DWI under 21 a while ago- Already accepted through EDP...What next?

[hikeman544]

Early in my junior year of college when I was 20 I had a few beers to drink. I was outside my car urinating when a cop pulled over to give me a ticket. Since I was outside my car I knew I had to give my license and registration, which was in the glove compartment of the car. When I got into the car I instinctively turned on the ignition. I wasn't trying to get away, I was just carrying out the actions as customary when getting into my car or perhaps when getting a ticket. As soon as I turned on the ignition the police officer proceeded to treat the case as a DWI instead of a public urination ticket. I was arrested, it was extremely embarrassing. It turns out that I was quite drunk but I had all of my faculties. I ended up pleading guilty and moved on. Its been more than 3 years since the incident. It was a very dark time in my life and I have come a long way since than intellectually and personally. I knew I had to really change things and proceeded to reevaluate many things in my life. I got a lot of clinical experience under my belt, started to meditate, and did some volunteer teaching. Struggled with the MCAT but eventually scored in the 97%. I got a 4.0 in a graduate program at a medical school and applied there early decision. I got my acceptance this past week. Obviously I was elated and relieved. It was nice to see my hard work rewarded. When I got the email and it said "background check", I panicked. In NJ, the DWI is considered a traffic offense and as such I had no reason to mention it in felony/misdemeanor questions. To be honest it did not even occur to me to do so because I had spent so much time trying bury the memory deep and move on with my life. I know I have to disclose this to my Dean but I am wondering how I should do it. I am excited to be a physician, I have worked very hard for this. It would be really be disheartening if my acceptance was rescinded.

In Summary:

Past DWI
Not mentioned anywhere yet
Already accepted to the school
How to break it to my Dean?
What does this all mean?

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[Noomm]

Damn my heart breaks when I read stories like this. All I can say is that if you have to disclose it, I hope the Dean will be forgiving.

Are you SURE you have to disclose it though? IMO it would be worth it for your future to try to get a lawyer.

 

[Affiche]

@Goro or @gyngyn ?

 

[Anomandaris]

Don't some schools specifically say something like "do not disclose traffic violations except DUI/misdemeanor traffic violations (e.g. reckless driving)"? I think it just depends on the school's wording.

 

[gyngyn]

Call up the Student Affairs dean and explain before the Certiphi comes in.

 

[radicleee]

Having just gone through a similar dilemma, I advise looking very closely at what the secondary says. If it does not ask for criminal history in the broadest sense such as: ever been charged of any criminal offense? Then you may be ok because they did not specify enough. However if they do ask that, and you did not disclose, you may be in trouble--depending on their background check. If you read the section on the secondary where you waive your rights and allow the school to look into your background, you may be able to find out what kind of check they do. In some cases, schools go through official government checks-- FBI level if you are out of state, state wise if you are within state. Either way, your infraction and the record of your arrest will show up. If they use a different background checker, results may vary. You can always call the school anonymously and ask what shows up.

 

[hikeman544]

Damn my heart breaks when I read stories like this. All I can say is that if you have to disclose it, I hope the Dean will be forgiving.

Are you SURE you have to disclose it though? IMO it would be worth it for your future to try to get a lawyer.

I am not entirely sure I have to disclose it but I have been speaking with the Dean and Assistant Dean for some time and it would reflect poorly on me not disclose. On the other hand, if it doesn't show up on the background check than I may not disclose it.

 

[hikeman544]

Don't some schools specifically say something like "do not disclose traffic violations except DUI/misdemeanor traffic violations (e.g. reckless driving)"? I think it just depends on the school's wording.

Not this school. I haven't signed the student disclosure form yet, I still have some time to do that. The form asks if I have ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to a crime, misdemeanor, or other offense. This falls under "other offense", so I will be disclosing it. I will definitely have to talk to the Dean before that. Email? In person? I'm not sure.

 

[Spector1]

Only option is to try and disclose it before the background check and hope that the dean is merciful. If they find this out and not from you, you're pretty much screwed.

 

[hikeman544]

Having just gone through a similar dilemma, I advise looking very closely at what the secondary says. If it does not ask for criminal history in the broadest sense such as: ever been charged of any criminal offense? Then you may be ok because they did not specify enough. However if they do ask that, and you did not disclose, you may be in trouble--depending on their background check. If you read the section on the secondary where you waive your rights and allow the school to look into your background, you may be able to find out what kind of check they do. In some cases, schools go through official government checks-- FBI level if you are out of state, state wise if you are within state. Either way, your infraction and the record of your arrest will show up. If they use a different background checker, results may vary. You can always call the school anonymously and ask what shows up.

Having just gone through a similar dilemma, I advise looking very closely at what the secondary says. If it does not ask for criminal history in the broadest sense such as: ever been charged of any criminal offense? Then you may be ok because they did not specify enough. However if they do ask that, and you did not disclose, you may be in trouble--depending on their background check. If you read the section on the secondary where you waive your rights and allow the school to look into your background, you may be able to find out what kind of check they do. In some cases, schools go through official government checks-- FBI level if you are out of state, state wise if you are within state. Either way, your infraction and the record of your arrest will show up. If they use a different background checker, results may vary. You can always call the school anonymously and ask what shows up.

No where on the secondary does it ask me to specify, only on the post-admittance student disclosure form. That is where I will disclose in detail. Also, I am an in-state applicant. The committee knows me pretty well, I just don't want this to be a reflection of my character.

 

[hikeman544]

Call up the Student Affairs dean and explain before the Certiphi comes in.

Is the Certiphi the background check from AMCAS? Or by Certiphi do you mean the supplemental background check that the school will do?

 

[deleted480308]

they find an undisclosed DWI and you are over.....then you'll be listed as an accepted student that never matriculated when you reapply and you are D-O-N-E

 

[hikeman544]

Is the Certiphi the background check from AMCAS? Or by Certiphi do you mean the supplemental background check that the school will do?

@gyngyn

 

[radicleee]

Since it's asking you to disclose now, you should do it, explain well what happened, what you learned, how you've changed due to what you learned and how it's not you anymore. They're giving you the opportunity to do it now before it shows up. I don't think, from what I've read, that it'll have a big impact because they're looking for patterns of behavior.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn

Most schools use Certiphi. Some have an additional layer of screening, though.

 

[hikeman544]

Most schools use Certiphi. Some have an additional layer of screening, though.

Thanks. I am going to share my story with the Dean and Assistant Dean through email. This is just something one has to own up to, as no one has control over their past. Hopefully they will appreciate my candidness. I feel as though a phone conversation about this subject may be tough to navigate for me.

 

[PugsAndHugs]

Thanks. I am going to share my story with the Dean and Assistant Dean through email. This is just something one has to own up to, as no one has control over their past. Hopefully they will appreciate my candidness. I feel as though a phone conversation about this subject may be tough to navigate for me.

Goodluck! Let us know what happens!

 

[hikeman544]

Thanks. I am going to share my story with the Dean and Assistant Dean through email. This is just something one has to own up to, as no one has control over their past. Hopefully they will appreciate my candidness. I feel as though a phone conversation about this subject may be tough to navigate for me.

@gyngyn

 

[gyngyn]

Thanks. I am going to share my story with the Dean and Assistant Dean through email. This is just something one has to own up to, as no one has control over their past. Hopefully they will appreciate my candidness. I feel as though a phone conversation about this subject may be tough to navigate for me.

Sounds good.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[drsaurus]

Wishing you the best of luck.

 

[hikeman544]

@gyngyn Found out my school does an additional State Criminal Background check via Certified Background Inc. Again, they look for misdemeanors and felonies. I have neither. Will go in and speak to the Dean about it on Monday morning.

 

[hikeman544]

@gyngyn So my Certiphi screen came back clean. There will be an additional background check conducted by my school through Certified Background. The Dean wasn't there in person today, so I will have to email or break it to her another way. Statewide screen on Certiphi came back clean, do you think the statewide screen on Certified Background will also be the same?

 

[deleted480308]

@gyngyn So my Certiphi screen came back clean. There will be an additional background check conducted by my school through Certified Background. The Dean wasn't there in person today, so I will have to email or break it to her another way. Statewide screen on Certiphi came back clean, do you think the statewide screen on Certified Background will also be the same?

Send the freaking email.....if they find out about this from any source other than you, you are done

 

[Dral]

Not to mention this will come up again at least 2 or 3 more times in your medical career.

Just figure out how to deal with it now.

 

[gyngyn]

@gyngyn So my Certiphi screen came back clean. There will be an additional background check conducted by my school through Certified Background. The Dean wasn't there in person today, so I will have to email or break it to her another way. Statewide screen on Certiphi came back clean, do you think the statewide screen on Certified Background will also be the same?

I wouldn't count on it.

 

[BluMist]

I almost want to see dean finding out about it prior to email/meeting

... but I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone

Send the freaking email.....if they find out about this from any source other than you, you are done

 

[Spector1]

@gyngyn So my Certiphi screen came back clean. There will be an additional background check conducted by my school through Certified Background. The Dean wasn't there in person today, so I will have to email or break it to her another way. Statewide screen on Certiphi came back clean, do you think the statewide screen on Certified Background will also be the same?

maybe it will come back clean, maybe it won't. In one of those scenarios, your medical career is in a lot of trouble. I'd talk to the dean

 

[Dral]

If I was outside my car getting busted, I'm not sure I would put the keys in the ignition when I got in. That doesn't seem 'customary' to me.

Did you do it because you were that drunk...or were you actually DWI?

I'm not trying to necessarily call you out or give you a hard time....my question can pretty much be taken as rhetorical.

But if you aren't telling the whole truth...which happens not infrequently with these types of threads...I urge you to just be totally honest.

If it comes time for licensing, you'll likely have to submit a written part explaining what happened. If you go into detail and the board digs up a police report in conflict with your story, you could potentially get yourself into trouble for dishonesty.

That dishonesty charge occurring in the year 2024 or whenever you apply for a state license, would likely be worse than the DWI charge from years ago at that point.

 

[candbgirl]

OP did you send the email requesting an appointment with the Dean? It would be good to have a record of trying to get a meeting set up just in case something pops up unexpectedly.

 

[hikeman544]

I almost want to see dean finding out about it prior to email/meeting

... but I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone

That is just not a nice thing to say.

 

[hikeman544]

maybe it will come back clean, maybe it won't. In one of those scenarios, your medical career is in a lot of trouble. I'd talk to the dean

Going to email the Dean about it anyway.

 

[hikeman544]

If I was outside my car getting busted, I'm not sure I would put the keys in the ignition when I got in. That doesn't seem 'customary' to me.

Did you do it because you were that drunk...or were you actually DWI?

I'm not trying to necessarily call you out or give you a hard time....my question can pretty much be taken as rhetorical.

But if you aren't telling the whole truth...which happens not infrequently with these types of threads...I urge you to just be totally honest.

If it comes time for licensing, you'll likely have to submit a written part explaining what happened. If you go into detail and the board digs up a police report in conflict with your story, you could potentially get yourself into trouble for dishonesty.

That dishonesty charge occurring in the year 2024 or whenever you apply for a state license, would likely be worse than the DWI charge from years ago at that point.

Thank you for your time. To be clear, I am being honest. Was I drunk? Yes. Which is why I put myself in the position to begin with.

 

[TheZaLord]

Going to email the Dean about it anyway.

Good luck, man. I hope it all works out well.

 

[hikeman544]

Emails to Dean and Assistant Dean sent. Pray for me.

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

in OP's defense, I do know that it is a common thing that many officers do cite DUI/DWI if you even are sitting in your car when it is off let alone have the keys in the ignition. As one of my neighbor's indicated to me (who is a cop), they're told to charge even if there is a reasonable suspicion for intent to drive (which, any cop who see's an intoxicated individual walking to his car putting the keys in the ignition is more than reasonable even if there wasn't intent). It is 100% believable that he was not driving at the time of this incident.

 

[Spector1]

Emails to Dean and Assistant Dean sent. Pray for me.

good luck man.

 

[avgn]

It sounds like you didn't break any rules and didn't purposefully fail to disclose this matter yet. It's not like you had a chance to write about it but you didn't. This should be no problem since you're disclosing it at the exact time they're asking you for disclosures. The email is sent, so rest easy now. Even if the deans take this as an excuse to look down on your character (doubtful that would happen, deans have seen literally everything), in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter. You're following the rules by being honest. Just don't work yourself up too much if they want to discuss it in person.

 

[deleted480308]

I just read the OP again...I'm going to call bull on being a drunk outside of a car whose first instinct upon seeing a cop is to jump in the car and turn it on

 

[hopefulERdoc251]

I just read the OP again...I'm going to call bull on being a drunk outside of a car whose first instinct upon seeing a cop is to jump in the car and turn it on

I call bull on your interpretation. The same goes with me. I go into my car and the first thing I always do is to put keys in the ignition and plug my phone in. It happened hell today when I went in my car for the sole sake of getting a measly oil change receipt from it. You'd be surprised as to how autonomous our brains are with everyday actions that are routine for us. How often do you catch yourself doing something that you normally do when you intended on doing something different? For instance, if you eat cereal everyday for breakfast, but want to eat eggs one morning, some people (if they are in the haze of the morning wakeup) will instinctively grab for the carton of milk rather than the eggs. Don't be too quick to judge the OP here. Everybody has their own quirks, and we do live in a country where we are innocent until proven guilty.

 

[hikeman544]

It sounds like you didn't break any rules and didn't purposefully fail to disclose this matter yet. It's not like you had a chance to write about it but you didn't. This should be no problem since you're disclosing it at the exact time they're asking you for disclosures. The email is sent, so rest easy now. Even if the deans take this as an excuse to look down on your character (doubtful that would happen, deans have seen literally everything), in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter. You're following the rules by being honest. Just don't work yourself up too much if they want to discuss it in person.

Yeah I disclosed when I was supposed to disclose. Thanks for the optimism.

 

[hikeman544]

I just read the OP again...I'm going to call bull on being a drunk outside of a car whose first instinct upon seeing a cop is to jump in the car and turn it on

You were probably never a commuter.

 

[hikeman544]

I call bull on your interpretation. The same goes with me. I go into my car and the first thing I always do is to put keys in the ignition and plug my phone in. It happened hell today when I went in my car for the sole sake of getting a measly oil change receipt from it. You'd be surprised as to how autonomous our brains are with everyday actions that are routine for us. How often do you catch yourself doing something that you normally do when you intended on doing something different? For instance, if you eat cereal everyday for breakfast, but want to eat eggs one morning, some people (if they are in the haze of the morning wakeup) will instinctively grab for the carton of milk rather than the eggs. Don't be too quick to judge the OP here. Everybody has their own quirks, and we do live in a country where we are innocent until proven guilty.

Thanks for the back-up sir/ma'am but probably a sir.

 

[Dral]

Well, in the end it really doesn't matter too much to us either way.

Just be prepared to explain the same thing on your ERAS app and on any state licensure app.

I don't think a single DWI charge should be a problem, as long as you stay clean from now on.

 

[hikeman544]

Well, in the end it really doesn't matter too much to us either way.

Just be prepared to explain the same thing on your ERAS app and on any state licensure app.

I don't think a single DWI charge should be a problem, as long as you stay clean from now on.

Yes, I guess it doesn't. And staying clean won't be an issue. My relationship with alcohol has been tenuous and aversive since that experience.

 

[deleted480308]

Yes, I guess it doesn't. And staying clean won't be an issue. My relationship with alcohol has been tenuous and aversive since that experience.

You are trying to be a doctor and you have a dui...break up with alcohol

 

[hikeman544]

Responses are in: I was told I did the right thing. From the tone of the email it seems like things will turn out okay. Fingers crossed.

 

[hikeman544]

You are trying to be a doctor and you have a dui...break up with alcohol

I think thats a little extreme. I'm mature enough to make good decisions.

 

[BluMist]

My first comment was in jest, and even then I said I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

In any case, I'm happy for you that everything worked out.

That is just not a nice thing to say.

Responses are in: I was told I did the right thing. From the tone of the email it seems like things will turn out okay. Fingers crossed.

 

[Planes2Doc]

You are trying to be a doctor and you have a dui...break up with alcohol

I know plenty of people who got very drunk at a birthday, bachelor party, wedding, etc that are otherwise light social drinkers. It's possible to get a DUI because someone makes a bad choice, and not necessarily because they are an alcoholic (or anywhere close to that).

 

[wagonwheel23]

@musicaman611 I'm really happy to hear that. Best of luck with everything!