“If you want to show employers that you stand out and are interested in practicing in the field of health law, you’ve got to have something on your resume that demonstrates that,” says Danny Bush, a current JD-MHA candidate.

Bush, like many in the combined degree program, was looking to differentiate himself and gain experience in both the legal profession and the health care industry when he decided to pursue a career in health law.

“Doing the [combined] degree program puts you in a small circle of individuals who are united with a strong passion for health care and who are all helpful, nice, and very successful,” says Bush.

Something many people don't know is that the state of Iowa is one of the leading epicenters of health care in the United States. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) is world renowned for their quality care and cutting edge research. With the main hospital location just steps from Iowa Law's Boyd Law Building and the College of Public Health, it provides a unique opportunity for students to get fully immersed in big scale health care operations without having to leave Iowa City.  

The JD-MHA program allows students to simultaneously pursue their juris doctor and masters of health administration in 8 semesters, or 4 years. Students applying to this program must be accepted into the University of Iowa College of Law and the College of Public Health. Students in the combined degree program get the advantage of belonging to both graduate colleges and their respective alumni networks.

Bush will be joining several Iowa Law alums after graduation as he recently accepted a position to join the health care group of McGuireWoods LLP as an associate attorney in Chicago. He will be working with healthcare clients doing mergers, acquisitions, and health care regulatory work.

Courses are completed through both colleges with the first year being spent entirely in the law school. Combined degree students may get involved in opportunities provided through each college such as research opportunities or intensive workshops. 

One such workshop is the winter medical seminar where Iowa Law students spend 40 to 45 hours a week at the university hospitals. Mornings are spent going on rounds with physicians in departments in the hospital—neurology, internal medicine, pediatrics-neonatal intensive care, psychiatry, or palliative care. In the afternoon, the students attend various seminars hosted by medical professionals on topics such as safety and processes in the health care setting, diversity and inclusion, informed consent and involuntary treatment, patient confidentiality, and end-of-life care. The seminar was developed and taught by Professor Sheldon Kurtz, who also had an appointment in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, and Professor Anya Prince, who was awarded a five-year Pathway to Independence Award from the National Human Genome Research Institute to examine the use of genetic information by life, long-term care, and disability insurers.  

In addition to such programs, the combined degree can be completed a year earlier than pursuing them separately.

For alums such as George Tzanetakos (JD17, MHA17), the condensed timeline was what attracted him to the program. Tzanetakos considered medical school during his undergraduate degree, however, he was dissuaded by the 7 to 10 years it would take him to complete a graduate degree in medicine.

“I really liked the idea that you could have both degrees in four years” says Tzanetakos, “it was a big selling point for me.”

Tzanetakos is currently an associate at McDermott, Will & Emory and advises hospitals, health systems, and other health industry clients on mergers, acquisitions, affiliations, and joint ventures. 

The JD-MHA is one of many combined degree offerings through the University of Iowa and the College of Law. Support for pursuing multiple degrees is offered by both colleges and an informed Career Services staff.

“The willingness of Iowa to work with a dual degree was remarkably flexible,” says Ammon Fillmore (JD10, MHA10).

“I did not have trouble navigating the program and never thought to myself ‘gosh how am I going to get this done’.” Fillmore still returns to the College of Law and College of Public Health for seminars and reunions and now serves as general counsel and a privacy officer for Indiana Health Information Exchange.

From compliance to leadership, and everything in between, graduates of the program are making an impact in today's complex health care environment.

Are you interested in pursuing a JD-MHA or another combined degree? More information on the program can be found here or you can speak to Career Services to get connected with alumni from this program.