.
The autopsy suite is a common setting in any crime show but the self-proclaimed Doyenne of Death Gail Rubin says what happens in Hollywood, is nothing like what happens at the local office of the medical investigator. “You’re not going to get a mystery solved in 45 minutes that is takes to do the TV program,” says Gail Rubin, Doyenne of Death.
Earlier this month Rubin hosted the “Before I Die” festival online, giving attendees an online inside look at what happens at OMI. “The OMI is just tough nothing is pleasant about the reason you came to OMI,” Nancy Mance, OMI, Grief Services Program Manager.
Typically the OMI offers in-person tours but has paused those because of the coronavirus outbreak “We cannot afford to have an outbreak in this organization because if your pathologists go down who. There is no one,” Mance says.
The video is still available to watch online. In a Q and A session, an OMI staff member explains what types of deaths medical investigators look into and explains how they examine the bodies.
“I think one of the biggest myths that shows perpetuate an omi and medical investigators often discuss can determine the exact moment of death in fact that’s not true,” Mance says.
Rubin says the goal of these conversations is to create an approachable way to talk about death. “Despite great advances in medical care we still all have a 100% mortality rate,” Rubin says.
Along with the OMI video, the doyenne of death has also posted videos on other topics, like a virtual funeral home tour and a video about how to plan a virtual funeral service.
