Background issues

[Lgb325]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Does anyone personally know of a resident or a practicing MD who has been convicted of a felony and served time prior to entering med school?
(Wondering about individual experiences.)

I know a current medical student who was convicted of a crime, served time and then went on to college and med school. He is now approaching residency and does not really have anyone to guide him toward dealing with all the potential obstacles (obviously, this is not a common issue!). Clearly licensing is a state by state issue but we're just wondering about the issues that an individual may have faced (not getting interviews, difficulty finding a residency, etc).

This is a serious question and this is not the only avenue for advice that he is seeking (already speaking to a lawyer) Just hoping for some personal experience/ insight.
Thanks...

 

[toofache32]

Does anyone personally know of a resident or a practicing MD who has been convicted of a felony and served time prior to entering med school?
(Wondering about individual experiences.)

I know a current medical student who was convicted of a crime, served time and then went on to college and med school. He is now approaching residency and does not really have anyone to guide him toward dealing with all the potential obstacles (obviously, this is not a common issue!). Clearly licensing is a state by state issue but we're just wondering about the issues that an individual may have faced (not getting interviews, difficulty finding a residency, etc).

This is a serious question and this is not the only avenue for advice that he is seeking (already speaking to a lawyer) Just hoping for some personal experience/ insight.
Thanks...

Tell your "friend" that if he has gotten this far, then he will probably be able to get a residency and ultimately practice medicine. And don't lie when asked on the applications...it's not necessarily an automatic boot, but false information is definately an automatic boot if discovered.

 

[medicineman1]

I personally know of a resident a couple of years back who matched into a highly competitive specialty and then was denied by the medical board (two doctors) for a nonviolent misdemeanor assault- ended up sitting out a couple of years, and finally got a medicine residency after having already completed an internship! nearly ruined him. The alleged crime btw was overturned on appeal. lost 3 years of training! So, to answer your question, roll the dice each state is different- good luck! Us docs, are supposed to be more infalliable than the pope, politicians, and certainly actors (ie Mel Gibson, Michael Richards), and far more so than the athletes making 60 million plus- there is no job security in medicine. Hate to sound negative- but its the truth!

 

[treesap]

I don't remember them doing a criminal record check for ERAS purposes (I'm going through the match now). Maybe its up to each individual institution to do a background check on hiring.

We had a guy in med school who was arrested DURING class in 2nd year. Evidently they'd raided his house and he had the biggest haul of ecstasy (and a significant weapons arsenal) in the history of the state. We were all pretty stunned because he was a super nice guy (and evidently pretty good with pharm!). We later learned he had SEVERAL prior arrests and jail terms served.

So how'd this guy get into med school? Well evidently they don't screen your background until you are in contact with a "vulnerable population" like peds (but I could argue that could be any field). So they wait until intern year to do a background check, which means they never would have known about this guys history until 4 years later!

You're doing the right thing by checking. I wouldn't guarantee the med school has done it and it would suck to get all the way through and find out you're unemployable!

 

[f_w]

No general answer here. Depends on the state medical board in the state he needs to get a training license or unrestricted license in.

Anything with drugs will weigh heavily against him. (A felony fraud conviction for selling a car he didn't own or similar stuff will be less of a problem). Felonies usually can't be expunged, but he might be able to get a pardon if he has done restitution and he can convince the board of pardons of his value to society.
Another question is whether he will be able to get a DEA number. And without that number it is hard to get a job.

Indiana licensed a guy who had spent 20 years in the Pen for attempted murder and kidnapping. When the public got wind of it, the board retracted his provisional license.


Whatever he does, he should never lie. More than once in his medical career, there will be one of these 'if you answered yes' questions on licensing/credentialing/insurance applications. If they ask for it, he will have to tell them.

 

[KidDr]

I personally know of a resident a couple of years back who matched into a highly competitive specialty and then was denied by the medical board (two doctors) for a nonviolent misdemeanor assault-

I'm sorry to derail this thread, but what the heck is a "nonviolent assault?" doesn't sound possible to me.

 

[Apollyon]

I'm sorry to derail this thread, but what the heck is a "nonviolent assault?" doesn't sound possible to me.

"Assault" (legally) doesn't have to be physical. If it is, there can be an additional charge of "battery" or it can be "aggravated assault".

"Nonviolent assault" is screaming at someone that they're an dingus, or that you are going to beat them up, or other threat.

 

[wook]

I'm sorry to derail this thread, but what the heck is a "nonviolent assault?" doesn't sound possible to me.

Assault is simply putting someone in fear of battery (the physical contact). I cannot answer the question about the definition of nonviolent.


Wook