multiple institutional actions, give up on med school?

[Alcoholathlete]

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[piii]

Many applicants have an IA for drinking and it's no big deal. But 4? You're basically telling med schools that you were unable to control yourself and adjust in a whole year and a half. I'm not an adcom but I think you're done for a while. Let's see what @LizzyM @Goro think

 

[deleted407021]

Lol, fitting name OP.

 

[Lost in Translation]

Conjecture but most here would likely tell you to hold off on applying to med school for a few years.

I'll echo that. The rest of your app (assuming you are going to up the clinical hours like you say) is solid, and will likely get you interviews at top 20 schools. But the multiple alcohol IA is certainly a red flag. Give it time, though. It's not nearly as killing as a plagiarism/cheating offense.

 

[Goro]

Four violations either smacks of a drinking problem, or worse, that you didn't learn your lessons. The fact that you have led an exemplary life since then, your gap year, and your otherwise outstanding app may be your salvation.

So, explain what you did in the appropriate boxes on the app forms, and OWN YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS.

But as pointed out above, the screen name is concerning. If you're still drinking, I suggest that you stop. Now.

From my freshman to first-semester sophomore year I was written up for university alcohol violations four separate times (all underage possession of alcohol, only dealt with by the university, non-criminal).

Really dumb since I feel like I would have an otherwise pretty strong app. At the time, I just immature and constantly putting myself in bad situations.

Should I even bother applying in the future? I've had no issues since.

Other info:

3.7 cGPA & sGPA

513 MCAT

D1 Athlete - Multiple Awards, nationally ranked

2 years of research, plus poster presentation at national conference

3 year student tutor

6 years youth-sports coach

Approx 100 hours non-clinical volunteering

40 hours clinical volunteering (was planning on taking gap year for this and shadowing)

20 hours shadowing

 

[Mwooster]

my reaction at work when I read about the 4 alcohol related IAs

Have you thought about entering rehab with this man?

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

You look good on paper and you are owning your mistakes. I feel that if you take a couple gap years before you apply you'd have a better than fair chance of getting in.

4 IAs for the same thing is pretty ridiculous but a long period of exemplary behavior can show how you've changed and grown as a person.

 

[Doodledreams]

This is totally unsolicited but if you feel that alcohol has a grip on you still and haven't sought out help please do. Don't blame yourself, it's not immaturity... it's a disease. Aside from therapy there are medications that might be able to help you.

 

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

Four violations either smacks of a drinking problem, or worse, that you didn't learn your lessons. The fact that you have led an exemplary life since then, your gap year, and your otherwise outstanding app may be your salvation.

So, explain what you did in the appropriate boxes on the app forms, and OWN YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS.

But as pointed out above, the screen name is concerning. If you're still drinking, I suggest that you stop. Now.

I interpret the screen name as similar to the old "Dear Abby" nom de plume that addresses the nature of their letter.

 

[Alcoholathlete]

Thanks for the honest advice, guys. Looks like I'll just continue to volunteer and shadow for a gap year or two. Possibly reevaluate once I graduate this spring.

@idontwatchgreysanatomy The name was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, glad somebody picked up on it haha.

@Doodledreams I honestly appreciate the concern, but as I said my write ups were seriously just due to my own immaturity. My school tends to be really strict about underage possession, so simply having alcohol in your room, regardless of whether it is yours or your roommates will lead to conduct violations. I would like to point out that none of the violations deal with being intoxicated, just possession. Still, I am the only one to blame because I put myself in these situations.

 

[LFC85]

Thanks for the honest advice, guys. Looks like I'll just continue to volunteer and shadow for a gap year or two. Possibly reevaluate once I graduate this spring.

@idontwatchgreysanatomy The name was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, glad somebody picked up on it haha.

@Doodledreams I honestly appreciate the concern, but as I said my write ups were seriously just due to my own immaturity. My school tends to be really strict about underage possession, so simply having alcohol in your room, regardless of whether it is yours or your roommates will lead to conduct violations. I would like to point out that none of the violations deal with being intoxicated, just possession. Still, I am the only one to blame because I put myself in these situations.

Could you also get involved with alcohol awareness programs, or even in the local rehab facilities? I was a monumental screw up in high school and got arrested more than once for drinking, and now work in the jails with people who made mistakes like I did.

When you get caught drinking underage, one of the ways you can show that you want to make it right is to attend AA as a guest and go to rehab meetings. If this is not necessary for you, you could still participate as a volunteer in such programs, and meaningfully show others in your situation that you can correct that behavior and succeed, as you have done.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Yeah, I feel like adcoms would probably forgive four IAs for drinking if you mentioned that you are currently receiving help for your drinking problem. It's pretty obvious that you have one, but we love redemption stories, particularly if you have good numbers.

 

[mimelim]

From my freshman to first-semester sophomore year I was written up for university alcohol violations four separate times (all underage possession of alcohol, only dealt with by the university, non-criminal).

Really dumb since I feel like I would have an otherwise pretty strong app. At the time, I just immature and constantly putting myself in bad situations.

Should I even bother applying in the future? I've had no issues since.

Other info:

3.7 cGPA & sGPA

513 MCAT

D1 Athlete - Multiple Awards, nationally ranked

2 years of research, plus poster presentation at national conference

3 year student tutor

6 years youth-sports coach

Approx 100 hours non-clinical volunteering

40 hours clinical volunteering (was planning on taking gap year for this and shadowing)

20 hours shadowing

I'm one of the harshest people on this site when it comes to IAs. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't think much of the IAs. 3+ years since last infraction, assuming that your application is as good/better than you are saying, wouldn't care about them. High production in multiple fields, working with kids for many years.

 

[Glandzburg]

To be fair, perhaps OP really did go to an overly strict school. I mean come on, how many freshmen would have 4+ IAs if they got one every time they drank or possessed alcohol in a dorm room? I just don't think this screams "alcohol problem," but I can see how it would concern some.

EDIT: I'm not saying that OP shouldn't have learned his lesson after the first 1 or 2, as obviously he should have.

 

[deleted647690]

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