Public Health Law II - Advanced Topics in Public Health Law

Public Health Law Over Two Semesters

At the the University of Connecticut Health Center, which houses the Graduate Program in Public Health at the University of Connecticut, we require Public Health Law as a core course for graduating and obtaining an MPH from our program. After teaching the course in the past, I proposed to the curriculum committee that the material could be better presented if split into two classes: Public Health Law I and Public Health Law II—known as Public Health Law and Advanced Topics in Public Health on the PUBH side. Using principles of backward design. They agreed.

I redesigned the original course to provide core basics that every public health student should understand and am designing the second course to allow students with a interest in law and policy to drive more deeply into public health law as applied and some of the more difficult legal issues, e.g. preemption, administrative law, and public health law research.

To accomodate as many students as possible, the curriculum has been altered slightly. I will be teaching Public Health Law II in the Spring of 2012 and the Spring of 2013. I will also be teaching Public Health Law I in the Fall of 2012. This post is to clarify information for students interested in taking the class and to answer some logistical questions. If you have questions about the class not answered here, feel free to contact me.

Schedule The second course Public Health Law II / Advanced Topics in Public Health Law (PHLAW2) conflicts with the core MPH course Environmental Health on Wednesday nights. We looked at many alternatives. There was no way to move the course. Environmental Health and PHLAW2 will both be held in the Spring on Wednesday nights in 2012 and 2013. We hope this will give everyone a chance to take the course if you are interested. You should plan your schedule accordingly knowing that if you do not take your core course in 2012, you must take it in 2013.

Books PHLAW2 will require three books:

1. The Cigarette Century by Allan Brandt.
2. Food Politics by Marion Nestle
3. The Bluebook

All other readings will be cases or materials available online for download. No materials will be required on reserve.

Topics The course will cover the following topics:

• Preemption
• Administrative Law
• Complex Torts
• Commerce Clause
• Non-Profit Governance
• The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
• Public Health Law Research

Again, if you have questions, feel free to contact me. The syllabus should be complete soon and will be posted online.

Poor Life Choices: Should you enter academia?

My friend A. M. over at Center of Gravitas takes up the question from the perspective of a humanities professor. Well worth reading for those considering PhD work in the humanities. There are similarities to becoming a law professor but a lot of differences. Becoming a law professor takes less time I think and you can make money before entering academia (sometimes). However, the politcis are vicious and there aren't many slots.

An Old Post from Lifehacker on Notes and the Office

This is an old one but a good one from Lifehacker "Cover Your Butt at Work Through Notes". This is GREAT advice and has been enormously helpful to me, especially in academic settings.