Jan Garavaglia facts for kids

Jan Carla Garavaglia (born September 14, 1957) is an American doctor. Many people know her as "Dr. G." She worked as a chief medical examiner in Orlando, Florida. She held this important job from 2004 until she retired in May 2015.

Dr. G became well-known for her work on several important cases. She also starred in a TV show called Dr. G: Medical Examiner. This show was on the Discovery Health Channel from 2004 to 2012. You can still watch repeats of her show on other channels today. She has also appeared on many popular TV talk shows.

Becoming a Medical Examiner

Jan Garavaglia was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She finished high school in 1974. She then went to St. Louis University School of Medicine to become a doctor. After medical school, she trained in internal medicine. She also studied pathology, which is about studying diseases.

Dr. G then chose to specialize in forensic pathology. This field uses medical knowledge to solve crimes. She completed a special training program in Miami, Florida. She is certified to work in both general pathology and forensic pathology.

Dr. G's Family Life

Jan Garavaglia got married for the first time in 1980. In 1988, she started her first job as a medical examiner in Jacksonville, Florida. Her first son was born that same year. In 1991, her family moved to Georgia for two years.

In 1993, they moved again to San Antonio, Texas. Dr. G worked there for ten years as a medical examiner. Her second son was born in 1994. She and her first husband divorced in 2006. In 2007, she married her second husband, Dr. Mark Wallace. They had met years earlier in medical school. Dr. Wallace sometimes appeared on her TV show. He shared his knowledge about diseases. Today, Dr. Garavaglia and her husband live in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Dr. G's Important Cases and Work

One of Dr. Garavaglia's first big cases involved a funeral home. She found that the funeral director had put many bodies in single caskets. He had taken money for each person. Dr. G helped uncover this wrongdoing.

Later, as a medical examiner in San Antonio, Texas, she worked on the case of Tracie McBride. This case was also shown on her TV series. Dr. Garavaglia's work helped bring justice in this case.

In 2008, Dr. Garavaglia examined the remains of a missing child, Caylee Anthony. She later shared her findings in court. Her testimony was a key part of the trial.

In 2008, Dr. Garavaglia wrote a book called How Not to Die. In this book, she shared stories from her work. She wanted to teach people how to stay healthy and avoid dying too soon.

Dr. Garavaglia retired from her job as a medical examiner on May 28, 2015. She had worked in forensic pathology for over two decades. She and her husband moved to his hometown near Seattle, Washington.

How Not to Die Book

How Not to Die: Surprising Lessons on Living Longer, Safer, and Healthier from America’s Favorite Medical Examiner is a book by Jan Garavaglia. It was released in October 2008. In the book, Dr. G uses real cases from her 20 years of experience. She explains how certain choices can lead to an early death. She also gives advice on how to be smart about your health. The book is meant to help readers live longer and healthier lives.