A mortician, or funeral director, as the National Funeral Director's Association would prefer people say, is a professional who specializes in preparing bodies for burial and making funeral arrangements. Many regions have specific licensing requirements for people who want to become a mortician, but in all cases, the requirements usually include receiving specific training paired with work experience.

At a minimum, someone will need a high school diploma and training in a mortuary school to become a mortician. Mortuary school programs usually last for two years, and they include learning skills such as embalming, making up bodies for open casket funerals, running a funeral home, managing the paperwork associated with death, and so forth. The school also provides practice and learning opportunities for students, and it may offer placement for people who want internships and work experience while in school.

In some regions, someone who wants to become a mortician will need a bachelor's degree, which may be in business, biology, or a variety of other fields, depending on personal taste. It's a good idea to check on this requirement by talking to the staff at a local funeral home or asking a government official. In addition, people may need to take a licensure exam to prove that they understand all of the regulations related to working as a funeral director, including health codes, consumer protections, and so forth.

Work as a mortician can be extremely varied, and also very challenging. The hours are often highly irregular, as funeral home staff need to be on call day and night to collect the bodies of deceased individuals. Morticians also need to work with bodies in a wide variety of conditions, including people who have been autopsied, organ and tissue donors, and victims of severe accidents which may have caused substantial damage to the body. A skilled mortician can make a body presentable for burial no matter what condition it is in.

Many people choose work in a funeral home after graduating from mortuary school to gain more practical skills and experience before opening a funeral home of their own or working as a manager in someone else's funeral home. To become a mortician, someone needs excellent business skills along with interpersonal skills to deal with grieving individuals, and an eye to detail to handle every stage of the funeral smoothly, whether it's a state funeral with all the trappings or a simple cremation with a few family members present.

Morticians must have respect for a wide variety of cultural, religious, and personal beliefs so that they can deal effectively with their clients. It also helps to have a strong stomach and confidence around the dead for someone who wants to become a mortician, as funeral directors do need to work directly with bodies as part of their jobs.