Criminal Background Check

[bronx43]

Hi guys, my situation is that I received an MIP (Minor in possession of alcohol) two weeks after I applied to medical school. The charge was dismissed after I paid the fine and didn't commit other alcohol offenses for six months. When I went to my interviews, they didn't ask for any updates and I didn't inform them. I didn't even think to tell them, since I was fully concentrated and nervous about the interview questions.
Now, I'm afraid that once they do a background check, my alcohol offense (albeit dismissed) will bring up questions. Should I write to them before they do the background check and tell them of this, or should I just leave it alone? I'm just afraid that the medical school will rescind my acceptance. Thanks.

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[fotografía]

This may vary from school to school, but didn't most, if not all applications ask if you have been convicted of something? I really doubt a dropped charge would be that significant, but if you're really worried I suppose it wouldn't hurt to write a sincere letter explaining the situation. It would definitely look highly upon your character.

 

[Old ortho]

My suggestion is consult an attorney and check thoroughly first before you disclose this to med school. You are not obligated to disclose anything that may harm your future, esp. if you are not convicted of a crime. Even if you are convicted, the record can be expunged with good behavior.

 

[NN11]

Does your school count this as "disciplinary action?" if so then you should've reported it because they expect that you report such things.

If your only concern is the background check, then I doubt anything will show up unless there was some sort of court record, as in an arrest record!

At this point, you might as well wait and see if the school brings it up at marticulation, then think of good answer.

 

[scgroat]

You have no reason to bring it up. You were neither dishonest nor misleading. The language is very clear, and you were NOT convicted of an MIP, right? Don't give yourself a headache over it, and DONT write a letter. Believe me, med schools have bigger fish to fry than a poor shmo with a misdemeanor MIP that she wasn't even convicted of.

 

[dbhvt]

Not convicted = no problem in my book. If you are worried, do yourself a favor and run a background check on yourself. Google it.

 

[purometal]

Not convicted = no problem in my book. If you are worried, do yourself a favor and run a background check on yourself. Google it.

google it? I don't think so. You will never find someone's criminal record via google.

 

[ggman]

Don't sweat it. Your dismissed MIP will in no way compromise any of your acceptances. If it will make you feel better you can tell them, and they will probably just say "thanks for being honest" or something like that. Cheers, mate, it's not a big deal

 

[dbhvt]

google it? I don't think so. You will never find someone's criminal record via google.

Of course I didn't mean google your name. I meant google: 'criminal background check'.

sheesh..

 

[dbhvt]

If it would make you feel better you can tell them

I would advise against this.

 

[bronx43]

Thanks for the responses, guys. The thing is that the medical school that accepted me (one of two) asked on the application if I was ever CHARGED with a crime. A MIP is considered a misdemeanor and I was definitely charged with it, though not convicted. However, I submitted my application two weeks before I received the MIP. Therefore, I never lied to them about it. They also never asked me at the interview for any updates on the application, nor did they send any notice of a policy stating that students must report all updates. However, I am just scared of some little known school code that these small infractions must be reported. I don't want to report it, but if they would find it in a background check, then I would rather report it.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Thanks for the responses, guys. The thing is that the medical school that accepted me (one of two) asked on the application if I was ever CHARGED with a crime. A MIP is considered a misdemeanor and I was definitely charged with it, though not convicted. However, I submitted my application two weeks before I received the MIP. Therefore, I never lied to them about it. They also never asked me at the interview for any updates on the application, nor did they send any notice of a policy stating that students must report all updates. However, I am just scared of some little known school code that these small infractions must be reported. I don't want to report it, but if they would find it in a background check, then I would rather report it.

A misdemeanor is by definition a crime and since it asks if you were charged with a crime your information changed since the application. Good luck witholding information. How are you applying to med school without being 21 yet? June-October birthday or something? You'd have to be pretty clumsy to get caught right before turning 21. Either that or you graduated in 3 years.

 

[bronx43]

A misdemeanor is by definition a crime and since it asks if you were charged with a crime your information changed since the application. Good luck witholding information. How are you applying to med school without being 21 yet? June-October birthday or something? You'd have to be pretty clumsy to get caught right before turning 21. Either that or you graduated in 3 years.

I was actually helping a friend move a keg when a cop car rolled up behind us. I didn't graduate in 3 years. My birthday is in November, and I applied in September.
You aren't required to report every change of information in your application. For instance, I pretty much moved all my classes around so that I'm not taking a single one of the classes I put down on my app. If everyone reported every change in application, then the school would be inundated with letters.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I was actually helping a friend move a keg when a cop car rolled up behind us. I didn't graduate in 3 years. My birthday is in November, and I applied in September.
You aren't required to report every change of information in your application. For instance, I pretty much moved all my classes around so that I'm not taking a single one of the classes I put down on my app. If everyone reported every change in application, then the school would be inundated with letters.

That disregards the fact that med schools don't care what you take as long as you take the pre-reqs. Getting charged with a crime is a little different especially when they ask you to tell them about it on an application.

Either way, I hope it turns out ok for you.

 

[LizzyM]

It is unlikely to come up on a criminal background check. However, just to be on the safe side, you might write a letter explaining that after you submitted your application this incident took place (explain the keg, the cop, the charge and the fine, and whatever was dropped -- obviously you paid the fine for something). I've seen med admissions be very forgiving of MIP and similar situations so I would not expect this to derail your admission.

As far as I can tell, for the most part, the criminal background checks are looking for violence and sexual abuse - and felony drug convictions. As a mater of fact, any felony conviction could make it difficult or impossible to be licensed as a physician so a school might want to avoid admitting someone who can't get a license. Your MIP is certainly not in that category so I think that you can relax.

 

[scgroat]

or you could go commit robbery and work with House with your street smarts. In all seriousness, though, you should be fine. I would only address the issue if asked. It's a little weird that they ask if you've been CHARGED, but I still wouldn't worry. If you want to completely put your mind at ease, find out which service runs the background checks for the school in question, and check yourself out. Note that each background check will yield slightly different results. It's like a credit check...bankruptcy will always show up (alriight, 7-10), and a felony will always show up, but other things may be reported differently.

 

[postbacker]

or you could go commit robbery and work with House with your street smarts. In all seriousness, though, you should be fine. I would only address the issue if asked. It's a little weird that they ask if you've been CHARGED, but I still wouldn't worry. If you want to completely put your mind at ease, find out which service runs the background checks for the school in question, and check yourself out. Note that each background check will yield slightly different results. It's like a credit check...bankruptcy will always show up (alriight, 7-10), and a felony will always show up, but other things may be reported differently.

And court/misdemeanor records for minors are not typically placed in the public domain, so my guess is that an MIP would not show up on a criminal background check...once upon a time, juvenile court records were expunged when a punk turned 18, don't know if that still holds...

 

[LizzyM]

And court/misdemeanor records for minors are not typically placed in the public domain, so my guess is that an MIP would not show up on a criminal background check...once upon a time, juvenile court records were expunged when a punk turned 18, don't know if that still holds...

This may be a different situation. The laws protecting minors don't necessary apply when the "perp" under 21(legal age for purchase/possession of alcohol) but over 17.

 

[bronx43]

or you could go commit robbery and work with House with your street smarts. In all seriousness, though, you should be fine. I would only address the issue if asked. It's a little weird that they ask if you've been CHARGED, but I still wouldn't worry. If you want to completely put your mind at ease, find out which service runs the background checks for the school in question, and check yourself out. Note that each background check will yield slightly different results. It's like a credit check...bankruptcy will always show up (alriight, 7-10), and a felony will always show up, but other things may be reported differently.

Thanks for the logical response. Do you know if schools do a background check before or after you matriculate? I'm looking at the WORST case scenarios here, but I have been accepted to two schools. (the second didn't ask about being charged, so I'm fine there) I don't want to be matriculated to this first school, then kicked out after they found out that I failed to inform them after I applied about the MIP. If I somehow get into trouble with them before matriculation, I can at least take the other school.

 

[scgroat]

I know that I was asked to consent to a background check about a month ago. I think the only way to find out is to ask someone at the two schools in question who has already been through the process. Perhaps there's a detailed link on the school's website, but I doubt it. If you'd like, I could get you the name of the service that did the checks for my school.

 

[scgroat]

Oh, and I just got accepted this year...before matriculation