Center for Law, Health & Society | News and Events | Center News | 2012 Archive | The Future of Public Health The Future of Public Health
May 4, 2012
Every graduate encouraged current Georgia State Law students to consider pursuing public health work. "I don't think many students understand the breadth of knowledge that public health work entails," said Sudevi Ghosh, JD '98. "There are so many opportunities at CDC, from being a lawyer in the Office of the General Counsel, to working in policy development across the many subject matter areas, to doing broader legal research to educate both the public and CDC's partners."
"Attorneys at CDC work in a variety of settings and utilize diverse skills," agreed Gail Horlick, JD '90. "I would encourage students to focus on the skill sets required for the work rather than the position title."
Donald Benken, JD '97, has worked at CDC for nearly 20 years, and he has seen a significant increase in CDC's employment of law graduates over the years. "We are seeing nearly every policy office at CDC demonstrate an interest in employing law school graduates and attorneys who understand the legislative process, can analyze laws and policies, and provide expertise as problem solvers - simply because they can think like a lawyer," he said.
"Public health offers another avenue in which legal training is valuable," said Sherry Everett Jones, JD '03. "Not everyone is cut out for or interested in practicing law in the traditional sense."
Rising interest in public health law at all levels of government is a good indication of future public health employment possibilities. "Having worked in public health at the local, state, and federal levels, I hope students consider state and local agencies in addition to CDC," said Siobhan Gilchrist, JD '06. "I encourage students to consider working for legislators or governors, state agencies, or municipal health departments and advocacy organizations to better understand federal-state relations and the myriad of issues that routinely impact the public's health."