3 Year Old Drug Misdemeanor

[-smacked-]

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I'm going back to undergrad this fall and hoping to get some advice on the best way to go about this, any input is greatly appreciated.

I'm 25 and I was convicted of 2 counts of Misdemeanor Usage of a Controlled Substance at the start of this year after a brief relapse last year. I'm returning to undergrad in a couple weeks and I would likely apply to medical school in 2028, 3 years after the case ended. These charges can be expunged after 5 years (2030).

I know the basics like clinical hours, shadowing, volunteer hours, high sGPA (cGPA can realistically rise to ~3.6, sGPA will be higher due to majoring in math previously), and good MCAT. What else should I be doing to make myself as strong of a candidate as possible? What am I missing and what angles should I invest more or less of my time into? Assuming I fail on the first cycle, how should I spend the gap year(s)? Is the MCAT going to matter much beyond a certain point or should I focus my time on other aspects of medicine?

I understand that my background is an enormous red flag, and I'd like to spend the next 3+ years doing everything I can to fix this.

For what it's worth I'm very invested in my recovery now but I don't think that matters on applications. As far as licensure goes, I've been in contact with the Michigan LARA board and my background won't prevent me from getting licensed. I've also contacted adcoms at a few locations in Michigan and they said this path was doable, but that it will be an uphill battle.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

The details matter a bit, but the more time between the conviction and your start in medical school, the better. If you were going for other professions (pharmacy or dentistry), it could be a different matter.

 

[-smacked-]

Welcome to the forums.

The details matter a bit, but the more time between the conviction and your start in medical school, the better. If you were going for other professions (pharmacy or dentistry), it could be a different matter.

Appreciate it, and were you asking for case details? I'm open about it, just want to make sure I'm reading that right.

As far as time goes, what are your thoughts on applying at 3 years post-conviction / how long after the conviction would you recommend? Would it hurt my future chances to apply at 3 years or is it worth applying every cycle once I'm ready?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Appreciate it, and were you asking for case details? I'm open about it, just want to make sure I'm reading that right.

As far as time goes, what are your thoughts on applying at 3 years post-conviction / how long after the conviction would you recommend? Would it hurt my future chances to apply at 3 years or is it worth applying every cycle once I'm ready?

It sounds like you're doing what I would have suggested: connect with your nearby admissions teams/faculty. I don't know your timeline to finish everything else with your application profile, but your thoughts sound reasonable.

 

[Med Ed]

As far as time goes, what are your thoughts on applying at 3 years post-conviction / how long after the conviction would you recommend? Would it hurt my future chances to apply at 3 years or is it worth applying every cycle once I'm ready?

Three years is not very long for a conviction of this type. You mentioned a "brief relapse" in the original post. I read that to mean it was only brief because you got busted, and that this is an issue you have been struggling with for awhile.

If you're going to do this, the smartest thing (by a wide margin) is to get your record expunged before you apply. AMCAS does not require disclosure of expunged incidents, so you would go in with a clean slate (although some secondaries ask more invasive questions). That fact alone will help your odds of admission immensely.

Applicants who apply pre-expungement and then reapply post-expungement also face the issue of having discordant disclosures between cycles. Technically this shouldn't matter, but that doesn't mean it won't.

If your goal is to actually get in and become a doctor, the optimal timeline for you would be to get the expungement done in early 2030. Apply that cycle, matriculate 2031 (6 years post-conviction). Start clinical rotations 7-8 years post-conviction. Graduate and get initial license and DEA number 10 years post-conviction. Stay clean through all that and you should be fine. Do not try to go into anesthesiology or anything related to pain management.

 

[-smacked-]

Three years is not very long for a conviction of this type. You mentioned a "brief relapse" in the original post. I read that to mean it was only brief because you got busted, and that this is an issue you have been struggling with for awhile.

If you're going to do this, the smartest thing (by a wide margin) is to get your record expunged before you apply. AMCAS does not require disclosure of expunged incidents, so you would go in with a clean slate (although some secondaries ask more invasive questions). That fact alone will help your odds of admission immensely.

Applicants who apply pre-expungement and then reapply post-expungement also face the issue of having discordant disclosures between cycles. Technically this shouldn't matter, but that doesn't mean it won't.

If your goal is to actually get in and become a doctor, the optimal timeline for you would be to get the expungement done in early 2030. Apply that cycle, matriculate 2031 (6 years post-conviction). Start clinical rotations 7-8 years post-conviction. Graduate and get initial license and DEA number 10 years post-conviction. Stay clean through all that and you should be fine. Do not try to go into anesthesiology or anything related to pain management.

On your first paragraph, that's exactly how it happened. This is the only criminal charge on my record, I'll avoid the word "relapse" when this comes up, thanks for that insight.

For the rest of this, it's not my favorite answer but realistically I think you're right. That being said, if you don't mind I'd really like your input on how much I'd be risking by applying pre-expungement. Like would it moderately hurt my future chances or would it tank them?

 

[Med Ed]

That being said, if you don't mind I'd really like your input on how much I'd be risking by applying pre-expungement. Like would it moderately hurt my future chances or would it tank them?

Effectively tank. I can never tell someone that they have zero chance in this process, but I wouldn’t touch your app with a 40-foot pole.

I know the sting of your predicament is fresh and you desire to “fix” this ASAP. But if you want to be successful you have to play a longer game.

 

[Goro]

Effectively tank. I can never tell someone that they have zero chance in this process, but I wouldn’t touch your app with a 40-foot pole.

I know the sting of your predicament is fresh and you desire to “fix” this ASAP. But if you want to be successful you have to play a longer game.

Indeed. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

 

[-smacked-]

Effectively tank. I can never tell someone that they have zero chance in this process, but I wouldn’t touch your app with a 40-foot pole.

I know the sting of your predicament is fresh and you desire to “fix” this ASAP. But if you want to be successful you have to play a longer game.

Indeed. Med schools aren't going anywhere.

Yeah I think you're both right. Appreciate the insight, thanks for saving me from that mistake.