The study of Health Care Law and Bioethics covers contract law, medical malpractice, administrative law, public health law, consent, elder law, human rights, and civil rights, in addition to being concerned with the ethical questions that arise through the study of the life sciences, biotechnology, and medicine. Health care and bioethics are major issues the United States and world governments are struggling with today and will continue to be major issues facing society for many years. Advancements in medicine and the life sciences directly affect individuals and society, raising issues pertaining to social justice, resource allocation, and even the most basic issue of what it means to be human.
The Health Care Law and Bioethics area of concentration at UC Davis School of Law covers the traditional areas of study including medical liability, health law, bioethics, public health, reproductive health, biotechnology, and disability rights. However, the depth of the overall curriculum at UC Davis School of Law expands the opportunities for learning about health care law and bioethics in conjunction with farmworkers rights or elder law, among others. This program also creates synergies; for example, those interested in pursuing the intellectual property law side of biotechnology may take Bioethics and the Law and the Biotechnology Law and Policy Seminar, as well as Intellectual Property and Patent Law.
UC Davis School of Law specializes in creating practical legal experiences for all students. Many students interested in health care law and bioethics participate in judicial externships and gain the writing, research, and negotiation skills essential to practicing in this field. In addition, moot court competitions provide unique opportunities to develop trial and advocacy skills. Students also enhance their educations by participating in organizations or working on journals—the Law School sponsors over 40 student organizations and five scholarly journals, and are listed on page 29. The Health Care Law and Bioethics area of concentration is organized to provide the opportunity to study three core areas – health care law, bioethics, and public health law. Each core course addresses the basics, as well as emerging issues in each area. For example, the Bioethics and the Law syllabus recently included foundational subjects such as human subject research and end-of-life decisions, as well as emerging subjects such as stem cell research and the global trade in human tissues. The curriculum includes courses on more specialized topics such as disability rights. In addition, seminar topics rotate to accommodate the everchanging legal landscape of health care law and bioethics. Health care law and bioethics are inherently interdisciplinary. Accordingly, the Health Care Law and Bioethics courses are cross-listed for UC Davis medical school students and those pursuing a Master’s in public health. The study of Health Care Law and Bioethics at UC Davis School of Law thus includes the chance to engage with other students from across the campus and to learn from their perspectives. UC Davis speaker programs and the School’s proximity to the state capitol create additional opportunities to hear distinguished experts on health care law and bioethics.

Bioethics Biotechnology Law and Policy Seminar Disability Rights Health Law Law and Psychiatry

Legal Psychology Seminar Medical Liability and the Law Public Health Law Reproductive Health Law and Policy Topical Issues in Health Law Seminar

Administrative Law Animal Law Seminar Civil Rights Law Courses Environmental Law Farmworkers and the Law Intellectual Property

Nonprofit Organizations Law Courses Patent Law Pension and Employee Benefits Law Public Benefits Law Public Interest Law

UC Davis law alumni who practice health care law work in a wide variety of settings, including local, state, and federal regulatory agencies, private health care facilities, insurance companies, and law firms. They represent clients concerning medical care issues, and encounter medical/legal ethical decisions and issues facing the regulation of the health care industry.