Clinical forensic medicine includes all health care fields that may relate to the legal, judicial and law enforcement. For emergency medicine specifically, it is the application of forensic techniques and theories to living victims of injury, violence and crime (assault, gunshot wounds, intimate partner violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and motor vehicle injury).

The Department of Emergency Medicine provides clinical care to patients as well as education and training to physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals on important forensic medicine topics. Our Forensic Emergency Medicine Division teaches a forensic emergency medicine and trauma course within the Master of Science in Forensic Science program at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Forensic Resources

• California Clinical Forensic Medicine Training Center
• International Association of Forensic Nurses
• ACEP Forensic Medicine Section

Sexual Violence/IPV Resources

• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR)
• Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR)
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Women Against Abuse

Ralph Riviello, MD, graduated from Hahnemann University in 1994 and completed his emergency medicine residency at Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa. In 2010, he earned his master's degree in forensic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has developed a national reputation of leadership and excellence in forensic emergency medicine and sexual assault care. He is the director of forensic emergency medicine for the Department of Emergency Medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine and currently serves as medical director for the Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC). He also serves as chair of the American College of Emergency Physicians Forensic Medicine Section. In addition, he is the immediate past-president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of ACEP.

Dr. Riviello is an active educator and researcher in forensically relevant topics and sexual assault. He has helped to integrate this training into the residency education program at Drexel University College of Medicine. He hopes to continue to play an integral role in the development of the specialty of forensic emergency medicine. He continues to focus on integration of clinical forensic medicine into clinical practice and residency education.

Michael J. Boyle (michael.boyle@drexelmed.edu) is a 30-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, having spent 25 years in the Detective Bureau and 20 years with the Special Victims Unit (SVU). He retired from the Philadelphia Police Department as a lieutenant in charge of the child abuse section of the SVU. He has personally overseen and supervised thousands of sexual assault investigations and was instrumental in developing a collaborative relationship between police and advocacy groups, including Women Organized Against Rape, the Women's Law Project and the Philadelphia Children's Alliance. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical College, School of Allied Health Professions with a Bachelor of Science degree in mental health technology in 1974.

Michael joined the PSARC in 2011 and serves as the center's project director. In this capacity, he has helped to guide the development of the PSARC and fostered more effective treatment protocols for victims, while improving relationships between police, prosecutors and victims.

He has guest lectured on the topic of sexual violence and child abuse at a number of colleges and institutions, including St. Joseph's University, LaSalle University, Temple University, Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, as well as various police and prosecutor agencies.