changing name to escape poor grades

[arkgal]

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This may sound like a crazy guy, and obviously this would be a very unethical thing to do...but the thought occurred to me randomly today. What is to stop someone with a poor academic history from changing their name, and unknown to any medical school, starting over fresh, taking prereqs at a different school, maybe even a different state? It seems like it could give someone an unfair advantage and would be hard to get caught. Maybe this has been discussed here before, but I found it an interesting intellectual exercise if nothing else.

 

[Syndicate]

This may sound like a crazy guy, and obviously this would be a very unethical thing to do...but the thought occurred to me randomly today. What is to stop someone with a poor academic history from changing their name, and unknown to any medical school, starting over fresh, taking prereqs at a different school, maybe even a different state? It seems like it could give someone an unfair advantage and would be hard to get caught. Maybe this has been discussed here before, but I found it an interesting intellectual exercise if nothing else.

I don't understand why anyone would consider doing something like this. Changing your name solely for the purpose of getting another shot at medical school.. are you kidding me? Life's not all about getting into medical school. Everyone should have enough self respect/esteem and respect to his/her parents to know that his/her name is worth more than just getting into medical school or even becoming a doctor.

 

[Metzenbaum7]

I might have this all wrong, but lots of the clearinghouses use your social security #, so I think that may not work out as easily as it seems

 

[arkgal]

I don't understand why anyone would consider doing something like this. Changing your name solely for the purpose of getting another shot at medical school.. are you kidding me? Life's not all about getting into medical school. Everyone should have enough self respect/esteem and respect to his/her parents to know that his/her name is worth more than just getting into medical school or even becoming a doctor.

I agree with you. But there are cheaters out there. No doubt people have lied about their EC's. I wouldn't put it past someone to take things further.

 

[touchpause13]

Also legally changing your name isn't exactly an easy process

 

[gettheleadout]

I might have this all wrong, but lots of the clearinghouses use your social security #, so I think that may not work out as easily as it seems

Yeah, I would be inclined to think that if you legally changed your name, your educational records would be transferred over to the new identity.

 

[touchpause13]

Yeah, I would be inclined to think that if you legally changed your name, your educational records would be transferred over to the new identity.

They do.

 

[arkgal]

They do.

You would have to notify said universities of your name change and have it changed on your school records. Doesn't happen by default.

 

[amazing tekkers]

Doesn't Texas have a fresh start program? I'm not sure how it works though.

 

[Syndicate]

I agree with you. But there are cheaters out there. No doubt people have lied about their EC's. I wouldn't put it past someone to take things further.

Lying about ECs is nothing compared to legally changing your name. Plus, the only scenario I could see this possibly working out was if the applicant was placed in some sort of witness protection program and NSA/FBI gave him/her a new identity. Chances of this happening is never.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

Lying about ECs is nothing compared to legally changing your name. Plus, the only scenario I could see this possibly working out was if the applicant was placed in some sort of witness protection program and NSA/FBI gave him/her a new identity. Chances of this happening is never.

so what you're saying is there's a chance

 

[Fedxup]

Unless you change your social security number it is pretty much impossible. Or atleast I think so.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

You would have to notify said universities of your name change and have it changed on your school records. Doesn't happen by default.

They'd still know who you are though. Your school and financial aid has your ssn and a whole boat load of other information about you. I have several names I go by and that's never caused a problem for me.

 

[Tommyguns89]

Wouldnt it be a lot easier to just do grade replacement and go DO?

 

[Escape_Goat]

You would need a completely new identity or else an undisclosed name change would be caught during a background check prior to matriculation into a med school, assuming you got that far.

 

[alpinism]

graduates w a 2.7 @ stateU

changes name to URM (Carlos Ortega)

enrolls in CC, gets a 4.0 (CC classes are easy)

transfers to Harvard, keeps a 4.0 (everyone gets an A)

accepted w/ full ride scholarship to HMS

#winning, #yoloswag

 

[slopes23]

graduates w a 2.7 @ stateU

changes name to URM (Carlos Ortega)

enrolls in CC and notices they found out who I was because my SSN is the same!

Never got to apply to Harvard.

Never went to medschool

#losing, #yoloandIblewit

 

[alpinism]

so what you're saying is there's a chance

I'll tell you where. Someplace warm. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen.

 

[Pacna]

Can I also change my name to get out of student loans?!? 🙄

 

[Elevencents]

Changing your name won't solve anything. It's your SS# that matters.

 

[sourdoughllama]

Can med schools really dig into your past by knowing your SSN? I feel like the schools you went to wouldn't be records the government would bother keeping.

I worked for orientation at my undergrad and there we were told to tell freshmen if they didn't want credit for CC courses, they shouldn't turn in transcripts. Would it be similar for med schools?

 

[Mavs88]

Doesn't Texas have a fresh start program? I'm not sure how it works though.

Yes, we do. I believe it's if the classes you took were 10 years ago or over.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Can med schools really dig into your past by knowing your SSN? I feel like the schools you went to wouldn't be records the government would bother keeping.

I worked for orientation at my undergrad and there we were told to tell freshmen if they didn't want credit for CC courses, they shouldn't turn in transcripts. Would it be similar for med schools?

Medical schools require ALL transcripts. That's where the Student Clearinghouse comes in. Every institution you ever attended is on there, period. It's nice that the undergraduate institution gives you that nice option. But sadly medical schools make it hard to sweep things under the rug.

 

[knv2u]

This may sound like a crazy guy, and obviously this would be a very unethical thing to do...but the thought occurred to me randomly today. What is to stop someone with a poor academic history from changing their name, and unknown to any medical school, starting over fresh, taking prereqs at a different school, maybe even a different state? It seems like it could give someone an unfair advantage and would be hard to get caught. Maybe this has been discussed here before, but I found it an interesting intellectual exercise if nothing else.

Even assuming that this ploy would work, your medical school degree could easily be revoked and you could lose your license if you were ever discovered. At the same time you would potentially be suck with six figures of debt that is non-dischargeable in a bankruptcy. This screams out as incredibly stupid to me.

 

[knv2u]

Medical schools require ALL transcripts. That's where the Student Clearinghouse comes in.

What is this "Student Clearinghouse" you speak of?

 

[compstomper]

On a related note, I know someone who is of both Asian and Hispanic descent. He changed his Asian last name to a Spanish last name. Went from ORM to URM overnight, and it worked out extremely well for him.

 

[darklabel]

I might have this all wrong, but lots of the clearinghouses use your social security #, so I think that may not work out as easily as it seems

There is a process to change your social, but man it is a pain in the ass and used in cases only for fraud (and it has to be more than once) or some other really important reason, but theres a chance.

Also, if you're at such a low point in your life that you can change your name for medical school applications, you can most certainly come up with some convincing evidence through lying to change that too. Maybe that fellow who got arrested for hacking the AAMC should've done this instead...

 

[touchpause13]

On a related note, I know someone who is of both Asian and Hispanic descent. He changed his Asian last name to a Spanish last name. Went from ORM to URM overnight, and it worked out extremely well for him.

Why change your name? You can put both on your application.

 

[Escape_Goat]

What is this "Student Clearinghouse" you speak of?

It's a clearinghouse for student records, oddly enough.

 

[Catalystik]

What is this "Student Clearinghouse" you speak of?

It's a clearinghouse for student records, oddly enough.

Here's an example of one of them: http://www.studentclearinghouse.org/

 

[Captain Sisko]

Just fake your death, op.

 

[Goro]

Well, there's this thing, and it's called fraud and, well, you get the idea.

Not turning in transcripts would be a really fast way to get kicked out of medical school for dishonest behavior. My MD and DO colleagues take professionalism very seriously.

Can med schools really dig into your past by knowing your SSN? I feel like the schools you went to wouldn't be records the government would bother keeping.

I worked for orientation at my undergrad and there we were told to tell freshmen if they didn't want credit for CC courses, they shouldn't turn in transcripts. Would it be similar for med schools?