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About the Health Law Externship Program

The Health Law Externship Program (HLEP) is a one semester clinical program where students work for credit at a non-profit health care organization. Through the HLEP, students gain hands-on legal experience under the supervision of practitioners who are experts in the health law field. The HLEP is taught by Mr. Ben Moulton.

The Health Law Externship is offered in the fall to 3Ls only (or 2Ls with a prior health law background may be considered). The spring semester is open to 2Ls and 3Ls alike, but preference will be given to 3Ls who have not taken the Civil Litigation Program or the Legal Externship Program. Approximately 4 students are accepted into the program each semester.

Participation in the Health Law Externship may count toward the Concentration in Health Law.

Prerequisites: Health Care Law (either in the Law School or the School of Public Health).

Credits

Students receive 3-5 credits (C/NC) for fieldwork and 1 credit (graded) for a weekly seminar and 10-15 page paper. Students receive variable credits for the fieldwork component of the externship, determined as follows:

• 3 credits = 150 hours total
• 4 credits = 200 hours total
• 5 credits = 250 hours total

Before the semester begins, students work with their placement supervisors to determine how many hours they will work during the semester. The schedule must be approved by Mr. Moulton. Students must adhere to this schedule throughout the semester.

Field Placement

Upon acceptance to the Health Law Externship program, Mr. Ben Moulton works with students to identify suitable field placements depending on each student's individual interests and career goals. Once possible placement organizations are identified, students are responsible for applying to those organizations.

Students work in areas related to health law. Possible placements inlcude:

• US Attorneys’ Office Fraud Division
• Beth Israel Hospital
• Boston Medical Center
• The Medical Legal Partnership for Children
• Health Law Advocates
• Heath Care for All
• BMC Health Net
• Tufts New England Medical Center
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.
• Mass General
• Care Group
• Partners Health Care Systems, Inc.
• Life Insurance Association of Massachusetts

Seminar

An integral part of the externship is a one hour weekly seminar examining various health law issues as well as the challenges of working in a non profit environment. The first meeting will orient you to the program; subsequent meetings will discuss the assigned readings in light of your experiences in the externship. The seminar requires students to write a paper and make a class presentation. In addition, each student keeps a weekly journal chronicling their educational experience and reactions to the practice of law observed at the field placements.