How bad is institutional action due to marijuana use?

[ja3]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I just started undergrad this summer, and I recently received disciplinary probation due to my dorm room being found containing marijuana, paraphernalia, alcohol, two alprazolam pills, and a fake id. I understand you must report any institutional action taken against you on the AMCAS. I am on track to graduate a year early if that makes it worse due to the violation being closer by date than it would if I took four years. I am ashamed and understand this may cause me to change my plans for the future; the following are some questions some of you may be able to help me with.

Does this ruin my chance at medical school?
If not, are there any suggested ways relating to the violation (other than to be a stellar student/person) to help my chances?
If so, should I switch my major (from computational biology) to a field more understanding of such violations?

Does anyone know of someone with a similar case still being accepted?

I still have a few full-tuition scholarships standing for fall at other colleges, should I withdraw and attend one of them? (I asked this before and got a resounding "no" because supposedly I still would have to report the institutional action that happened this summer?)

Thank you for any responses.

 

[don't you dare]

ummmm what major can such violation be understood? I'm just curious

 

[ja3]

ummmm what major can such violation be understood? I'm just curious

Majors in fields that don't request disciplinary records from the university upon applying for a job.

 

[ja3]

Once you start a school and start a course, transcripts must be submitted and IA reported.

Graduating early doesnt help snd can hurt typical applicants and you are no longer typical.

and lets be clear, you have been found with
Weed
Paraphenila
Booze
Pills
Fake ID

You need to seriously consider a non medical career

I understand the situation...so yes, I am screwed?

 

[trobinsonmd]

I don't want to say your chances are zero because I actually have seen people with these violations get into MD programs, but the issue with your case is that it is several things at once. I have seen many people get in with marijuana or alcohol on their record, I think I've heard of someone getting in with a fake, but the pills is what really is dicey to me, and the fact that you have all of these in one is really really bad. If you were to get an amazing MCAT score, a killer GPA, and put together an amazing app, I think then you would stand a small chance of getting in. If you have an avg application and have this history, I would say DOA at most schools

 

[Robin-jay]

Once you start a school and start a course, transcripts must be submitted and IA reported.

Graduating early doesnt help snd can hurt typical applicants and you are no longer typical.

and lets be clear, you have been found with
Weed
Paraphenila
Booze
Pills
Fake ID

You need to seriously consider a non medical career

Would ADCOMs have no mercy for an applicant because of all the different objects? What is the object, or combination of objects that make it just "too much" for ADCOMs in this case?

I know that applicants have been forgiven for booze, weed, and Fake ID's.

Is it the paraphernalia or pills that make it "too much"?

Paraphenila

You killed this word Gonnif!

 

[Robin-jay]

Bong is so much easier to type

Its all of it together; its multiple charges
I an suprised OP hasnt lost scholarship

Maybe he is in the process of it and doesn't know. Sometimes they hit you after then end of a semester when they take away your scholarship.

Happened to my ex-gf.

 

[Robin-jay]

ummmm what major can such violation be understood? I'm just curious

This made me almost think the OP was trolling.

 

[bigal123]

Apply to California, Colorado, Florida for some reason I think they will be more lenient

 

[Robin-jay]

Apply to California, Colorado, Florida for some reason I think they will be more lenient

California will probably give him a scholarship.

 

[bigal123]

California will probably give him a scholarship.

Exactly you can use everything to your advantage
Google: Medical schools that are discovering the health benefits of medical marijuana

 

[ja3]

Seriously...can you all limit responses to helpful, or at least serious, comments?

 

[bigal123]

Seriously...

I don't know, but I would think that states that have legalized it for recreational use might look at it differently. I don't think you can weasel your way out of the Benzos though.

 

[Goro]

I understand the situation...so yes, I am screwed?

Yeah, you're screwed. You'd be DOA at my school.

And while SDN is not for medical advice, it appears that you have a substance abuse issue. Get help.

Or let's put it this way, your medical career is, at best in deep stasis. Get help, and lead an exemplary life for at least FIVE years. Engage in activities int he service of others, especially in positions of responsibility. Re-read gonnif's sage post above.

Always have Plan B.

And yes folks, it's the multiple illegal substances. Quit focussing on the pot. This isn't about just pot.

 

[Robin-jay]

Exactly you can use everything to your advantage
Google: Medical schools that are discovering the health benefits of medical marijuana

Google: Students across the country discovering recreational uses of Marijuana, but claim they want it legal due to health benefits.

 

[Benz MD]

Get help bro.

 

[LizzyM]

The institutional action is bad but not fatal. You haven't told us if this stuff was yours or if it belonged to a roommate. If it is yours, I worry not that the IA would keep you out of med school but the stuff you keep around you will form a wall that you can't scale. To repeat the sage advice offered above, get some help if this is your stuff or you will be hindered from many opportunities.

 

[Catalystik]

You haven't told us if this stuff was yours or if it belonged to a roommate.

Or if you have a legal prescription for the alprazolam.

And was a police report filed.

 

[ja3]

The institutional action is bad but not fatal. You haven't told us if this stuff was yours or if it belonged to a roommate. If it is yours, I worry not that the IA would keep you out of med school but the stuff you keep around you will form a wall that you can't scale. To repeat the sage advice offered above, get some help if this is your stuff or you will be hindered from may opportunities.

It was mine, except for the alcohol, which I said it was mine (better one arrested than four). I did not have a prescription. My university will be drug testing me for the next two years, the first of which I have already passed.

I am not worried about my short-lived history of drug use forming an unscalable wall around me, however, I am extremely worried that this IA is an unscalable wall between me and a career in health-care.

 

[ja3]

Or if you have a legal prescription for the alprazolam.

And was a police report filed.

Yes, however, the charges are very likely to be expunged.

 

[Catalystik]

This made me almost think the OP was trolling.

Like @gonnif I think it's believable. I recall a very similar case from my own campus a few years back.

 

[bigal123]

I'll be serious here for a second.

From my experience in the military and as a teacher I have found that sometimes the people who need help the most are the ones that are to afraid to ask for it out of some sense of dignity or whatever. They find other means to cope. Instead you have these kids with no integrity getting prescribed adderall and vicodin by playing the highly subjective psychiatrity game. What we end up seeing is that people who actually need the help getting it illegally by buying it off of people that shouldn't have it but hold it legally, twisted but true.

In my honest opinion if you have a real mental health problem you should visit a professional, tell them everything, whatever it is theres a reason you are doing these things, abuse, anxiety, etc. Get properly prescribed and state your case. Maybe you were discouraged from getting help by others, maybe your school didn't foster an environment that made you feel comfortable in asking for help, etc. If this is your first offense and your record is otherwise clean you have a strong case to make.

 

[Goro]

Yes, however, the charges are very likely to be expunged.

Doesn't matter; you still have to report them. Are you going to lie and have this sword hanging over your head if you get into med school? (sword meaning that you could be dismissed for lying).

• Institutional Action: Medical schools need to know if you were ever the recipient of any institutional action resulting from unacceptable academic performance or a conduct violation, even if such action did not interrupt your enrollment, require you to withdraw, or does not appear on your official transcripts due to institutional policy or personal petition.

https://students-residents.aamc.org...cle/sections-1-3-your-background-information/

 

[ja3]

Doesn't matter; you still have to report them. Are you going to lie and have this sword hanging over your head if you get into med school? (sword meaning that you could be dismissed for lying).

• Institutional Action: Medical schools need to know if you were ever the recipient of any institutional action resulting from unacceptable academic performance or a conduct violation, even if such action did not interrupt your enrollment, require you to withdraw, or does not appear on your official transcripts due to institutional policy or personal petition.

I know I still have to report the institutional action: I was responding to your asking of if their was a police report filed. There was, and I received two misdemeanors due to the police report, which are very likely to be expunged.

 

[Unlimited Apps]

I know I still have to report the institutional action: I was responding to your asking of if their was a police report filed. There was, and I received two misdemeanors due to the police report, which are very likely to be expunged.

Many secondaries (if not most/all) ask questions regarding misdemeanors and felonies. Expunged is different than voided, I believe you still have to report the former while the later is as if nothing ever happened.

 

[ja3]

Many secondaries (if not most/all) ask questions regarding misdemeanors and felonies. Expunged is different than voided, I believe you still have to report the former while the later is as if nothing ever happened.

"You must indicate if you have 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 that have been expunged or sealed by a court, or (3) any misdemeanor convictions for which you completed any probation and for which the court dismissed the case (in states where applicable). You need not disclose any instance in which you: • Were arrested but not charged • Were arrested and charged, with the charges dropped • Were arrested and charged, but found not guilty by a judge or jury • Were arrested and found guilty by a judge or jury, with the conviction overturned on appeal • Were arrested and found guilty but received an executive pardon"

Although it probably doesn't matter much as my application is already ruined by my reporting of the IA.

 

[el799]

Yeah, you're screwed. You'd be DOA at my school.

And while SDN is not for medical advice, it appears that you have a substance abuse issue. Get help.

Or let's put it this way, your medical career is, at best in deep stasis. Get help, and lead an exemplary life for at least FIVE years. Engage in activities int he service of others, especially in positions of responsibility. Re-read gonnif's sage post above.

Always have Plan B.

And yes folks, it's the multiple illegal substances. Quit focussing on the pot. This isn't about just pot.

Jesus why do schools care so much... it is possible to use these substances in a relatively safe manor in college, excel, and then stop post grad---living a normal life thereafter. If the student shows exceptional academic and extracurricular performance why does this matter?

 

[Unlimited Apps]

Jesus why do schools care so much... it is possible to use these substances in a relatively safe manor in college, excel, and then stop post grad---living a normal life thereafter. If the student shows exceptional academic and extracurricular performance why does this matter?

Something I have learned about the process through this site as well as in real life is that the admissions process is all about reducing risk as an applicant. From our standpoint, we want to do everything possible to show medical schools that we can handle their curriculum, remain mentally and physically well to graduate, and don't make them look bad by dropping out or failing boards (or worse, getting arrested or committing a major crime). Medical schools can't afford to pick up "risky" cases when they have 5-10 other students applying for that same spot.

With IAs and/or police involvement (even if its something as simple as illegal weed or underage alcohol), it raises suspicion on whether its a one-time event or if its a sign of consistent things that an applicant is doing behind closed doors, or worse. I am guessing that having multiple years of community service, ideal citizen-like behavior, etc is providing evidence that these situations are in fact one-time cases and not representative of the true side of an applicant.

That being said, as the adcoms on this site have brought up multiple times, single discretions like pot, alcohol, trespassing, and other stupid undergraduate **** (and I know, being an ex-undergrad) can be forgiven. But when you put a bunch of stuff together (PLUS that recreational usage of prescription drugs), you accumulate a lot more risk on your application and it's probably hard to justify medical schools giving you a spot when they have 5-10 other people that are model citizens AND have the same stats/etc as you.

 

[Goro]

Jesus why do schools care so much... it is possible to use these substances in a relatively safe manor in college, excel, and then stop post grad---living a normal life thereafter. If the student shows exceptional academic and extracurricular performance why does this matter?

Judgement issues, pure and simple.

The OP has two massive hurdles: One is the thinking of "Is this someone we want in our class?"

The other is "Why should we take this kid when we have some many other candidates who didn't do something this stupid?"

In a seller's market, no matter what the OP's app looks like, med schools can more than afford to ignore him. In fact, because we're the only thing between him and patients, it a good idea to.

And who says the OP can stop post-grad?

 

[Alex1234*]

someone believing something you said was reflective of subconscious racial bias, putting your feet on the table during group work etc, are all things the alt-left have brought under their control under the guise of "ensuring professionalism".

Lol dude, this sounds like you're upset that you can't be racist and get away with it.

 

[LizzyM]

"You must indicate if you have 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 that have been expunged or sealed by a court, or (3) any misdemeanor convictions for which you completed any probation and for which the court dismissed the case (in states where applicable). You need not disclose any instance in which you: • Were arrested but not charged • Were arrested and charged, with the charges dropped • Were arrested and charged, but found not guilty by a judge or jury • Were arrested and found guilty by a judge or jury, with the conviction overturned on appeal • Were arrested and found guilty but received an executive pardon"

Although it probably doesn't matter much as my application is already ruined by my reporting of the IA.

If you want to think that you have no chance, and you want to move on with your life, using this IA/misdemeanors as a defense/excuse for leaving the pre-med path, go ahead. Find something that makes you happy and that makes good use of your talents and move on.

If you think that you would like to be a physician some day, do your best in school (don't slack), find a way to be of service to society for at least two years after college, and then apply. The door is not shut at this point unless you, yourself, want to close it.

 

[LizzyM]

If it was "just" weed or underage drinking or whatever, general wisdom on SDN is OP would be fine with a squeaky clean record afterward and a little maturity. But OP also had Xanax they were not prescribed. A controlled substance, which OP will have access to and the ability to prescribe as a physician. Not only that, the school felt it was severe enough an infraction to escalate it to the level of legal trouble rather than just having an IA. That's something that's likely going to get asked about when it comes to getting licensed to practice and I'm guessing their DEA# as well.

One misstep at 17 or 18 by an applicant who is 25 when matriculating and 29 or older when applying for a DEA# is not going to be a major hurdle. All of us grown-ups were kids once, some of us have kids, and some of us realize that one misstep is not the end of the world that immature kids make mistakes, learn from them, mature, and become upstanding citizens. We can hope that the OP is able to recover from this misstep and pursue a career that requires responsibility.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Alrazolam (Xanax) is the f’n devil. I had brilliant friends who’s lives were ruined by that drug.

Besides being profoundly addictive, it can give you total amnesia - you can end up doing things you would never do otherwise. It may seem fun as a freshman in college, but when you wake up in jail and find out you killed someone driving blackout the party is over real quick. Happened to someone I knew from orgo lab.

 

[mindlight1]

As upsetting as this whole debacle is for OP, perhaps this is the wake-up call that was needed to prevent something worse from happening down the road. Crisis is an opportunity for change...I am hoping this can lead you to a good place, OP. I will be rooting for you!