J.D./M.D. Joint Degree

Overview

The University of Miami School of Law in partnership with the University’s Miller School of Medicine propose to offer a joint MD/JD degree program. The law curriculum prepares medical students for careers in health sector law, leadership and policy. It also prepares future physicians for legal aspects of running a private medical practice or heading a group practice.

This joint program allows students to obtain both MD and JD degrees in six years. The first two years are spent in the MD program. Years three and four are focused on the JD degree and the final two years are spent completing the MD degree and the final JD credits.

In the third year, students will complete the standard first year J.D. curriculum at the School of Law for a total of 32 credits. During the fourth year, it is expected that students will complete a total of 33 credits. There are an additional 12 credits of coursework to be completed in the School of Law which will take the form of summer courses and/or intersession courses. The total number of credits to be completed through coursework at the Law School for the JD degree is 77. The remaining 11 of the 88 required JD credits will be transferred from the Medical School course work and will be double-counted toward both degrees. These credits may include co-listed courses, such as the Idea of a Hospital, an interdisciplinary course co-listed in both the Law School and Medical School (as well as other UM Schools). Students will be able to take co-listed courses and register in the program where the student would like the credits to apply. Of course, co-listed courses are particularly suitable to double-counting for the J.D. degree when taken as a Medical School course.

The Law School expects the list of recommended courses to expand in the future. Opportunities for practicums and externships will be developed as part of this program. Students will receive their J.D. degree during the May graduation of their sixth year of the joint program because some of the credits to be transferred from the School of Medicine will be taken their 6th year when electives are built into the medical school curriculum. An elective course offering which will be required for this joint degree is the Medical Legal Clinic (offered as either a 2-credit or 4-credit course) sponsored by the Law School and offered through the School of Medicine. Students who have completed all but the last five credits may walk at Law School graduation with their law school cohort. (Please note that the 11 credits from the Medical School to be transferred to the J.D. program may not be from any Medical School courses taken prior to matriculation in the Law School.)

Curriculum Requirements - MD/JD

Sample Plan of Study

This sample plan of study is based on several assumptions:

1. Students will begin in the MD program;
2. The program will be promoted to MD students in their first year of Medical School;
3. Students will apply to Law School no later than January 1st of their second year of Medical School;
4. Students will complete three integrated clerkships before enrolling in the law school in August of year 3;
5. Students must take the USMLE Step 1 exam after the third integrated clerkship between June and August of Year 3.
6. Students will be required to complete 77 credits of coursework (including law clinics, practicum, externships, and/or intersession courses) in the Law School with 11 credits being applied from coursework in the M.D. program

Students complete the NextGenMD Phase 1: Pre-Clerkship, then take three integrated clerkships in the Phase 2: Integrated Clerkships, sit for USMLE Step 1 examination between June and August during Phase 2, and start the Law Curriculum Fall of their third year.

After completing the first year law curriculum, students take 5-6 law credits during summer session; they then have 2 weeks of vacation before starting their second year of law studies.

Students will take 16-17 credits each semester during their second year of law school. After completing second year law curriculum students will take 5-6 law credits during summer session following their second year. At the end of their second summer of Law School, each student must have completed a total of 77 JD credits at the Law School.

Students will return to the medical curriculum to complete the last integrated clerkship in Phase 2. They are expected complete the USMLE STEP 2 CK and CS examination during the Phase 2/3 intersession and then proceed to Phase 3: Advanced.