Originally Posted 11/12/12 on ChancellorU.edu

Paralegal studies degrees allow virtually anyone who has a passion for law an opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. The projected employment growth rate stands at 18%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For those with a medical background –nurses, EMTs, physicians and others – it can be even more rewarding.

According to Gretchen Fleming, Director of the Center for Law & Justice and Legal Studies Program Chair at Chancellor University, the demand for paralegal professionals with a background in the medical field is at an all-time high and projected to continue its growth at an unprecedented rate.

“Every firm I visit asks, ‘Do you have anyone with medical background? Send them to us, we want them,’” said Fleming. “The demand for law professionals with a medical background is exceptionally high.”

As demand skyrockets for individuals with this type of knowledge, one might ponder why a paralegal would ever benefit from experience in the medical field.

In fact, a multitude of litigation now requires specific medical knowledge, including medical malpractice, social security disability and personal injury suits, to name just a few. Each of these cases requires a medical expert familiar with both medical and legal terminology and procedures to determine whether the actions taken leading up to the suits were reasonable or negligent with respect to the details of each specific case.

“We don’t want medical professionals to think of the opportunity to work in a law firm as a career change or a switch,” said Fleming. “We see it as a way to use the expertise they already have in a new and exciting way.”

Plus, working in a law firm is a great opportunity for hard working medical personnel to finally get off of their feet while still utilizing years of experience in an important way.  Truly ambitious individuals may even decide they don’t need to leave their current jobs to pursue a medical paralegal career, and can put their education to use as paralegal consultants or work on a part-time basis.

So what do you need to do to take your medical background to the next level and become a medical paralegal? Chancellor University’s post-baccalaureate paralegal studies certificate allows interested medical professionals to accelerate their education by eliminating additional courses and focusing only on the paralegal curriculum to reduce the time it takes to earn your degree to a single year.

Once student have completed the required courses, they can begin a new and rewarding facet of their medical career.

Want to find out more about our Legal Studies program? Check out this program overview video.

For more information about the Chancellor University’ paralegal education certificate, or to find out how you can put your experience in the medical field to new use, contact CUAdmissions@ChancellorU.edu or call 216.391.6937.