Certificate in Healthcare Law for Non-Lawyers

Type: Credit-based

Offered by: School of Health Administration, Faculty of Health

Coordinator: Michael R. Hadskis, michael.hadskis@dal.ca, 902-494-2534

Overview:

Individuals and institutions involved in the provision of healthcare services in Canada must be able to effectively navigate a complex body of law that defines their legal rights and responsibilities. The Healthcare Law Certificate for Non-lawyers provides awareness of these rights and responsibilities and furnishes strategies for dealing with legal issues arising in the healthcare context. It also equips students to be informed consumers of legal information and offers the skills needed to contribute to law reform initiatives aimed at creating a more inclusive, equitable, fair, and effective healthcare system.

This Certificate would benefit individuals who participate in Canadian healthcare delivery in a wide variety of capacities, such as healthcare providers, healthcare administrators in public and private institutions, health policy makers, and government employees working in health-related departments and agencies.

The Certificate is awarded on completion of three core courses that are available online.

On completion of the Certificate, students should be able to:

1. understand the structure of the Canadian legal system;
2. appreciate the role of courts, legislatures, and administrative agencies in regulating healthcare;
3. analyze court decisions, legislation, and constitutional documents to determine legal rights and responsibilities;
4. apply legal principles to healthcare delivery situations;
5. perform basic legal research related to healthcare issues;
6. evaluate the fairness and efficacy of laws regulating healthcare; and
7. create and present a research paper on legal issues in the healthcare realm.

Note:The Certificate is not intended to train students to perform the functions of legal counsel. Only lawyers are permitted to practice law and must be consulted when legal issues arise. Instead, the Certificate aims to provide insight into how the law works in the healthcare delivery context and to elucidate the role lawyers, judges, legislators, and members of administrative tribunals play in this context.

Admission Requirements / Eligibility:

Admission is open to anyone who meets the Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum admission requirements. Professional experience is not needed for admission. Individuals who have completed any undergraduate program (e.g., arts, science, commerce, economics, etc.) are welcome to apply. Applicants are not required to write an entrance exam.

Certificate Requirements:

Core course requirements:

HESA 6360.03 Healthcare Law

HESA 6361.03 Business Law in the Healthcare Context

HESA 6362.03 Advanced Healthcare Law

Application of Credit Hours Towards Other Degree Requirements:

Courses completed as part of this certificate may be double-counted towards the requirements of a concurrent degree, subject to approval by the student’s supervisor and graduate coordinator in their primary degree program. Courses not approved to count towards the primary degree requirements will result in additional tuition fees on a per-course fee basis.