Question about a DUI and pharmacy schools in Florida

[Pharm439]

Hi! I wanted to know if anybody out there had a DUI misdemeanor but still ended up getting accepted to Pharmacy school. I am asking for a friend and he has close to a 4.0 GPA, a almost perfect PCAT score, and hundreds of hours in community service. From what I have been searching, it seems like a lot of pharmacy schools don't. But I would like more input on what happened to actual students who tried to apply with the same problem.
Thank you so much! Any help would help me

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[naabilly]

Hi! I wanted to know if anybody out there had a DUI misdemeanor but still ended up getting accepted to Pharmacy school. I am asking for a friend and he has close to a 4.0 GPA, a almost perfect PCAT score, and hundreds of hours in community service. From what I have been searching, it seems like a lot of pharmacy schools don't. But I would like more input on what happened to actual students who tried to apply with the same problem.
Thank you so much! Any help would help me

I don't know about getting in, but I know a few people who got DUIs while in school... For Florida you have to pass a level 2 background I believe so idk.... best of luck to your friend.

 

[lord999]

The matter is whether you can secure an intern license within the state of the school you are accepted to. UF used to be real particular about it (under Hepler at the ADCOM, absolutely not but it's much relaxed from those days), you have to disclose it in your application, and you might be admitted to the intern license and forced to enter the impaired pharmacist program at the exact same time at your personal expense and time.

AZ won't admit to my knowledge (served on the Midwestern and U of A ADCOMs) if in recent memory due to the political stance of our Board on intemperance (besides the usual religious representation, getting a DUI in AZ is fairly difficult unless you are driving erratically or have an open container). We had several someone's end up in the impaired pharmacists program, and both schools tend to take a lenient stance as the Board takes a harsh one toward them. I know the metropolitan DEA Field Offices in AZ or FL (especially Miami) will not issue signatory 222 authority to an impaired pharmacist as a PIC due to problems in both states.

This was discussed some years ago as well:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pharmacy-school-entry-with-dui.651159/

 

[sozetone]

Was your friend convicted guilty of DUI? what was final case disposition. A good lawyer can get the charge reduced to reckless driving and usually get adjudication with held. meaning NO conviction. UNLESS, there were serious aggrivating issues, like property damage, bodily injury or death..etc. BAC > 0.15 = harsher punishment. Hopefully he didn't blow....And stop DRINKING AND DRIVING .....FLORIDA really messes you up with that now adays. They make a fortune off of DUI'S and hand them out like candy. A guilty conviction of DUI NEVER goes away, cannot be sealed. so yeah he may have a problem.....it's up to the schools discretion really. They will probably just throw the application to the bottom considering they have roughly 400-500 applicants for a 200 seat campus....

 

[BryRamTOX]

I had a similar circumstance. I actually had two DUI's when I was young and dumb. I got into 5/6 schools I applied to with that information disclosed. The one that turned me down "lost" my application and offered me a late interview and I said no thanks.

I was incredibly nervous about bringing up my past to admission committees, state licensing boards and employers, it's definitely a hard hole to try and dig yourself out of. With that said, it is doable.

First and foremost don't listen to anyone on these boards, it's their opinion and only that. If I had listened to people on these boards two years ago I wouldn't be in pharmacy school right now, on the deans list, involved in research, student organizations, leadership societies and licensed in 2 states. My advice, the only one actually to have been "there" is to be honest, be humble and be proactive with everyone who will eventually know your circumstances.

Schools, boards, and employers are much more willing to accept and forgive past transgressions if you demonstrate maturity and take full responsibility for your actions and have demonstrated you have done everything possible to rectify the situation for your community. I started a non-profit to educate college students about the danger of drunk driving. I also gave back 2 times what the courts asked me in terms of community service.

Anything is possible in life as long as you try, sometimes you just have to try harder than others.

 

[BryRamTOX]

The matter is whether you can secure an intern license within the state of the school you are accepted to. UF used to be real particular about it (under Hepler at the ADCOM, absolutely not but it's much relaxed from those days), you have to disclose it in your application, and you might be admitted to the intern license and forced to enter the impaired pharmacist program at the exact same time at your personal expense and time.

AZ won't admit to my knowledge (served on the Midwestern and U of A ADCOMs) if in recent memory due to the political stance of our Board on intemperance (besides the usual religious representation, getting a DUI in AZ is fairly difficult unless you are driving erratically or have an open container). We had several someone's end up in the impaired pharmacists program, and both schools tend to take a lenient stance as the Board takes a harsh one toward them. I know the metropolitan DEA Field Offices in AZ or FL (especially Miami) will not issue signatory 222 authority to an impaired pharmacist as a PIC due to problems in both states.

This was discussed some years ago as well:
Pharmacy school entry with DUI

I got into Midwestern and talked to the Dean about my circumstances. Not a problem as long as I was honest it seemed.