Online Legal Education Program for Non-Lawyers Helps Health Care Professionals Advance Their Careers

Emory University School of Law (@EmoryLaw) is now making its Juris Master degree for non-lawyers available in an online format designed specifically for health care professionals. The Juris Master (JM) program includes a concentration in Health Care Law, Policy, and Regulation that offers students legal knowledge to make informed decisions, assess risk, and bolster their professional expertise. The deadline to apply for fall semester 2017 enrollment is June 30.

With health care laws and regulations changing at a near-constant pace, industry professionals need knowledge of the law when facing issues relating to public health, patient care, privacy, data protection, and more. Students participating in the Health Care Law, Policy, and Regulation concentration broaden their expertise in these and other key topics.

The program begins by equipping students with a strong understanding of the American legal system. Health care professionals will acquire the ability to analyze, research, and communicate legal issues, while gaining a keen eye for the interpreting and drafting of contracts. Core courses cover alternate dispute resolution, administrative law, and the framework of the legal profession.

Advanced coursework includes the study of health care institution and provider regulation; laws applicable to the structure, financing, and liabilities of health care institutions; the powers and duties of governmental authorities to protect population health; ethical issues and legal challenges; and data management and protection.

“Emory’s JM program pulls back the curtain on how legal processes impact the practice of medicine,” said Wendy Wright, MD, Chief of Neurology and Medical Director of the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Associate Chief of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine. “For example, shortly after my studies began, I felt better able to address ethical issues such as informed consent, surrogate decision making, and end-of-life care.”

The Juris Master program is a 30-credit-hour master’s degree that provides professionals with the legal knowledge and skills to navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments and contribute in more significant ways to their organizations. The new online format, which offers concentrations in health and business, can be completed in 18 months, and includes three 3-day sessions on-campus in a classroom setting. An on-campus program of study, which offers a wide range of concentrations, is also offered; it can be completed full-time in nine months or part-time in as long as four years. Scholarships and financial aid are available.

About Emory University School of Law
Founded in 1916, Emory University School of Law is an American Bar Association (ABA) nationally accredited law school. Consistently ranked as one of the premier law schools in the United States, Emory Law offers exceptional doctrinal and practical legal education with signature programs in advocacy, transactional law, technology and IP law, law and religion, and vulnerability studies.