As a middle school student in Tecumseh, Alicia Dusseau became hooked on Dr. G: Medical Examiner, a reality television show that followed Dr. Jan Garavaglia as she investigated unexplained deaths in Florida.
“Ever since then, watching that show and other crime shows, I found a passion for
forensics,” Dusseau says.
Ten years later, she’s well on her way to becoming Dr. D: Forensic Pathologist.
The 2021 Washtenaw Community College graduate is now pursuing a Forensic Science bachelor’s degree at Madonna University and plans to attend medical school to become a forensic pathology practitioner.
“Graduating from WCC has helped me get to where I am and I couldn't be more proud of myself or more thankful for all the help and support from my instructors and counselor,” Dusseau said.
Dusseau, 21, was a member of WCC’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society while earning a Math and Science associate degree with dual concentrations in Biology/Pre-Medicine and Pre-Pharmacy.
While her course load was heavy with science lessons that will help in her career choice, it was a prerequisite Communication class that helped Dusseau get hands-on experience in the field.
“We had an assignment in a Communication class to interview somebody in a field you want to work in, so I contacted my local medical examiner,” she said. “At the end of our conversation, they offered me an unpaid internship.”
That internship eventually turned into part-time employment at the Lenawee-Hillsdale Medical Examiner’s Office, where Dusseau trained and still works as an on-call autopsy assistant and crime scene investigator.
Tags: August 2021, Class of 2021, On The Record, Student Success, ousearch_News_2021