background check and pharm D admission
Started by russ
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UF has a policy whereby they review the circumstances. They did just recently tell us that they're thinking about implementing a policy whereby they will start kicking out students who receive one while in school. It's completely irresponsible and I don't blame schools at all. Afterall we will be licensed to handle controlled substances and I think it shows a serious lapse in judgement if you get a DUI, of course everyone's situation is different.
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I would talk with the pharmacy board in the state you are applying to. Even if you get into pharmacy school, the state board may not grant you an intern license. Without the license, you cannot get the required hours to practice pharmacy upon graduation. Definitely do your research and be honest through the whole process and hopefully, it will pay off. Good luck. 
OSURxgirl said:I would talk with the pharmacy board in the state you are applying to. Even if you get into pharmacy school, the state board may not grant you an intern license. Without the license, you cannot get the required hours to practice pharmacy upon graduation. Definitely do your research and be honest through the whole process and hopefully, it will pay off. Good luck.
A DUI will not stop you from getting a license, especially in AZ. I know a couple of pharmacists who have gotten DUIs and there was no punishment at all.
The school may not grant you addmission if you have a DUI, they can even kick you out of school. However I think having a DUI is not a complete road block like a felony, it is just a negative mark against you. I am sure if you are a well qualified canadite that made a stupid mistake, you will be able to get accepted with a DUI on you record.
I don't know about other states, but you can even have a drug/alcohol abuse problem or addiction to pain killers in AZ while a pharmacists, then go through a drug abuse program sponsered by the state board and get your license back i about a year.
museabuse said:
One of my upperclassmen (a year ahead of me) had a real alcohol problem, but it wasn't known how severe it was until he took a "medical" LOA into the year after me. I knew privately that he was admitted to the private program in PAPA (the pharmacist substance treatment program). He graduated the year after me, and as far as I know, has entered practice successfully. This sort of story is becoming more common. Although, it would be interesting to look at frat membership and later alcoholism rates in pharmacists.
On another note, I think museabuse has someone in his/her class that actually was caught trafficking at a Walgreens (or is she in the year beneath you?) and lied her way into claiming that she was actually taking the drugs. Even though the board granted her a probationary license, I doubt that she will be employed in AZ after graduating.
I disagree with the "no punishment" bit. Both Lloyd and Wand (the former and current directors) aren't exactly pushovers when it comes to dealing with these issues. AZ isn't really that lenient, but because of Wand, the board in AZ will at least give you a fair hearing on the subject. Usually it means that you will be issued a license but under probation. This isn't really punitive in nature, think of it as a trial period where they make sure you don't screw up.
Different states have different policies regarding this problem. Don't bother with CA, NV, or TX. They tend to be more militant about the issue, and TX routinely suspends and revokes licenses for much more petty offenses.
One thing, no one on any state board will be a happy camper if you lied to them outright or by omission. I saw two or three licenses revoked without debate when it came to lying on the record. Be upfront and forthright about the matter with the school and the state board. The alternatives are worse.
I decided to post this because threads like this one have gotten me very worried lately, this is going to be long...
About 5 years ago (my freshman year of college), during spring break I made a huge mistake. I was arrested and convicted for posession of marijuana and a pipe. I completed all the requirements the judge gave me (including passing a drug test to get driving priveledges) and was able to have both charges expunged from my record. Before that and since then my record is spotless.
I have been accepted to a pharmacy school and on my application, selected "no" to the question of wheter or not I have been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors. When I was filling it out, I did not feel as if I was lying because the advice I received from the court was that I would always be able to answer no to these types of questions. I have passed every other background check including one conducted by the state of my pharmacy school for a technician license.
After reading lots of similar posts, I got worried and went to an agency that does finger-print background checks for a test. The results were that it showed I had a sealed record, and even disclosed all the major details.
I have been thinking about this constantly and am wondering about the potential consequences. When along the line would I be finger-printed for a background check? I am beginning to do some research with state boards that I would be interested in practicing in. Also, should I contact my school about this or just what till later in the process? I don't want to be branded a liar, at the time I really did not feel as though I was lying. But at the same time, I really can't afford to have my admission rescinded because of this. Any advice at all?
I hope to God that this mistake I made as a directionless (I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at the time), 18-year old college freshman doesn't prevent me from reaching my career goals.
About 5 years ago (my freshman year of college), during spring break I made a huge mistake. I was arrested and convicted for posession of marijuana and a pipe. I completed all the requirements the judge gave me (including passing a drug test to get driving priveledges) and was able to have both charges expunged from my record. Before that and since then my record is spotless.
I have been accepted to a pharmacy school and on my application, selected "no" to the question of wheter or not I have been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors. When I was filling it out, I did not feel as if I was lying because the advice I received from the court was that I would always be able to answer no to these types of questions. I have passed every other background check including one conducted by the state of my pharmacy school for a technician license.
After reading lots of similar posts, I got worried and went to an agency that does finger-print background checks for a test. The results were that it showed I had a sealed record, and even disclosed all the major details.
I have been thinking about this constantly and am wondering about the potential consequences. When along the line would I be finger-printed for a background check? I am beginning to do some research with state boards that I would be interested in practicing in. Also, should I contact my school about this or just what till later in the process? I don't want to be branded a liar, at the time I really did not feel as though I was lying. But at the same time, I really can't afford to have my admission rescinded because of this. Any advice at all?
I hope to God that this mistake I made as a directionless (I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at the time), 18-year old college freshman doesn't prevent me from reaching my career goals.
pharmjdg82, I tried to PM you without success. Could you PM me?
russ said:
I don't think so. Only felony charge will effect your chances of admission. My friends have a couples of DUI and the suspension of his driver license and he still accepted into the school.
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