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Doctorate in Health Law
Doctorate in Health Law
Health law doctorate degree programs contain courses that focus on the legal aspects of medical care. Learn about types of programs, prerequisites, topics of study and employment and salary outlooks for lawyers.
What Types of Health Law Doctorates Are Available to Me?
A variety of law schools offer doctoral programs in health law and health policy. Depending on the program, you can earn a Doctor of Laws (D.L.) in Health Law, a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) in Health Law or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Policy. Some law schools offer you the option of pursuing a Certificate in Health Law in conjunction with a generalized Juris Doctorate (J.D.). Finally, joint degree programs are also available that combine a J.D. with a doctoral degree in medical humanities. Regardless of which doctorate you choose, you generally need to attend school on-campus (rather than online) to earn your health law degree.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Options</b></td><td>D.L. in Health Law, SJD in Health Law, Ph.D. in Health Policy, J.D. with joint medical humanities doctorate</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Typical Prerequisites</b></td><td>Master's degree in law, health policy or jurisprudence; some programs may require a J.D. or LLM</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Topics</b></td><td>Biotechnology, children's rights, fraud and abuse, elderly care, health privacy</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 4% growth (<i>for lawyers</i>)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td>$126,930 (<i>for lawyers</i>)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreThePrerequisites">What Are the Prerequisites?</h3><p>Prerequisites vary depending on the program; but at the very least, you need a master's degree in law or health policy. A D.L. in Health Law and Policy program may require applicants to have a Master of Jurisprudence as a prerequisite. Some programs, such as that leading to an SJD in Health Law, may be designed for practicing attorneys looking to complete academic research in this area. In this case, prerequisites may include a J.D. and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Health Law.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillIStudy">What Will I Study?</h3><p>Regardless of the title, most doctoral degree programs in health law and health policy cover the same topics. Your core health law curriculum may include courses in legal aspects of biotechnology, fraud and abuse, children's rights, elderly care, forensic medicine, health privacy and insurance law. With your J.D., you're prepared to work in health policy and individual advocacy or to represent healthcare systems and providers in the courtroom. Some law schools also offer health law externship opportunities, which could include working with local hospitals or the U.S. Attorney's Office. Depending on the school, clinical opportunities may be available on campus as well.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatMightIDoWithMyDegree">What Might I Do with My Degree?</h3><p>If you earn your J.D., you can qualify to work as an attorney specializing in this field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), all lawyers can expect an average employment growth rate of 4% between 2019 and 2029. And as of 2020, lawyers earned a median annual salary of $126,930, also per the BLS (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). With a D.L. or SJD, you are prepared to work in research or academia, contributing scholarly work.</p>
