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Inside the Blue Book
Learning from L.A.
May
2002
by Jennifer L. Holley
History
457
Topics in Southern California History
Faculty: John Mack Faragher, Arthur Unobskey Professor of History
One
of the most stimulating aspects of medical school,for Kenneth Baum, was talking about bioethics and health law. By enrolling simultaneously at the Law School, Baum says he "had the
opportunity to make a medical-legal niche at Yale." An early step
involved creating the Yale Health and Law Society.
Now,
in addition to working at Wiggin & Dana as a litigator who specializes
in medical malpractice defense, Baum continues to bridge the disciplines
with a residential college seminar called "Landmark Legal Cases
in Bioethics." His 18 students represent such interests as premed,
law, history, and theology. "Bioethics needs multiple perspectives
if you want to get something out of it," he says. The class has
had fiery debates over such socially contentious issues and cases
as abortion (Roe v. Wade) and euthanasia (People v. Kevorkian).
Confronting
issues of medical care in a critical way -- from both legal and
medical perspectives -- can be beneficial. "In medicine, things
are very often black and white; you rely heavily on tests and lab
values," Baum says. "Law can shed light on all the shades of gray."
By
getting future doctors and lawyers in a classroom together, Baum
hopes to bridge the gap (earlier rather than later) between two
professions that, historically, have had a strained relationship.
He tells the students who are going to become doctors that chances
are they will have a malpractice suit filed against them
at some point. "It's human nature to want to blame someone," Baum
says. "I'm letting them know what to expect when it's their turn."  |
