Posted by Post Authored by Katherine V. Schostok
One of the many highlights for Health Law Fellows at DePaul University College of Law’s Jaharis Health Law Institute (“JHLI”) is the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Summer Scholars Program. Each summer, JHLI partners with health law employers across the field, including health systems, law firms, medical associations, and pharmaceutical companies. These organizations throughout the Chicagoland area provide highly selective summer externship placements for Summer Scholars. The students work up to 30 hours a week and receive a stipend and course credit.
As a top-tier, nationally ranked Health Law program, DePaul provides law students with a multitude of opportunities to gain real-world, practical experience with future employers through externships and other placement programs. These and other DePaul-sponsored networking opportunities directly resulted in a variety of employment options for me. Upon joining a large law firm, I immediately recognized how exceptionally well those opportunities had helped me prepare for the challenges of practicing Health Law in a fast-paced environment.
Jason Greis (JD ’05)
For the selected students, the program offers an unmeasured opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best in the field. Students who participated in the 2019 Summer Scholar program worked at Advocate Health Care, Lurie Children’s Medical Center, The Joint Commission, in both the Ethics and Science and Policy Groups at the American Medical Association, Alera Group, and R1 RCM, in both the compliance department and the Office of the General Counsel. Some of the past employers include Husch Blackwell, Rush Medical Center, Baxter International, United Benefit Advisors, Nixon Peabody, Hill-Rom and Sinai Health System. The students participating in this program report amazing experiences and the ability to hone their skills in the health care setting.
Working as a Summer Extern at Lurie Children’s Hospital Through the Jaharis Summer Scholar Program has been a rewarding and enlightening experience. My placement at Lurie’s has exposed me to a variety of issues within the field of Health Law. The attorneys at Lurie’s have been incredible mentors and the real-world experience I have gained is invaluable.
Katie Johnson, Summer Scholar at Lurie Children’s Medical Center
While the JHLI offers students an excellent foundation in health law through extensive course offerings and on-campus programming, these summer placements give them an unparalleled opportunity to apply the skills they learn at DePaul so they can hit the ground running after graduation. In addition to professional experience, the program also offers great networking experiences. Students have the opportunity to work with some of the top health legal professionals in the Chicago area and often work alongside alumni of the College of Law.
During the summer before my 2L year, I had the opportunity to work as a compliance intern at United Benefit Advisors. Through this position, I researched and drafted a publication on COBRA liability in mergers and acquisitions, provided support to the compliance department by reviewing and editing documents on topics such as Association Health Plans, and developed a broad knowledge of group health plan topics. The group health plan topics included plan documents and nondiscrimination rules. I had such a wonderful experience as a Summer Scholar, which enhanced my knowledge as a legal professional.
Elisabeth Volk, Summer Scholar at United Benefit Advisors
The program has proven rewarding not only for the students but also the employers. Many have asked the Scholars to continue working for them during the school year or have developed additional externship opportunities for DePaul students. The Summer Scholars Program stands out as one of the greatest facets of the Institute. Students who participate set themselves apart and use the experience as a catapult for successful health law careers.
JHLI is instrumental in exposing students to the many and ever-changing facets of Health Law. The Institute has the best-in-class professors; offers students opportunities to learn from respected individuals and hosts networking events with local practitioners, who provide their time and knowledge to the Institute throughout the year.
Danielle H. Capilla (JD ’08)
Click here to learn more about Health Law Fellows Program through DePaul University College of Law’s Jaharis Health Law Institute.
About the Author:
Katherine Schostok serves as the executive director of the Health Law Institute at DePaul University College of Law. She continues to practice in the field of health law as an attorney advisor to the Social Security Administration, Office of Disability, Adjudication, and Review. She also serves as an adjunct professor at DePaul University College of Law and The John Marshall Law School in the areas of health care fraud and abuse, the structure of the health care enterprise, professional and institutional liability, and health care reform. Schostok received her JD and health law certificate from DePaul University College of Law. She continued her study of health law through a Master of Laws in Health Law degree at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Schostok is widely published in the areas of health law, risk management, health care technology and health care regulation. She has completed extensive research and comparative analyses of apology and full disclosure programs implemented by various hospitals in the Midwest region. She lectures and provides continuing legal education courses throughout the Chicagoland area on risk management techniques and recommended disclosure guidelines.