Legal education in the training of health professionals in Ghana: the need for legislative and curricular reforms

The present paper critically analyses the essence of legal education in the training of medical professionals in Ghana. It argues that health professionals lack the requisite knowledge in law, especially the legal implications of medical malpractice, and calls for legislative and curricular reforms in institutions engaged in the training of health professionals to reflect a legal education component. The authors opine that the basic medical law curriculum should be focused on the kinds of legal problems that physicians encounter most frequently in practice rather than on sensational cases. The authors are of the view that the curriculum should address the clarification of central concepts in law, the ability to apply the concepts, decision‐making procedures, acquisition of legal knowledge in tortuous and criminal matters relevant to the medical profession. This view sets objectives for teaching medical law to medical students and young doctors.