Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Prof. Knudsen and Prof. Kessler receive College of Health interdisciplinary education grant

Prof. Kristin Knudsen, J.D., Justice faculty and Prof. Bree Kessler, Department of Health Sciences, have been awarded a College of Health Interdisciplinary Education Grant.

Together they will be developing a half-day mock trial event related to a health care topic. The mock trial will take place in Fall 2014 and provide an interactive learning environment for the discussion of health and law.

Fall 2014 students in Prof. Knudsen's LEGL 385 Health Care Law and Prof. Kessler's HS 220 Core Concept in Health Sciences classes will participate in the mock trial as one of the lawyers, judges, or jurors in the case. They will be given relevant court case information and course materials to assist them in preparing.

Prof. Knudsen and Prof. Kessler note that the goal of this collaboration is to allow students to better understand each others' areas of study and to interact in a classroom prior to interacting in their real world field.  Students training in a science-based curriculum are accustomed to evidence-based protocols, while students in legal training are taught to navigate uncertainty and risk.