Medical and health professionals who aren't
lawyers but wish to gain legal perspective in their field may enroll in a
master's degree program for health law. Attorneys may pursue their
Master of Laws (LLM) in Health Law. Both options can be completed
entirely online.
Overview of Online Master's Degrees in Health Law
Health care
professionals seeking knowledge to help resolve job-related legal
issues may pursue a Master of Science (M.S.) or a Master of
Jurisprudence (M.J.) in Health Law. Applicants must possess a bachelor's
degree and demonstrated experience in the health care industry.
Attorneys wishing to practice health law may wish to earn a Master of
Laws (LLM) in Health Law. To enroll, these individuals must have passed
their state Bar Exam or hold a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) and have
professional experience as lawyers or health care professionals.
All three types of master's degrees are available online and none of
them prepare graduates to practice law. Students train to interpret
legal terms and understand the state and federal regulations affecting
the health care industry.
Master's degree programs can be completed via distance learning in
2-3 years. While almost all coursework is available online, programs
often require students to attend on-campus workshops for orientation,
seminar participation or the presentation of individual research. A
thesis that incorporates original research must be written and submitted
after coursework is completed.
Courses Offered
Coursework covers general legal practice skills such as negotiation
as well as topics particular to the health care industry. Attorneys may
also take specialized courses such as those that teach health care tax
exemption laws, industry-specific legal documents and medical
malpractice.
Privacy Laws Course
In healthcare, sensitivity to patient confidentiality and a
comprehensive understanding of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) is imperative. This class explains how the
diligent protection of identifiable medical and financial information is
crucial, especially in the digital age.
Pharmaceutical Laws Course
This course reviews federal regulation of the pharmaceutical
industry. Lessons cover laws regarding biomedical research, new drug
testing and how to finance the development of new products.
Medical Liability Course
Case studies featuring medical malpractice lawsuits illustrate
negligence laws. Methods of arbitration, litigation and mediation are
presented.
Careers in Health Law
Health care administrators, insurance providers, health policy
advocates and attorneys can benefit from a degree in health law.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (
www.bls.gov),
the annual mean salary for medical and health services managers was
$90,970 in 2009. The same source listed a mean annual salary of $129,020
for lawyers and $63,330 for insurance underwriters.
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