DECEMBER 7, 2012
ATLANTA - The Student Health Law Association (SHLA) kicked off another exciting year by sponsoring the
popular annual event “Introduction to Health Law,” on August 21, 2012. Offered at lunch and again in the evening, health law students gathered to meet the College of Law’s health law professors and to learn about upcoming programs and opportunities.
The sessions began with a brief introduction and welcome to SHLA by this year’s Vice President of Operations, Kara Gordon (2L). “Many of our incoming students specifically chose Georgia State for its health law program,” said Gordon. “We are doing everything we can from the student side to live up to that reputation. We have a number of great events and opportunities lined up for this year.”
Professor Charity Scott, Director of the Center for Law, Health & Society, next provided a broad overview of health law at Georgia State, including the six core areas that form the foundation for health law studies: Law, Medicine, and Bioethics; Regulation of Health Care Business; Health and Social Justice; Public Health and the Environment; International Health and Human Rights; and Health Sciences and Technology.
“All of these areas interact and overlap as new areas of health law emerge, creating a whole host of legal and ethical issues to be examined,” explained Scott. “The health law program has grown so much that Georgia State now offers a Health Law Certificate program.”
Students next had the opportunity to hear each of the members of the ever-growing health law faculty describe their courses and current research interests. “This is my favorite part of the kick-off event every year,” said Sarah Ketchie, Vice President of Communications (3L). “There are so many health law courses at Georgia State that I don’t have enough time to take them all-- or even attend a class with each of the health law professors. This way, I have a chance to learn a bit about their areas of study and research.”
Students were then treated to improv comedy as Scott introduced faculty who were not able to be present. “We are lucky to have professors at Georgia State who engage with students in unique and unexpected ways,” said Gordon. “Professor Scott’s ‘routine’ was entertaining and still allowed students to learn about the expertise and interests of faculty members who couldn’t attend.”
SHLA President Greg Fosheim (2L) closed the session with a brief review of upcoming activities. “We are excited to offer two mentoring opportunities this year,” said Fosheim. “One is a student-to-student program to guide new students through their first year, and the other is a student-to-attorney program to help upper class students begin developing a professional network.”
SHLA will also sponsor several lunch-time programs, including a Primer on the Affordable Care Act presented by Professor Erin Fuse Brown and “Ethically Impossible: STD Research in Guatemala from 1946 to 1948,” a presentation by Professor Paul Lombardo on his work as Senior Advisor to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.
For more information on the Student Health Law Association, click here .
Contact:
Stacie P. Kershner, JD
Associate Director, Center for Law, Health & Society