Before beginning her law career, Dr. Annette Clark, who is dean of Seattle University School of Law, had her sights on medicine.
During her time at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, Clark found that practicing medicine was not for her. She discovered that she had far-below-average normal visual spatial abilities and hand-eye coordination, making it difficult to perform at a level that was consistent with her expectations, as well as the level needed to keep patients safe.
“While I could master the intellectual aspect of medicine, the actual art of it and practice eluded me,” says Clark. “It was one of those circumstances where I discovered my own limitations, so I just decided to pursue a career that allowed me to think and speak and write but didn’t require me to do it in the way that medicine did.”
Clark’s participation in medical-legal consulting while in medical school led her to pursue law further at Seattle University School of Law. Additionally, Clark found that transitioning from medical school to law school provided her with some additional benefits.
“Having been to medical school and then coming into legal education gave me a really nice ability to be able to compare medical education and legal education,” says Clark. “And I’ve been able to see some value in moving legal education closer to the medical model.”
She was hired by her alma mater to join their faculty during her third year of law school. Upon graduating, Clark took the bar exam and then immediately began teaching.
“It really reveals the power of having faculty who get to know you and mentor you,” says Clark. “I had two or three faculty members who encouraged me to go into the academy of teaching and mentored me throughout the application process.”
