Can you get in with a Record?!

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kpete1986

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Ok, so I'm planning on going to medical school. A friend of mine is also considering taking the same path and becoming a doctor. There is just one thing that that she was worried about and I didn't know what to tell her, so I'm going to ask you guys. She was convicted of two OWI's (DUI's) in the state of Wisconsin. The first is just a traffic violation, but the second is a criminal offense and is considered a non-classified misdemeanor. I told her that some schools do background checks but not all, so she may still be able to get into school somewhere. Then she asked me even if she got into school, could she get a license to practice medicine with a tarnished record? I told her that I had no clue so I'm asking you for help.

Was I correct in saying that she could still get into school?

Can she get a license to practice medicine?

Any insight would be beneficial
Thanks much!!
 
Med schools do not get too excited about admitting alchoholics. Two duii's, a criminal record, and a big setback to life goals, sounds like a booze problem to me. Not good.
 
kpete1986 said:
Ok, so I'm planning on going to medical school. A friend of mine is also considering taking the same path and becoming a doctor. There is just one thing that that she was worried about and I didn't know what to tell her, so I'm going to ask you guys. She was convicted of two OWI's (DUI's) in the state of Wisconsin. The first is just a traffic violation, but the second is a criminal offense and is considered a non-classified misdemeanor. I told her that some schools do background checks but not all, so she may still be able to get into school somewhere. Then she asked me even if she got into school, could she get a license to practice medicine with a tarnished record? I told her that I had no clue so I'm asking you for help.

Was I correct in saying that she could still get into school?

Can she get a license to practice medicine?

Any insight would be beneficial
Thanks much!!
Click to expand...

most schools particpate in the amcas cbc so it would show up.. the misdemeanor one. as far as if they care, well if you don't lie and a lot of time has passed and you do proactive things to show youve changed i think it can happen. i saw someone on this board who said they had a dwi and got accepted.. but it was like 10 years old or something.
 
Tell your friend to get a GOOD lawyer...find out if there's anything she can do to get her record cleaned up. It's unlikely at this point, but find out. Also, find out from the lawyer EXACTLY what medical schools will see. I'd say that one DUI is a large tarnish but it's still possible to get in. Two DUI's (even if the first one wasn't "criminal") on your record shows that you don't learn from your mistakes (and that you don't have too much care for the lives of others). I can almost guarantee you 100% that you can't "slide this one by" med schools...either through a background check or the AMCAS they will find out. And if you lie and they find out retroactively, bad things can happen (i.e. not allowed to graduate, medical licenses revoked, etc etc).

First get a lawyer, get her record looking as good as possible. Then, don't lie. And have a really good reason for why they should admit her. I've heard that charges like MIP (minor in posession) or underaged drinking are looked upon less harshly by ADCOMs, but DUI endangers the lives of others (and whoever might have been in the car with her), so it's not going to look as good. It's not impossible to get in, but it's an uphill battle.
 
A buddy of mine got into Medical School (MD program) with a DUI. Its possible, he got it freshman year (4 years ago.) It came up in the interview and the background check and he was very honest.
 
kpete1986 said:
Ok, so I'm planning on going to medical school. A friend of mine is also considering taking the same path and becoming a doctor. There is just one thing that that she was worried about and I didn't know what to tell her, so I'm going to ask you guys. She was convicted of two OWI's (DUI's) in the state of Wisconsin. The first is just a traffic violation, but the second is a criminal offense and is considered a non-classified misdemeanor. I told her that some schools do background checks but not all, so she may still be able to get into school somewhere. Then she asked me even if she got into school, could she get a license to practice medicine with a tarnished record? I told her that I had no clue so I'm asking you for help.

Was I correct in saying that she could still get into school?

Can she get a license to practice medicine?

Any insight would be beneficial
Thanks much!!
Click to expand...

This is tricky, and I'm willing to bet that ADCOM's are aware enough of the laws to see that your friend's misdemeanor conviction is a second offense. DWI/DUI laws vary tremendously from state to state. I posted this a long time ago, and I'm not proud of it, but I got an underage DUI in NJ. I was caught in a routine traffic stop with a BAC that was roughly 1/10 the legal limit, but in NJ, that constitutes a DUI for anyone under the age of 21.

I found out that since the offense was in NJ, it was a traffic violation. I'm still going to find legal counsel before I officially file the AMCAS to make sure I shouldn't come clean.

The fact that your friend's violation was a second offense will likely come up, since it's officially a misdemeanor. Since it was a second offense, I'm sorry to say that ADCOMs will probably take it more seriously. Quite honestly, I'd be concerned. As someone who made the mistake once, I learned my lesson. Even now, I don't take the risk of driving once I decide to drink. Even with a BAC well below the legal limit, if there's an accident or any question of your level of impairment, you may face a DUI. Legally, it's up to the police, and a great lawyer may not be able to help even if you're not "legally impaired."

She should consult a lawyer. The waters are murky when it comes to situations like this. I'm not one to judge (given my indiscretions 13 years ago at age 18), but a second offense is MUCH harder to explain than one stupid mistake. It looks like she simply did not learn the lesson the first time around.
 
it will definitely impact them.

maybe contact some admissions departments and ask?
 
Although I don't have a DUI, I have (1) heard of a case where someone with a DUI got in, (2) heard of and know many more people who have had lessor alcohol related misdemeanors and gotten in,

How much did it actually hold me back? Who knows. Feels like it was somewhat, but not extravagant. What I don't know is how a DUI will change it. Bottom line is that he/she will have to explain it on her application. In order to explain what needs to be explained, she absolutely needs to contact a lawyer.
 
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kpete1986 said:
Ok, so I'm planning on going to medical school. A friend of mine is also considering taking the same path and becoming a doctor. There is just one thing that that she was worried about and I didn't know what to tell her, so I'm going to ask you guys. She was convicted of two OWI's (DUI's) in the state of Wisconsin. The first is just a traffic violation, but the second is a criminal offense and is considered a non-classified misdemeanor. I told her that some schools do background checks but not all, so she may still be able to get into school somewhere. Then she asked me even if she got into school, could she get a license to practice medicine with a tarnished record? I told her that I had no clue so I'm asking you for help.

Was I correct in saying that she could still get into school?

Can she get a license to practice medicine?

Any insight would be beneficial
Thanks much!!
Click to expand...

Every school does background checks, not some. What med schools are looking for in your background check varies but I'm sure they've seen a dozen DUIs each year. What results in automatic revoking of acceptance are things like assault, drug use, any felony, etc.

A misdemeanor DUI can be overlooked if she has taken active steps towards reform and didn't initially lie about it. By reform, I mean like enrolling in safety driving programs that help youngsters deal with drunk driving. She has to show positive steps towards reform.


To answer your last question, no. Her medical license will not be withheld because of a DUI. In addition, she may have her case sealed or even expunged before that time.
 
Well she said that she had talked to a lawyer and found out that in the state of Wisconsin, it is impossible to get any sort of expungement of a DUI unless it prevents you from getting a license. So I guess that's probably not an option. Here's some background. The first one was when she was a freshman in college at the age of 19, the second was fairly recent (bad knews, I know), and it was just this last May.

I doubt there is any difference, but are some schools (i.e. DO, Caribb MD, certain US MD schools) that might be more lenient or is that just something that she should talk over with the individual ADCOMs of each school?
 
MegaProjectile said:
Every school does background checks, not some. What med schools are looking for in your background check varies but I'm sure they've seen a dozen DUIs each year. What results in automatic revoking of acceptance are things like assault, drug use, any felony, etc.

A misdemeanor DUI can be overlooked if she has taken active steps towards reform and didn't initially lie about it. By reform, I mean like enrolling in safety driving programs that help youngsters deal with drunk driving. She has to show positive steps towards reform.


To answer your last question, no. Her medical license will not be withheld because of a DUI. In addition, she may have her case sealed or even expunged before that time.
Click to expand...


As well as LYING about it or not disclosing it upfront...
 
kpete1986 said:
Ok, so I'm planning on going to medical school. A friend of mine is also considering taking the same path and becoming a doctor. There is just one thing that that she was worried about and I didn't know what to tell her, so I'm going to ask you guys. She was convicted of two OWI's (DUI's) in the state of Wisconsin. The first is just a traffic violation, but the second is a criminal offense and is considered a non-classified misdemeanor. I told her that some schools do background checks but not all, so she may still be able to get into school somewhere. Then she asked me even if she got into school, could she get a license to practice medicine with a tarnished record? I told her that I had no clue so I'm asking you for help.

Was I correct in saying that she could still get into school?

Can she get a license to practice medicine?

Any insight would be beneficial
Thanks much!!
Click to expand...


it's possible, but difficult. I know someone who got in with either a DUI or DWI, but he had to agree to alcohol counseling and monthly urine tests. this person was also a PA for about 8 years before considering medical school, so he had more medical knowledge and experience to offer than your average applicant.
 
My roommate who has a DUI is applying to medical school, and got an acceptance to several medical schools. I asked him if he listed it on application, he said: the DUI was expunged and didn't list it on AMCAS or AACOMAS. However, he did list it on some secondaries (don't know the specific schools), which had specific wording in the questions(?). One of his acceptances is from a school that he listed the expunged DUI on the secondary. I was curious about what his background check would show: he said the Certiphi background check came back clean - expungement worked?

Regardless, one DUI will not help, but I don't feel it will totally kill their chances at medical school. Each application is applicant specific, so it really depends on the applicant with the offense. I guess my roommate had good patient contact hours, an expungement, and NO REPEAT OFFENSES (showed lesson learned). The last one is huge in my mind, but if there is significant time between now and the past offenses ADCOMS may have an open ear to explainations.

Good luck!
 
Non-expunged misdeameanor conviction? Probably game over. I also question the judgment and maturity of someone who not only has two DUI's, but has the gall to subsequently pursue a career where people put their lives in her hands.
 
Even if a school does not do a background check, you are still required to list any convictions on AMCAS.

It's possible to still get in, but I'd imagine it would be necessary to put a significant amount of time between the incidents and the application cycle.
 
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It might also be beneficial for her, personally and in the application process to spend a significant, long term time volunteering with groups that advocate sober driving, etc., like maybe Students Against Drunk Driving, or something to that effect.
 
She evidently did not learn from her lesson and it appears she has a drinking problem. If I were the adcoms I'd be critical of her... Failed to her from her mistakes.
 
searun said:
Med schools do not get too excited about admitting alchoholics. Two duii's, a criminal record, and a big setback to life goals, sounds like a booze problem to me. Not good.
Click to expand...

Really helpful of you. Way to provide some really helpful advice to someone looking to the community for help and guidance... Congrats, you sir are setting a wonderful example for professionals all around.
 
RossB8 said:
Really helpful of you. Way to provide some really helpful advice to someone looking to the community for help and guidance... Congrats, you sir are setting a wonderful example for professionals all around.
Click to expand...

You do realize this thread is almost 5 years old and searun was last active about 2 years ago...
 
Make Or Break said:
I genuinely wonder though if OP's friend got in to medical school.
Click to expand...

Probably not.

RossB8 said:
Really helpful of you. Way to provide some really helpful advice to someone looking to the community for help and guidance... Congrats, you sir are setting a wonderful example for professionals all around.
Click to expand...

Truth hurts. He spelled out exactly what any ADCOM who knows of both violations will be thinking. Doubling up on even lesser offenses is usually a really big obstacle, but two DUIs? OP's "friend" is toast.
 
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