Academic Opportunities

​​​As part of DePaul’s Program of Excellence in Health Law, the JHLI plays a central role in supporting one of the most comprehensive and customizable health law curriculums in the country. You’ll learn from nationally recognized faculty and experienced practitioners through coursework that combines legal theory with hands-on learning. Whether you're interested in health care delivery, compliance, policy or public health, you can design a path that supports your professional goals. 

JD Certificates 

If you're looking to build strong credentials in health law, DePaul offers two certificate options for JD students that can help you stand out in a competitive field. You'll explore the complex legal, ethical and policy issues that shape today's health care landscape while developing specialized skills through tailored coursework and hands-on experience. 

JD Certificate in Health Law 

The JD Certificate in Health Law gives you a strong foundation in the structure, regulation and delivery of health care. After completing two required core courses, you'll choose from a wide range of electives. If you want to focus your studies even further, you can follow one of three recommended tracks—corporate, public service or governmental/regulatory—to deepen your expertise and align your coursework with your career goals. (Please note: the certificate itself does not list a specific track.) 

​​JD Certificate in Health Care Compliance (CCB-Accredited) 

If you’re interested in the growing field of health care compliance, the JD Certificate in Health Care Compliance is designed to give you the legal and practical skills needed to advise health care organizations, law firms, government agencies or corporations. Accredited by the Compliance Certification Board (CCB), the program also prepares you to sit for CCB’s health care exams. 

Experiential Learning 

You can earn academic credit while gaining hands-on experience in health law through approved externships with leading health care organizations, nonprofits and government agencies. These placements are supervised by experienced attorneys and offer a front-row seat to the legal and regulatory issues shaping health care today—including compliance, ethics, patient rights, public health and more. Working closely with site supervisors and faculty mentors, you’ll take on real legal work that matters, researching complex issues, analyzing policy and helping organizations improve care delivery. 

One longstanding opportunity is with the Office of General Counsel at the American Medical Association (AMA), which hosts DePaul externs annually. At the AMA’s downtown Chicago headquarters, you’ll work alongside health and corporate law attorneys on legal memoranda, litigation support materials and advocacy projects. It’s a rare chance to see the inner workings of one of the most influential medical associations in the country—while building the writing, analysis and professional skills that set you apart.  

Recent health law externship placements include: