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Anyone considering a career in funeral service must understand all the aspects of the profession. This is a profession that must be available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days
per year. We do not control when someone dies. This means that someone from the funeral home (and in some cases, the embalmer also) is always on call, uses a pager, and is interrupted on holidays and other special
events of their personal life. This is the life we choose and sign up for when we go into funeral service.
Embalmers come into direct contact with the body. They are exposed to blood and body fluids and infectious diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, and
Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease. Some causes of death will be difficult for some people to see. Trauma, motor vehicle accidents, child deaths, cancers and the list goes on. For those who feel they want to ultimately be
an embalmer, they will need to be able to face the challenges of the types of cases described here. It is not glamorous and requires hard work. Embalmers do not get to pick and choose what kind of cases they will work
on. You must be willing to put in whatever time is necessary for each case and have a sense of desire to put forth your best effort.
It must be remembered that each deceased individual we prepare is someone's loved one; a father, mother, child, sister, brother, or other dear family member or
friend. We must treat each one of these individuals as though they were a member of our own family and maintain a sense of dignity for them. We respect the deceased and their family by giving them our best effort
every time and seeking help when we need it. The rewards are when the family comes in to view the deceased for the first time after the death and compliments the work you have done. The highest compliment you can be
paid is when a family that had initially decided to leave the casket closed now chooses to leave it open. The work of the embalmer will be with the family and friends forever in memories of the last time they saw there
loved one during the funeral.
Regulation of Mortuary Science Practice
Each individual state regulates the practice of mortuary
science. They determine the educational requirements prior to entering mortuary school as well as the requirements to become licensed. You will need to check with the individual state that you intend to practice in to
determine what the requirements are.
Mortuary schools are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). They set the curriculum and approve the type of program the school is
allowed to offer to prospective students. Some schools will only offer a diploma at the conclusion of the program while others will be able to offer some type of degree program. Courses for embalmers in mortuary
schools cover the entire curriculum for both embalming and funeral directing and the disciplines can not be separated.
The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (CFSEB) administers a national examination (and in some cases also administers state board
examinations) at the conclusion of the mortuary school program.
American Board of Funeral Service Education
Dr. Michael Smith
Executive Director
3432 Ashland Avenue
St. Joseph, MO 64506
Phone: (816) 233-3747
Fax: (816) 233-3793
E-mail: exdir@abfse.org
Website: www.abfse.org
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards
1885 Shelby Lane
Fayetteville, AR 72704
Phone: 479-442-7076
Fax: 479-442-7090
Website: www.cfseb.org
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