There are several ways to become a medical lawyer in india. Medical law deals with the laws governing medical professionals, hospitals and other related areas. Being a Medical Lawyer is very important as one must be familiar with the legal provisions so that they can help patients/clients who are seeking legal protection of their rights in medical field and also help them to fight against monitory deprivation during their stay in a hospital or any medical facility.
Medical law has proved to be a successful career path for ex-lawyers who opted to take it after giving up on their careers as attorneys in India. So, if you want to become a medical lawyer in india and make it big as a legal consultant just like the many who did it before you, here’s what you need to know.
Becoming a medical lawyer in India is not as hard as it may seem. There are several ways to become a medical lawyer, and all you need to do is follow them.
Start by taking the right classes. You should take classes that will help you with your career as a medical lawyer, such as chemistry and biology.
When applying for your degree program, make sure that you apply to one of the best colleges in India. This will help ensure that your future career will be successful.
After getting accepted into the college program, make sure that you work hard on your studies so that they will be successful in your future career as a medical lawyer.
Make sure that before graduating from college that you have already acquired some experience working at hospitals or other related fields so that when entering into this field there won’t be any problems for them when starting their new careers as medical lawyers who specialize in helping people who need this kind of assistance from doctors who specialize in treating patients who have been diagnosed with certain diseases such as cancer or diabetes (which is another reason why becoming one yourself would be beneficial). This article also discusses types of medical lawyers, salary of a medical lawyer in india.
How to become a medical lawyer in india
Which stream should one pursue after 12th to become a medical lawyer in India?
After 12th, you can pursue any stream of your choice and complete your undergraduation.
You may also opt for pursuing an LLM (Master’s degree in law) after completing your LLB degree.
There are various types of Medical lawyers and one can choose to be in any one of them, depending upon the expertise and interest. Some of the common types of Medical lawyers are as follows:
Medical lawyers are available in different shapes and forms. Some of them work as medical law consultants for pharmaceutical companies, while some others work as medical law consultants for insurance companies. There are also those who work as legal advisors (attorneys) to the hospitals, nursing homes etc while some others work as legal advisors (attorneys) to the medical device companies etc.
Medical lawyers can also be divided into two categories:
- Non-Physician Lawyers: These types of medical lawyers do not have any medical degree but they have a general knowledge about medicine which helps them in understanding many things related to health care laws better than their counterparts with no such knowledge. Since these types of attorneys do not possess any kind of expertise in this field; therefore they must work under supervision from an experienced physician or attorney who has specialized skills in this area.
Medical law consultant for a pharmaceutical company
As a medical law consultant, you will work with pharmaceutical companies on various legal matters. You will advise the company on legal matters, prepare legal documents and research laws and regulations. As the name suggests, you may also draft agreements or contracts for your clients. In addition to advising clients on how to proceed in court cases and settlement negotiations, you may represent them in court as well.
Medical law consultant for an insurance company
A medical law consultant for an insurance company is responsible for:
- Preparing, reviewing and negotiating various types of contracts including leases, sale and purchase agreements, agency agreements and distribution agreements.
- Ensuring compliance with the relevant laws as they pertain to the company’s commercial transactions. This may include drafting contracts that comply with legal requirements such as those governing consumer protection or employment laws. It may also involve conducting research on legal issues that can affect the business operations of your employer or its customers in order to provide advice on how best to proceed in a given situation.
- Handling litigation related to any contracts that your employer enters into with clients or other businesses through which they seek out new opportunities (such as acquiring new premises). You could also be called upon at times by clients who have been asked by another party such as a landlord or vendor seeking payment from them via court order; here it is up to you whether you want them filing an appeal against such an order if there are grounds for doing so based on certain provisions within India’s civil code.”
A legal advisor (attorney) for a hospital, nursing home etc.
- A legal advisor (attorney) for a hospital, nursing home etc.
- An advice to the management about different aspects of law to be followed in day-to-day functioning. This can include contracts to be made, hiring of staff, taxation, licenses and permissions from authorities such as fire department etc., inspection and audits by authorities like FDA/CDSCO/Central Drugs Standard Control Organization etc., safety and security measures, patient care and treatment including protocols for treating patients with infectious diseases or chronic illnesses etc.. This also includes providing assistance to doctors in case of any disputes or grievances raised by patients against them or their relatives/friends who are admitted in the hospital etc..
A legal advisor (attorney) for a Medical Device company etc.
There are also other options such as working as a legal advisor for a medical device company. You need to have a degree in law and practice at law firms like Selvam & Associates or Phatak & Phatak, which deals with medical laws. The best way is to start off as a legal assistant and gain the relevant work experience in order to become an expert on the subject matter.
In order to become a Medical lawyer, you would need to complete your 5-year LLB course after completing your under graduate degree in any discipline. If interested, you can also pursue an LLM (Master’s degree in law) after completing your LLB degree. You can also take up a job as legal assistant with a law firm or any organisation, who practices medical laws and gain relevant work experience before starting off on your own.
In order to become a medical lawyer, you would need to complete your 5-year LLB course after completing your under graduate degree in any discipline. If interested, you can also pursue an LLM (Master’s degree in law) after completing your LLB degree. You can also take up a job as legal assistant with a law firm or any organisation, who practices medical laws and gain relevant work experience before starting off on your own.
In case you want to do research work on this topic then you must do internship at Public Health Department or State Health department or Hospitals & Clinics related departments where you will learn all the ins and outs of medical laws and procedures.
To begin with as soon as possible, join hands together with a leading lawyer who is expert in this field so that they can guide you properly during this phase of life which could prove crucial later on when India becomes fully developed economy like US & UK.
salary of a medical lawyer in india
In the medical field, their salaries vary based on their qualifications and area of specialisation. The national average salary of a lawyer is ₹2,98,518 per year.
types of medical lawyers
Medical lawyers do the same kind of work as other lawyers, but focused on some aspect of the medical industry or individual or public health. Malpractice lawsuits over doctor or hospital negligence are a huge part of that. Just typing “medical malpractice Los Angeles” or “malpractice attorneys Chicago” into a search engine will generate dozens of hits. Malpractice attorneys fight for plaintiffs who saw the medical professionals screwed up big-time. Alternatively, they take the defense side, working to clear the accused of wrongdoing.
If malpractice doesn’t appeal, there are other fields medical lawyers can focus on.
- Showing doctors how to comply with healthcare regulations.
- Checking credentials on job applicants for hospitals.
- Telling businesses how to comply with health privacy laws.
- Legal details of setting up a practice or a partnership.
- Setting up a partnership’s retirement and benefit plans.
- Health insurance issues.
- Patent and intellectual property issues related to new inventions or research.
- Patients’ rights vs. the rights of medical professionals.
- Public-health issues such as the regulation of drugs, providing sanitary water and fighting infectious diseases.
- General legal advice for medical businesses, such as real-estate or advertising law.
- Working in government health-care programs.
A lot of health law activities don’t come anywhere near a courtroom. If you’re explaining the newest regulations to an obstetrics doctor, you’re doing it to keep them within the law and well outside a courtroom.
Becoming a Medical Lawyer
Attorneys in any field of law need a law degree. That takes four years of undergraduate study followed by three years of law school. Unlike some fields of study, there are no specialized law degrees. Everyone who graduates has a JD, or Doctor of Jurisprudence. During the second and third year of law school, though, you’ll have the chance to take classes in health law and other specialties.
Following graduation, you’ll have to pass your state’s bar exam to receive your law license.
Where You Work
Medical lawyers work in a variety of industries. The healthcare world has a major need for medical attorneys, but so do the many government organizations that deal with or regulate health and medical issues. Even non-medical businesses may need advice on, for example, how to meet federal privacy rules for medical data.
Even within health care, there are many different potential employers: doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, insurers and medical-device manufacturers.
Earning Potential
A beginning attorney earns an average salary of $67,700. At mid-career that rises to $92,000, then $110,000 for greater experience. By the end of their career, they can earn $128,000. The choice of specialty, employer and location all affect the level of pay.
Medical Law Is Growing
In the 21st century, the health-law specialty has broadened beyond malpractice and advocacy for medical professionals’ rights. As the field has evolved to handle a greater number of areas of law, the need for qualified attorneys has also increased. The federal government predicts attorney jobs of all kinds will grow 8 percent through 2026, which is average for career fields. While the need for attorneys is growing, law schools are turning out more students, which reduces the demand.
