MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the next two years, Tanya Karwaki will teach and mentor law students and conduct legal research in health care issues as the first Health Law Fellow at WVU Law.
“I am excited to work in this position because it permits me to share my experience in health law and policy with WVU law students,” said Karwaki. “Health law is a dynamic, complex, heavily regulated and important subject area with broad societal impact and potential for rewarding legal careers. It is important to consider and develop legal frameworks that may facilitate the contemporary practice of pharmacy and increased access to quality health care.”
This semester, Karwaki is teaching a seminar on law and policy of medical drugs for second- and third-year students. While on Law School Hill, Karwaki is also continuing her research on the role of law in improving access to health care, the legal challenges created by the globalization of health care, and innovations in pharmacy law.
Karwaki comes to WVU Law from the University of Washington, where she taught in the school of law and in the pharmacy program. She holds expertise in drug law, health care professionalism, pharmacy law and health policy.
Karwaki previously served as director of the Barer Institute for Law and Global Human Services at the University of Washington, as counsel to the Washington State Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee, and as a law clerk for Washington Superior Court and Court of Appeals.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Karwaki earned her J.D., LL.M., and Ph.D. in Law from the University of Washington, and her M.A. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis.
The Health Law Fellow at WVU is fully funded by private support from Cynthia Turco of New Bern, North Carolina. A 1975 graduate of the WVU College of Law, Turco is the vice president of legal affairs for Carolina East Health System. She created the fellowship position with input from Valarie Blake, WVU associate professor of law.
“There is a significant need for well-prepared health law attorneys to serve this growing area of our profession,” said Turco. “I am grateful to Dean Greg Bowman, Professor Valarie Blake and others who are committed to the development of a high-quality health law program at West Virginia University. The addition of a Health Law Fellow is an important and encouraging step in that process.”
-WVU-
cb/09/24/19
