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 routes you can take. Some medicine graduates decide that they want to go down the law-route, and so after studying medicine they follow-up their training with a postgraduate diploma conversion course. But the majority of men and women in medico-legal law jobs have studied a law-based degree.
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.
Many opt for more specialised law courses when they already know that they want to go into a medical-based law career. Again, there are a number of degrees available throughout the UK, including Medical Ethics and Law, Healthcare Law and Ethics, Bioethics and Medical Law and simply Medical Law, all of which are either MSc, Ma or LLM degrees offering a great foundation for a career in medico-legal law.
Once trained, the job itself can be split into three main areas; criminal law relating to medical practice and treatment, laws of negligence a
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.
Many opt for more specialised law courses when they already know that they want to go into a medical-based law career. Again, there are a number of degrees available throughout the UK, including Medical Ethics and Law, Healthcare Law and Ethics, Bioethics and Medical Law and simply Medical Law, all of which are either MSc, Ma or LLM degrees offering a great foundation for a career in medico-legal law.
Once trained, the job itself can be split into three main areas; criminal law relating to medical practice and treatment, laws of negligence a
Many opt for more specialised law courses when they already know that they want to go into a medical-based law career. Again, there are a number of degrees available throughout the UK, including Medical Ethics and Law, Healthcare Law and Ethics, Bioethics and Medical Law and simply Medical Law, all of which are either MSc, Ma or LLM degrees offering a great foundation for a career in medico-legal law.
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.
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.