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alman

alman

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I got a couple of MIPs back in 2001, but they were supposed to be deffered. I called the courts and they said that I was no longer in their computers, but I want to do a background check on myself to ensure honesty in my application. Anyone have any insight into a quality online background check companies?
 
Just go to your local courthouse/department of criminal justice. They should have several computer stations where you punch in your name, DOB, and SSN and your records are pulled up for you. This should be a free service, unless it varies by state - I did this check on an acquaintance in Minnesota for free. You don't even have to explain anything to them - just come in, sit yourself at the computer, and run a check on yourself.
 
alman said:
I got a couple of MIPs back in 2001, but they were supposed to be deffered. I called the courts and they said that I was no longer in their computers, but I want to do a background check on myself to ensure honesty in my application. Anyone have any insight into a quality online background check companies?
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I'm not really following you here. If you wanted to "ensure honesty" in your application, wouldn't you just disclose your convictions?
 
gotmeds? said:
I'm not really following you here. If you wanted to "ensure honesty" in your application, wouldn't you just disclose your convictions?
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Yeah but the thing is they are NOT convictions, thats the whole point of being on deferred...I am in the same boat man 2 MIPs back in 2001 for which I got deferred and now when I run background checks on myself nothing comes up.

But the thing is they are always on record somewhere in your state. I am in TX and I know they are kept on file in Houston unless you petition them to be made non-public.

Sucks for us applying to TX schools bc the TMDSAS specifically asks if you have ever been on deferred...AMCAS does not make you disclose anything for which you received deferred and completed successfully...

Anyone have thoughts on why its different between TMDSAS and AMCAS?
 
HAHA let's hope for my sake 😀
 
This is the misdemeanor question from AMCAS....

"Have you ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a Misdemeanor crime, excluding 1) any offense for which you were adjudicated as a juvenile, 2) any convictions which have been expunged or sealed by a court, or 3) any misdemeanor convictions for which any probation has been completed and the case dismissed by the court (in states where applicable)?"

So if you were on deferred and completed the probation successfully then NO you dont have to disclose that infor ....right?!!?
 
My Texas school used www.certifiedbackground.com. I don't know if all Texas schools use it, but it's a better representation than any court records because it is what the schools will actually see. Sometimes expunctions still show up even if they are technically removed from the court records.
 
AMCAS asks about misdemeanors now? Yeesh. It was only felonies for the 2007. Not that evering ****in 2ndry didn't ask about missy elliot.
 
I just called my court, and they said that MIPs are not included in your criminal record. But, I will still list them in my application.
 
Use a private background check service. The courthouse ones will not show your record if they have been expunged/deferred (if that was the case with your charges). Private companies don't have to take you out of their system, and they even have the original charges in their system (not just the conviction or what happened in court).
 
alman said:
I just called my court, and they said that MIPs are not included in your criminal record. But, I will still list them in my application.
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Um, seriously, why? I understand the feeling of needing total disclosure and honesty, but are you prepared for the effect those are going to have on your application? Are you prepared to have every single potential interviewer/adcom/anyone else grill you on those offenses? Are you prepared to defend your rationale, or lack thereof, for those MIPs?

While I would never sanction lying on any med application, if the information is not required, why set up a long, hard road? Unless you can spin your bad behavior into an inspiring--and true--story of personal redemption...I can't tell you this is the wisest course of action.

Edit: Let me be clear: if the status of those MIPs meets the requirement for listing on your app, then of course you must. If it *does not*, then you must choose between pure ethics and the reality of applying to medical school.
 
Divine Furor said:
Um, seriously, why? I understand the feeling of needing total disclosure and honesty, but are you prepared for the effect those are going to have on your application? Are you prepared to have every single potential interviewer/adcom/anyone else grill you on those offenses? Are you prepared to defend your rationale, or lack thereof, for those MIPs?

While I would never sanction lying on any med application, if the information is not required, why set up a long, hard road? Unless you can spin your bad behavior into an inspiring--and true--story of personal redemption...I can't tell you this is the wisest course of action.

Edit: Let me be clear: if the status of those MIPs meets the requirement for listing on your app, then of course you must. If it *does not*, then you must choose between pure ethics and the reality of applying to medical school.
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No kidding. Just list them, because I doubt it will hurt anything. I had to list a DWI I got a long time ago and not a single person asked me about them during interviews.
 
Divine Furor said:
Um, seriously, why? I understand the feeling of needing total disclosure and honesty, but are you prepared for the effect those are going to have on your application? Are you prepared to have every single potential interviewer/adcom/anyone else grill you on those offenses? Are you prepared to defend your rationale, or lack thereof, for those MIPs?

While I would never sanction lying on any med application, if the information is not required, why set up a long, hard road? Unless you can spin your bad behavior into an inspiring--and true--story of personal redemption...I can't tell you this is the wisest course of action.

Edit: Let me be clear: if the status of those MIPs meets the requirement for listing on your app, then of course you must. If it *does not*, then you must choose between pure ethics and the reality of applying to medical school.
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Well on the AMCAS application it asks if you have ever been charged with a misdemeanor, and unfortunately I have--a couple MIPs. I got them six years ago and I would rather be honest with my past then try to hide the things I did as a kid. I feel my present actions are a better indication of me as an applicant than my past, so I intend to include my present activities along with my past failures
 
alman said:
Well on the AMCAS application it asks if you have ever been charged with a misdemeanor, and unfortunately I have--a couple MIPs. I got them six years ago and I would rather be honest with my past then try to hide the things I did as a kid. I feel my present actions are a better indication of me as an applicant than my past, so I intend to include my present activities along with my past failures
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I think that's a very good plan, and your present actions probably are the best indication of you--just keep in mind for the interviews, the adcoms will want to know your method of change as much as they want the past and present. They want to see trends, growth in behavior, etc...as much as a statement of reform. Just a tip.
 
Would an ADCOM really be concerned about an MIP? Because as far as I have experienced, everyone drinks underage in college, including premeds (just because we study more doesn't mean we are losers.) So if the vast majority of premeds drank underage (and I'm sure that an ADCOM would assume this - after all they went to college and were underage once), then those with MIPs were just the applicants that got caught. What is the big deal if everyone drinks underage anyway?
 
I got an MIP a month or so ago but when I went to court they changed it to an infraction (which doesn't go on record) after doing some stupid class meaning the misdeameanor charges were dismissed. Because this falls under the 'excluding' part on the AMCAS application do I include it? I would rather be honest than not say anything and then have them find it, but I wouldn't want to my my chances less because of this. So what would I do there?
 
Any advice?? ( sorry for the double post, just very concerned!!)
 
What about summary offenses? They are on the same level as traffic tickets, but traffic tickets are on driving records, while summary offenses are on criminal records.

Long story short: I forgot I was skiing with an expired ski pass back in 1999. Ski patrol caught me, and took a hard line when I explained and said I would go to the ticket window immediately and pay for one. Instead, he had the sheriff come and write me a citation for "disorderly conduct" (on the citation, the sheriff said I was polite nd cooperative, but he was forced to cite me for something). I called the sheriff's office this week, and they said it is still on the state computer, but wouldn't show up on a background check. Now I am unsure what to do.

If the secondary states: "have you been conviced of a misdemeanor or felony", the answer is obviously "no"

If the secondary states: "have you been conviced of a crime other than a traffic violation" then I suppose the answer should be yes and explain, even though I was told it is no longer on my record?
 
JaggerPlate said:
I got an MIP a month or so ago but when I went to court they changed it to an infraction (which doesn't go on record) after doing some stupid class meaning the misdeameanor charges were dismissed. Because this falls under the 'excluding' part on the AMCAS application do I include it? I would rather be honest than not say anything and then have them find it, but I wouldn't want to my my chances less because of this. So what would I do there?
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Be careful. This depends on the state. My friend gaught an MIP in Indiana (Class C misdemeanor), and did a "pretrial diversion", which gaught the charges dropped. While not a conviction, the charge is still there however. Contrast that with Pennsylvania, where a MIP is a summary offense (less than a misdemeanor, so you wouldn't have to report it if the application asks for misdemeanor charges or convictions).
 
DrMccodell said:
Yeah but the thing is they are NOT convictions, thats the whole point of being on deferred...I am in the same boat man 2 MIPs back in 2001 for which I got deferred and now when I run background checks on myself nothing comes up.

But the thing is they are always on record somewhere in your state. I am in TX and I know they are kept on file in Houston unless you petition them to be made non-public.

Sucks for us applying to TX schools bc the TMDSAS specifically asks if you have ever been on deferred...AMCAS does not make you disclose anything for which you received deferred and completed successfully...

Anyone have thoughts on why its different between TMDSAS and AMCAS?
Click to expand...

Perhaps it is not showing your MIP because it is not showing your record when you were under 18?
 
Sounds like many of you have the right idea with doing a thorough check into what may show up on your background check - unfortunately I do not have a good answer about what does or does not show up.

However, definitely figure out if it is necessary to list b/c you DO NOT want to have to list these things. As a member of an admissions committee I can honestly tell you these sort of things are MAJOR RED FLAGS! It is not that people cannot mature from these experiences/that they are severe infractions - rather, they hurt your application b/c there are plenty of other excellent candidates who do not have a violation on their record. Finally, if you have a strong enough application to get through initial screening anyway, you WILL be asked by virtually every single interviewer to explain these things

So from my experience, a single violation freshman year etc can usually be explained as a lack of maturity/new atmosphere and won't kill your application
Multiple violations and/or a DUI bring up serious question marks and you will be hard pressed to get into many schools
 
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