Health Concentration and Certificate Programs

The Consortium offers students the opportunity to focus their studies on subjects that lie at the intersection of law and health sciences and, moreover, receive recognition for this work upon graduation from UCSF or UC Hastings.

As of Fall 2009, a Concentration in Law and Health Sciences is available to UC Hastings students and a sister Certificate Program is available to UCSF students. These programs offer students at each school the opportunity to understand the culture and functioning of each others' professional worlds, as well as the ways in which those worlds interact and inform one another. Students in both programs are required to take the Law and Health Sciences Concentration Seminar at UC Hastings, which serves as an introduction to key issues and perspectives in this field, in addition to serving as an opportunity for interdisciplinary communication and collaborative learning. Issues covered include such hot-button topics as bioethics in end of life care, health care delivery in the United States, biotechnology, and reproductive health, among others. Experts on these issues come to the seminar each week and provide a real-time perspective on how these issues inform everyday practice.

In addition to these currently-existing programs, the Consortium is developing concentrations in areas such as Intellectual Property and Reproductive Health. Students with focused interests in these subject areas will be able to engage in deep study and be recognized for their efforts.