Medical Students with DUI's

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premed67783

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I started a thread a couple days ago asking advice about a possible DUI conviction. For those who haven't read it. . . I was charged with a DUI recently and im scared to death about how this will affect my acceptance into medical school.

I'd like to hear from people with DUI records that did get accepted into medical school and what your experience was with that.

Edit: As a sidenote, please do not post here if your purpose is to berate me or anyone with a DUI. I know it was a mistake and I have learned from it. Thank you.

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In our committee meetings when this comes up we think about it in terms of judgement. Most of us have been in that circumstance or could have if we were caught. But most of us grew up, too. If your DUI is only a few weeks or a few months ago you are showing that your judgment is not ideal. If the DUI is from your freshman year then that might be overlooked if your other attributes are strong and you own up to the incident.

Best wishes.
 
Did actually COMMIT a DUI? Being charged ≠ being guilty. If guilty, it doesn't look good. What Dr. School said is the obvious answer here -- it's going to get consideration and may hurt you significantly, esp. if you apply shortly after the incident. OTOH, if you're innocent, you should fight to get it completely off your record and you'll be fine.
 
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It's not good. Not good at all. Like Doc School said ... had it happened 4 years ago and you went through all the proper channels, learned your lesson, showed growth, etc, maybe ... but this just happened.

Also, unfortunately, there are far more qualified applicants than there are spots in medical school. This means that people with good stats, ecs, etc, and NO DUIs get rejected every year.

Frankly, and I'm sorry about this/trying to be direct, but not lecture you, but I think you're in trouble.

I've also heard (this is anecdotal) that a DUI can cause some licensing issues.
 
I was planning to apply this year to medical schools, but in light of this incident I'm considering doing a masters program first, and applying after another year. What are your thoughts on that?
 
In our committee meetings when this comes up we think about it in terms of judgement. Most of us have been in that circumstance or could have if we were caught. But most of us grew up, too. If your DUI is only a few weeks or a few months ago you are showing that your judgment is not ideal. If the DUI is from your freshman year then that might be overlooked if your other attributes are strong and you own up to the incident.

Best wishes.

Are you saying most of your admissions committee has driven drunk at some point?
 
Are you saying most of your admissions committee has driven drunk at some point?
oh no, they're humans and might have done something not exactly right!?
 
I was planning to apply this year to medical schools, but in light of this incident I'm considering doing a masters program first, and applying after another year. What are your thoughts on that?

You'll have the same problem and a slightly higher GPA a year from now.

I just read through the entire other thread you made, let me break a few things down:

1. You need to come to terms with this. You have this attitude like there is some way to completely wipe this away and that something out of a Greek tragedy happened to YOU. You can't, and it didn't.

2. The people who are lecturing in that thread are inane.

3. Even if this thing gets reduced, thrown out, etc ... there are going to be traces and schools are going to see it. Trust me, this is just the nature of the game. There are even secondaries that ask if you've ever been charged with anything. That's right ... not convicted, or plea bargained or innocent until proven otherwise ... just charged.

What I'm trying to say is that this thing is going to come up in some capacity, no matter what and a. You're going to have to accept that b. You cannot play the victim because it looks immature and will get you nowhere with adcoms c. lying and hiding stuff is far worse than anything you can put on the app.

4. Like others said ... get a lawyer, only listen to them, try to get this thing down to something better, but know that it will come up in some sense during the application cycle and this year or next year it will still hurt your chances.

Not trying to be harsh, not trying to lecture, just trying to be straight with you.
 
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This was discussed extensively in the other thread, but I'll state my opinion one more time: There is a huge difference between "DUI" and "driving drunk". You can get a DUI and not even be remotely drunk.

So no, I don't think Doctor School is saying that most of his/her admissions committee has driven drunk. At least I hope not! :p

What is the difference, for those that are uninitiated? I'm talking about a legal definition of "drunk," as in unsafe to drive a car. It need not be falling-down drunk to be considered drunk.
 
You'll have the same problem and a slightly higher GPA a year from now.

I should have explained better. My goal with taking a year off for the masters program was not to simply "erase" the DUI, but to give me a chance to grow up a little. I understand what a DUI shows about my maturity, not just do adcoms but to myself. I certainly don't want to start med school until I'm good and ready. I understand that you can't simply make a mistake like that and grow out of it the next day.
 
If you have advice for the OP ... give it. These threads always turn into a philosophical debate with soap box rants and horrible exaggerated examples and hyperbole mixed in.
 
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What is the difference, for those that are uninitiated? I'm talking about a legal definition of "drunk," as in unsafe to drive a car. It need not be falling-down drunk to be considered drunk.

Can we please not do this? The last thread turned into a huge debate about the morality of drinking and driving, which is what I want to avoid.
 
I should have explained better. My goal with taking a year off for the masters program was not to simply "erase" the DUI, but to give me a chance to grow up a little. I understand what a DUI shows about my maturity, not just do adcoms but to myself. I certainly don't want to start med school until I'm good and ready. I understand that you can't simply make a mistake like that and grow out of it the next day.

Let me rephrase then ... I personally don't think a year is enough time. I think it shows that you understand you're supposed to 'grow up' and act mature, so you did something to 'show' that, but didn't really. It's like when people do half-assed research projects for a semester just to throw it on an application. They tell adcoms they loved researching, are interested in continuing, etc, during an interview ... but the adcoms see through it, ya know??
 
Can we please not do this? The last thread turned into a huge debate about the morality of drinking and driving, which is what I want to avoid.

You got your answer from the source (doctor school). You made a mistake and you seemingly have learned your lesson. Nobody here can tell you exactly what will become of your application. Different adcoms - and the members comprising them - will all have their own points of view. You can (and must) explain your situation to them, but after that, it's out of your hands.
 
How long do you think is enough?

I know this isn't what you want to hear ... but I don't think there is some set number, where after x number of years you're cleared, you know?

If I had to throw something out there off the top of my head ... 3???

Again though, enough time to show you've grown, completed all the necessary things, changed your ways, moved on, etc. A year though ... too short.
 
I know this isn't what you want to hear ... but I don't think there is some set number, where after x number of years you're cleared, you know?

If I had to throw something out there off the top of my head ... 3???

Again though, enough time to show you've grown, completed all the necessary things, changed your ways, moved on, etc. A year though ... too short.

I knew someone with a DUI, although not a premed student. I think he told me it was 7 years, but I'm not entirely sure.
 
OP why not do first things first. If you haven't already, GET A LAWYER!!! Seriously get a lawyer, fight the case and u have a good chance of a pretrial intervention (especially with no priors) ~ nolle prossed or dropped/dismissed charges etc...

Med schools almost exclusively care about convictions, a few ask for charges on 2ndaries rather than convictions. If you don't get convicted, u have no worries then and let this be an eye opener.

Again get a lawyer, sorry if I sound like a broken record but I can't emphasize this enough, get off SDN and get a lawyer...:thumbup::thumbup:

Goodluck
 
I got one two years ago (downgraded to reckless driving because my BAC was under the limit). I'm not too worried.
 
Op, I second the advice to get a lawyer.

On the bright side, I know two students at my school that got in (one with a DUI, and one underage drinking and driving). They both had to write extra essays, etc. As an aside, they both are excellent students so they may have had great stats to mitigate their "offenses". I also have a friend who went to my undergrad that got into a different school with 2 DUI's and a drunk in public, I'm not sure how he pulled that one off!

Good Luck
 
Hey premed67783. I am in the same boat as you and I completely know how you feel. It took me a year to finally accept my DUI conviction and be okay with it. All you can do is move forward from it and understand that this DUI will hinder you from anything you do.. applying to medical school..jobs..etc. You just have to accept that you do have this DUI and there's nothing you can do to erase it. Trust me..I tried. Just stay positive and keep trying.

Others will have their own opinions about it and we have our own opinions through 1st hand experience. Seek support from the ones who care for you or who have been through the same. Let me tell you that it wasn't easy for me and that I hit rock bottom. Over time, it WILL get better. You're not alone and that it is not as uncommon as you think. I know 6 people who have gotten DUIs after me and they also have big futures ahead of them.

Please email me ([email protected]) if you're still struggling with this situation. I would gladly share my experiences and how I got through it. Good luck and stay strong.
 
I know a guy who got into Baylor and then got a DUI. They didn't rescind his acceptance, if that helps at all.
 
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I know a guy who got into Baylor and then got a DUI. They didn't rescind his acceptance, if that helps at all.


On the other hand, I had a friend in undergrad that got accepted to a DO school, got two DUIs, and got the acceptance rescinded.
 
I would get a lawyer if not already convicted. In some states, just showing up to court with a lawyer can knock it from DWI to reckless driving. The court doesn't want to deal with it.
 
Hey OP, sorry to hear about your DUI. I too received a DUI right before the medical school cycle - I re-parked my car in front of a bar one parking space forward so that I could get an extra 2 hours of street parking. I was able to make it past the AMCAS primary since I was yet to be convicted, but then my DUI mill lawyer just plead me guilty right before my secondaries so I had to discuss it then. My stats were still good enough to get me a few interviews at some decent schools, but most adcom committees and even I must agree that applying to medical school with such a recent criminal conviction is pretty insane. Hell, I only applied last cycle because I have a crazy Chinese mother that threatened to disown me unless I applied.

I know that it's probably not what you want to hear, but you don't really have a shot this cycle unless your stats are amazing, and even then it will be tough. I would wait at least a year. I am planning to do a PhD or J.D. program since many PhD's don't criminal background check at all and I have had friends with 2 DUI's and other ridiculous misdemeanors get into law school no problem- they really don't give a **** there I swear. Your other option is to get your DUI expunged, which requires payment of all fines, satisfaction of your probation period (3 years here in California), and then attending a 3-month DUI school. Afterwards you can legally say on job and school applications that you were never convicted of a crime. However, you must disclose all convictions, even expunged, to a state licensing board- i.e. this will come up again on your residency. Hopefully this will motivate you to perform very well in medical school so you can write this off as a stupid experience.

Honestly, when I was in DUI school, people got arrested for the most ridiculous things. One of my classmates was arrested for riding a fricking horse. Another one of my classmates was asleep in the backseat of his car and the keys were in his glove box. DUI's are just incredibly over-hyped in this country.
 
Having a DUI on your record will create issues for you throughout your life. For example, you will never be able to enter Canada and enjoy a vacation. The Canadians did make an exception for GW Bush when he was President, but unless you are the President of the United States, you will be stopped at the border.

Certainly, it will create problems getting admitted to med school. Applicants with a DUI do get admitted once in awhile, but usually a significant amount of time has elapsed between the med school application and the DUI conviction. Getting admitted to med school is tough but it is much tougher with a DUI on your record. Plus you cannot go to Canada.
 
Having a DUI on your record will create issues for you throughout your life. For example, you will never be able to enter Canada and enjoy a vacation. The Canadians did make an exception for GW Bush when he was President, but unless you are the President of the United States, you will be stopped at the border.

Certainly, it will create problems getting admitted to med school. Applicants with a DUI do get admitted once in awhile, but usually a significant amount of time has elapsed between the med school application and the DUI conviction. Getting admitted to med school is tough but it is much tougher with a DUI on your record. Plus you cannot go to Canada.

First of all, enjoy a vacation in Canada? LOL. Secondly, that's inaccurate. They don't run criminal background checks on everyone entering the Canadian border. And last I went to Canada, which wasn't too long ago, they didn't ask me any questions regarding a DUI. But seriously, you act like it's so horrible not to be able to go to Canada.

On the med school note, I would take a few years off and just distance your self from the incident so you can say you learned something from it.
 
First of all, enjoy a vacation in Canada? LOL. Secondly, that's inaccurate. They don't run criminal background checks on everyone entering the Canadian border. And last I went to Canada, which wasn't too long ago, they didn't ask me any questions regarding a DUI. But seriously, you act like it's so horrible not to be able to go to Canada.

On the med school note, I would take a few years off and just distance your self from the incident so you can say you learned something from it.

Canada does not run criminal background checks on everyone crossing the border but they do run random criminal background checks on a significant portion of the persons who seek entrance and you will not be allowed to enter Canada if you have a DUI on your record, which is regarded as a felony in Canada.

I am from the Pacific Northwest and there are ferries and cruise ships which run from Seattle to Canada every day. You would be surprised how often someone is not allowed to disembark the ship because of a DUI.

There are other countries that also have this policy. I was simply giving an example of how a DUI can impact your life in unexpected and unpleasant ways.

And, yes, Canada is a great place to vacation, if you like to fish for salmon or trout, or snowboard, or enjoy spectacular natural scenery, which I do.
 
getting indicted isn't same as being guilty...

either way...if you had one drink or got smashed, NEVER EVER EVER do a breathalyzer....can't convict you without solid evidence which is the BAC
 
A DUI will not prevent you from working in a hospital. One of the main reasons a background check is done is to ensure that you will not have trouble completing your clinical rotations once you get to that point. However, this does not mean that an admissions committee will not judge you for it. You have to give the committee reasons to want to interview you, and then accept you (so for example, if a student is accepted, then receives a DUI, it is much different than a student trying to impress an admissions committee with a previous one - IMO!). If you feel the reasons they will want to interview you will exceed the DUI judgement, go for it and apply. I would recommend taking a year off, continue some schooling or do some non-profit/community service based work. Seriously reflect upon your mistake so that when you do hopefully interview it will be completely genuine, because an adcom WILL ask you about it.

Goodluck! and no matter what people tell you, you're not a terrible person just because you made a mistake. I'm glad no one got hurt and hope that you will learn from it and continue to pursue your career!
 
Canada does not run criminal background checks on everyone crossing the border but they do run random criminal background checks on a significant portion of the persons who seek entrance and you will not be allowed to enter Canada if you have a DUI on your record, which is regarded as a felony in Canada.

I am from the Pacific Northwest and there are ferries and cruise ships which run from Seattle to Canada every day. You would be surprised how often someone is not allowed to disembark the ship because of a DUI.

There are other countries that also have this policy. I was simply giving an example of how a DUI can impact your life in unexpected and unpleasant ways.

And, yes, Canada is a great place to vacation, if you like to fish for salmon or trout, or snowboard, or enjoy spectacular natural scenery, which I do.

You should try Tahoe. Better than British Columbia.
 
You should try Tahoe. Better than British Columbia.

As someone who's been to both...

No.

But that's beside the point of the topic anyway, so let's let it go (and let me have the last word! :laugh:)
 
You should try Tahoe. Better than British Columbia.


I do snowboard at Tahoe. My younger brother lives at Tahoe and I spent my last Christmas break snowboarding with him. My girlfriend is from Utah and I have done alot of snowboarding at many of the top spots in Utah. I also have spent alot of time snowboarding in Colorado and Oregon where I grew up.

British Columbia is great. And it definitely has better fishing than Tahoe. But yeah, Tahoe is alot of fun.
 
I think sdn is acting too seriously about a DUI and everything else for that matters. Considering that a lot of states have zero tolerance now, a beer can get you a DUI, and you are nowhere near tipsy with one beer. Who hasn't gotten a small drink with coworkers (for those who have worked fulltime, as most of the adcoms have) on a Friday afternoon to wrap up a week and then driven home?! As long as you weren't falling out of your seat drunk or did other disruptive stuff, I would think that a nice sincerely written apology would be enough to push something like this out of ruining your chances. If your numbers are decent and had a great chance before the DUI, I would bet that you still have a great chance despite it. You should also contact a couple of schools' admissions people to which you are not really planning on applying and ask them what their position is.
 
lots of misinformation flying around this thread...

first of all, Canada is awesome and is a fine place to vacation

on that note, if one has a DUI conviction one may be barred from entering Canada. if they run your name and the conviction shows up, and it is more recent than, say, 10 years ago, you're probably not getting in. you can apply for special permission from the Canadian Consulate, but you need to do that ahead of time. same is true for US misdemeanor convictions of theft and assault

second, someone mentioned law schools not caring about DUI convictions. I don't know about that, but if you graduate law school and apply to sit for the bar exam (which you have to pass to get a license to practice law) you will be asked about criminal charges/convictions and a DUI may or may not bar you from even getting cleared to take the exam

third, whoever said just refuse to take the BAC is wrong. I don't know the law in all states, but in my state (and others) you can be arrested, charged and even convicted with no BAC evidence. additionally, you may lose your driver's license for one year because of the refusal to take the BAC

finally, zero tolerance? I'm fairly certain this is not true in any state (except with respect to drivers under age 21).

to the OP, call the admissions office of a med school or three and ask how your recent charge might affect your chances at admission.
 
lots of misinformation flying around this thread...

first of all, Canada is awesome and is a fine place to vacation

on that note, if one has a DUI conviction one may be barred from entering Canada. if they run your name and the conviction shows up, and it is more recent than, say, 10 years ago, you're probably not getting in. you can apply for special permission from the Canadian Consulate, but you need to do that ahead of time. same is true for US misdemeanor convictions of theft and assault

second, someone mentioned law schools not caring about DUI convictions. I don't know about that, but if you graduate law school and apply to sit for the bar exam (which you have to pass to get a license to practice law) you will be asked about criminal charges/convictions and a DUI may or may not bar you from even getting cleared to take the exam

third, whoever said just refuse to take the BAC is wrong. I don't know the law in all states, but in my state (and others) you can be arrested, charged and even convicted with no BAC evidence. additionally, you may lose your driver's license for one year because of the refusal to take the BAC

finally, zero tolerance? I'm fairly certain this is not true in any state (except with respect to drivers under age 21).

to the OP, call the admissions office of a med school or three and ask how your recent charge might affect your chances at admission.

Yeah, in North Carolina if you refuse all attempts to get a BAC reading, you instantly lose your license for a year. No maybe, it's just gone. What you can do is refuse a car breathalyzer and choose to get blood drawn at a hospital for your test, if you think that will help.

Regardless, a lawyer is who you should be talking to.

And about the Tahoe thing, I just grew up there and have vacationed in BC before. It was me giving Canada hard time, it's a fine place to vacation, although I prefer Toronto/Montreal to anyplace in BC. But I also prefer cities.

As for the original topic, there's at least 100 threads on DUIs, if not more. I think the general consensus is that it's very possible to get into medical school after receiving a DUI. But not directly after. You do need time to show a change in behavior. A lawyer might be able to get the charge reduced with a certain amount of community service/classes taken on your end. That's what you should be aiming for. If you can get it reduced to something lesser, you may not have to report it to medical schools at all. This will solve your problem. But if you can't, it's not the end of the world. But you may need to wait a few years to successfully get in. Don't give up.
 
I think sdn is acting too seriously about a DUI and everything else for that matters. Considering that a lot of states have zero tolerance now, a beer can get you a DUI, and you are nowhere near tipsy with one beer. Who hasn't gotten a small drink with coworkers (for those who have worked fulltime, as most of the adcoms have) on a Friday afternoon to wrap up a week and then driven home?! As long as you weren't falling out of your seat drunk or did other disruptive stuff, I would think that a nice sincerely written apology would be enough to push something like this out of ruining your chances. If your numbers are decent and had a great chance before the DUI, I would bet that you still have a great chance despite it. You should also contact a couple of schools' admissions people to which you are not really planning on applying and ask them what their position is.

Congratulations! You win the Gold Medal for the most ignorant post on SDN in the last 90 days! You have virtually no clue about the reality of the consequences of getting a DUI. It basically smokes your chances of getting into med school for years, and follows you around for the rest of your life creating problems.

Yeah, at your med school interview, in the unlikely event that you even get an interview, "Hey, I was not falling out my seat drunk, and I was polite to the cop, and I am just a kid, what is the big deal, hey man, I want to be a doc, and my mom wants me to be a doc, so what is the big deal, dude, can I call you, dude, even though I cannot count backward from 100 to 90.

A DUI is a disaster for a med school applicant. Reality.
 
Congratulations! You win the Gold Medal for the most ignorant post on SDN in the last 90 days! You have virtually no clue about the reality of the consequences of getting a DUI. It basically smokes your chances of getting into med school for years, and follows you around for the rest of your life creating problems.

Yeah, at your med school interview, in the unlikely event that you even get an interview, "Hey, I was not falling out my seat drunk, and I was polite to the cop, and I am just a kid, what is the big deal, hey man, I want to be a doc, and my mom wants me to be a doc, so what is the big deal, dude, can I call you, dude, even though I cannot count backward from 100 to 90.

A DUI is a disaster for a med school applicant. Reality.

Let's not get melodramatic. The fact that it hurts your chances for the next couple years is about as reality as it gets. It won't keep you from ever getting into medical school or a medical license. But it might require you to do something else for the next couple years. Hell, maybe that's for the best.
 
Let's not get melodramatic. The fact that it hurts your chances for the next couple years is about as reality as it gets. It won't keep you from ever getting into medical school or a medical license. But it might require you to do something else for the next couple years. Hell, maybe that's for the best.

Your comments are very naive and ill informed. Getting a DUI is not a death sentence in terms of med school admissions, but it will put you at a serious disadvantage, given the competition for med school. Yes, there is the occasional outlier with a DUI who gets admitted, but very few. It is not a matter of waiting a few years, and not getting arrested, and then you are good to go. That is silly.

Having a DUI on your record when you apply to med school is a HUGE DISADVANTAGE. To suggest otherwise, well, you need a reality check. You simply do not know what you are talking about and you are giving bad advice to the kids who should be careful because this is a big deal.

I am about to start my 4th year in med school. I have never met anyone in med school with a DUI. I am sure it happens but not often. So do not do it.
 
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Your comments are very naive and ill informed. Getting a DUI is not a death sentence in terms of med school admissions, but it will put you at a serious disadvantage, given the competition for med school. Yes, there is the occasional outlier with a DUI who gets admitted, but very few. It is not a matter of waiting a few years, and not getting arrested, and then you are good to go. That is silly.

Having a DUI on your record when you apply to med school is a HUGE DISADVANTAGE. To suggest otherwise, well, you need a reality check. You simply do not know what you are talking about and you are giving bad advice to the kids who should be careful because this is a big deal.

I am about to start my 4th year in med school. I have never met anyone in med school with a DUI. I am sure it happens but not often. So do not do it.

Well, you obviously think anecdotal evidence is good evidence.
 
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I got one two years ago (downgraded to reckless driving because my BAC was under the limit). I'm not too worried.

how do you get a dui if you were under the limit, failed sobriety tests?
 
how do you get a dui if you were under the limit, failed sobriety tests?

In most states, you can get a DUI a lot of things outside of drinking. The only requirement is the police officer thinking you are too "under the influence" of anything (including sleep deprivation) that you shouldn't be driving.
 
I think sdn is acting too seriously about a DUI and everything else for that matters. Considering that a lot of states have zero tolerance now, a beer can get you a DUI, and you are nowhere near tipsy with one beer. Who hasn't gotten a small drink with coworkers (for those who have worked fulltime, as most of the adcoms have) on a Friday afternoon to wrap up a week and then driven home?! As long as you weren't falling out of your seat drunk or did other disruptive stuff, I would think that a nice sincerely written apology would be enough to push something like this out of ruining your chances. If your numbers are decent and had a great chance before the DUI, I would bet that you still have a great chance despite it. You should also contact a couple of schools' admissions people to which you are not really planning on applying and ask them what their position is.

you're an idiot

i really just wanna leave it at that but i can't...
do you honestly think an adcom or interviewer is going to look up what state you are from and review the exact law of the dui or your exact case. they have lots of apps to go through and lots of interviews where they don't have to go out of their way to fish for proof of your innocence.

honestly, the physician profession doesn't need somebody who thinks that just short of puking is the indicator of drunken driving. your thoughts are reckless and irresponsible. have a stay in a local ER and tell the nurses your opinion. jes*s
 
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Well, you obviously think anecdotal evidence is good evidence.


Well, yeah, three years of med school, with many friends in med schools around the country, probably trumps a kid who has never been to med school in his life, so I suppose so. I probably do have a better perspective than you do, at this point in your life, on these issues. My perspective is probably flawed, we are all flawed aren't we, but my advice is likely to be more helpful than your own on these issues, because I am a little further down the road, and I am trying to help the folks.

Do I have perfect clarity on med school admissions. No, but the odds are, I know alot more about this than you do.

Be a little bit more humble, Grasshopper! It will serve you well.
 
In most states, you can get a DUI a lot of things outside of drinking. The only requirement is the police officer thinking you are too "under the influence" of anything (including sleep deprivation) that you shouldn't be driving.

i believe you can be pulled over for a dui, but if your bac is below you would be charged with reckless or careless driving. if you fail three sobriety tests usually you are considered impaired, regardless of a blood test. i understand you can get pulled over for dui without drinking at all or under some sort of chemical influence, but i don't see how you can be charged with this after the facts come in (unless sobriety tests were failed). as soon as they rule it out they will charge you for the original offense you were pulled over for that caused the suspicion.
 
Well, yeah, three years of med school, with many friends in med schools around the country, probably trumps a kid who has never been to med school in his life, so I suppose so. I probably do have a better perspective than you do, at this point in your life, on these issues. My perspective is probably flawed, we are all flawed aren't we, but my advice is likely to be more helpful than your own on these issues, because I am a little further down the road, and I am trying to help the folks.

Do I have perfect clarity on med school admissions. No, but the odds are, I know alot more about this than you do.

Be a little bit more humble, Grasshopper! It will serve you well.

Bro, don't call me grasshopper. You're a small speck of sand in the large pool of medical students out there. I'm sure you have 300 medical school friends. I'm sure... All of which with perfect records. Regardless, your stories are anecdotal and not worth anything when it comes to the reality of DUIs and medical school. You're the one that needs to check your hubris.
 
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i believe you can be pulled over for a dui, but if your bac is below you would be charged with reckless or careless driving. if you fail three sobriety tests usually you are considered impaired, regardless of a blood test. i understand you can get pulled over for dui without drinking at all or under some sort of chemical influence, but i don't see how you can be charged with this after the facts come in (unless sobriety tests were failed). as soon as they rule it out they will charge you for the original offense you were pulled over for that caused the suspicion.

In North Carolina, which is where I've lived for the majority of my 16+ life, you can be charged with a DUI even without a BAC over .08 which is our legal driving limit. I'm not sure about all states, but I'm pretty sure we're not the only one like this. That's what the trial is for in a lot of cases. Some people get out of DUIs, it's not because they were all dead guilty of it at the time.

Fyi, I'm not talking about the morality of drunk driving. Just the reality of the laws that are in place.
 
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