Career Development for Legally Trained Interdisciplinary Researchers in Aging and Health Sciences

Project Summary The value of legally trained researchers is well established, yet there is a dearth of training and mentorship opportunities to help develop sustainable and effective research careers. First, the curriculum at major U.S. law schools generally does not include technical training on empirical research. Additionally, unlike other doctoral training programs, most JD graduates are unlikely to publish during their program. Thus, JDs may not appreciate how to translate their skills into a successful research career. Second, legally trained scholars with faculty appointments outside of law schools are usually the only faculty member with a “JD” in their department. This both creates different demands on their time and hinders potential mentorship on how to advance research that harnesses a unique skill set. Additionally, legally trained researchers are more likely to feel isolated in their career path, a sentiment emphasized throughout preliminary gatherings and workshops used to inform the development of this proposal. The objective of this proposed Conference Grant is to support a one-day workshop aimed at providing legal researchers with knowledge and skills that will help them develop and implement impactful research that advances health sciences. The proposed Workshop builds upon several years of developing a supportive community of similarly situated researchers. In June 2023, we successfully hosted the first half-day workshop providing content relevant to career development for JDs with faculty appointments or career paths in health sciences (e.g., schools of medicine, public health). We now seek to sustainably advance this Workshop with a focus on developing a network of legally trained researchers who are poised to lead and contribute to rigorous studies that harness the impact of law on health and public health. The proposed Workshop will provide needed training that is beneficial to new and established researchers and assures that legally trained researchers are equipped to build a sustainable career that advances health sciences.