Commentary: collaboration in dual degree programs contributes something new to both fields

Dual degree programs in public health and law have blossomed in the United States and beyond. They are traditionally promoted on the premise that public health efforts often require legal authority to legitimize and implement their goals and objectives, and that participation of lawyers safeguards respect for individual rights, privacy, and autonomy against governmental intrusion in furtherance of public health objectives. Thus, lawyers who understand public health are far more valuable in promoting population health than traditional constitutional and administrative law practitioners without such understanding. On the public health side, epidemiologists and other practitioners trained in the law ensure that reliable data inform public policy. In the classroom, we have found that dual degree students enrich the educational experience in both fields, broadening understanding and creating conversations that transcend law or public health alone.