Medico-legal law jobs can be just a professionally and intellectually stimulating as other jobs in medicine. Medico-legal jobs apply to solicitors and barristers specialise in medical-based cases, whether it is working in medical ethics or as a medical advisor within a law firm, and can represent both medical professionals and patients. But how do you get into a medico-legal career?
There are two main routes you can take if you are interested in a career in medico-legal law. The first is to study medicine first, and then following-up your medical training with a postgraduate diploma conversion course. Although neither is better or worse than the other, many prefer to take the more direct route of studying a law-based degree, instead.
Again, there are two law routes you can take. The first is by studying a straight-forward law degree. Solicitors would follow up the degree with the Legal Practice Course and twp years training in a law firm, whereas barristers would undertake the Bar Vocational Course before chasing a salaried pupillage.
But there are also a number of more specialised courses prospective law students can take. Throughout the UK, there are a number of specific medico-legal law courses including Medical Law, Healthcare Law and Ethics, Medical Ethics and Law and Bioethics and Medical Law, all of which are either MSc, LLM or MA designated degrees.
Once trained, the job itself can be split into three main areas; criminal law relating to medical practice and treatment, laws of negligence and other issues relating to treatment and the law on confidentiality. Each area demands a strong knowledge of medical practice (which is why experience in medicine helps) and the understanding of and appreciation for ethical questions. Just like doctors and other medical staff, those working in medico-legal law have to face difficult ethical dilemmas everyday, so the ability to analyse and to think logically are important qualities to have.
There are two main routes you can take if you are interested in a career in medico-legal law. The first is to study medicine first, and then following-up your medical training with a postgraduate diploma conversion course. Although neither is better or worse than the other, many prefer to take the more direct route of studying a law-based degree, instead.
Again, there are two law routes you can take. The first is by studying a straight-forward law degree. Solicitors would follow up the degree with the Legal Practice Course and twp years training in a law firm, whereas barristers would undertake the Bar Vocational Course before chasing a salaried pupillage.
But there are also a number of more specialised courses prospective law students can take. Throughout the UK, there are a number of specific medico-legal law courses including Medical Law, Healthcare Law and Ethics, Medical Ethics and Law and Bioethics and Medical Law, all of which are either MSc, LLM or MA designated degrees.
Once trained, the job itself can be split into three main areas; criminal law relating to medical practice and treatment, laws of negligence and other issues relating to treatment and the law on confidentiality. Each area demands a strong knowledge of medical practice (which is why experience in medicine helps) and the understanding of and appreciation for ethical questions. Just like doctors and other medical staff, those working in medico-legal law have to face difficult ethical dilemmas everyday, so the ability to analyse and to think logically are important qualities to have.
No comments:
Post a Comment