Originally posted by Curious_Joe*
I am considering applying to med school next year but have a major concern. When I was 17 I was convicted of a felony (Robbery) for "stealing" a T-shirt. It was a huge misunderstanding but that doesn't matter any more. I was wondering if that would seriously hurt my chances of being accepted to med school and becoming a doctor. If anyone has any information it would be greatly appreciated.
This will probably hurt your chances at a number of schools, but I don't think it's impossible to get into medical school or get licensed as a result. You will probably have to report it at many schools, but maybe not all schools. It will depend on what state you were convicted in and what your exact sentence was. I used to be a prosecuting attorney and I am fairly familiar with the criminal laws in a few states. For example, if you pled guilty to robbery in Missouri there is a chance you might not have to report the robbery to schools. But this is probably unlikely. It will depend on the exact sentence you received and courts usually take robberies pretty seriously because they are considered violent crimes. So, you will most likely have to tell every school about this conviction. You might want to talk to a pre-med advisor about this, but I think the best approach is to be completely upfront and honest about the whole thing. Since this incident will most likely come up anyway, I would address it in your personal statement. I also think the best approach is to own up to any culpability you had, and state how much you have learned and grown from the experience. I know you say that the whole incident was a "misunderstanding," but I fear characterizing it in this manner may work against you in the application process. Adcomm's might see this as not owning up to your past mistakes. How much responsibility you need to take might depend on how the case was resolved, but if you pled guilty instead of pleading no contest, making an Alford plea, or taking the case to trial, then you have (in every state that I'm aware of) admitted under oath that you committed the crime. Consequently, I think it will only hurt you if you try to avoid responsibility for the crime in such a scenario. There is a high likelihood the schools will have access to the court records (it will depend on the juvenile laws in the state you were convicted in and what your sentence was -- but in Missouri and several other states 17 makes you an adult). In any event, I suggest you talk to a pre-med advisor, possibly the admission directors at schools you are interested in, and a lawyer in the state you were convicted in. You may also want to check with the state licensing body and the national board certification body for the state and specialty you are interested in.
After making this long post, and being a lawyer, I feel compelled to tell you that since I don't know the facts of your case, the exact nature of your conviction, or the state it occurred in, you should not consider what I have stated as legal advice you can definitively rely on. (Nor would I rely on the statements of other SDNers. This is too important, and you want to handle it correctly). However, feel free to PM me if you want to discuss the matter in more detail.