Medical How should I address an IA?

[GoSpursGo]

Hi SDN Admin,

I received an IA for an academic dishonesty violation during the second semester of my sophomore year. I worked two jobs at the time and very regretfully wrote equations on my hand before an ochem lab practical. Extremely stupid, I know. Immediately after the incident, I quit both jobs and dedicated myself to my studies, something I should have done from the get-go. I understand my actions represented a lapse in moral judgment and integrity, which puts me at an even greater disadvantage for the app cycle. I have done my best to demonstrate that I am not the person I was two years ago and that I have grown a lot since the IA. My GPA up to then was around a 2.8 and since, I have maintained a 3.9+ each semester. I am also the director of nonprofit education at a test prep agency, where I have hundreds of hours tutoring disadvantaged students for college entrance exams. As we begin the app cycle, I wanted to know if there was any advice you might have in addressing the IA. I will be checking the box on the app and be 100% forthright and honest. Would it be worth it to mention the incident to one of my letter writers who knows me very well and could add a statement like "X has grown a lot since his IA in 2019..." They are not the ochem professor who I received the IA from, but they can definitely attest to the growth of my character. I appreciate any and all advice, thank you.

If the prof isn't the person who gave you the IA then I don't think this notation would move the needle.

Whether or not this is an app killer depends on the overall strength of your app otherwise.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Eh...I don't think it will mean anything if it's just someone who knows you that is now commenting on an IA that you mentioned to them before they wrote your letter. What other volunteer activities have you done?

 

[Goro]

I have a few hundred hours of hospital volunteering, ~150 in a vaccine clinic, about 50 hours tutoring disadvantaged students with a nonprofit, ~20 with an organization that checks up on the elderly during the pandemic, and I’m one of the directors of a club at my school ~100 volunteer hours here.

Honestly, you're not in a good zone right now. Here's the mindset that you'll be facing from Adcoms:
1) Why should we accept this person when we have so many applicants who didn't cheat?
2) Is this the sort of person we want in our class?

Getting a LOR from a different prof than the one who actually taught the course in which you cheated won't help. Get it from the the prof that counts. That would go a long way in helping you.

You are helped by this happening in your SO year, but the nature of the blatant cheating is still problematic.

You should put as much time as possible between the incident and your application. You will need to explain this and own it on your app.

Engage in service to others (OFF campus and out of your comfort zone; we don't care about you being a TA). Being in positions of responsibility will help.

And don't f*** up again.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Agree with Goro here. Medical school is obviously super competitive. Basically, they have many, MANY qualified applicants that have just as good/better than your app that doesn't have an IA. That's gonna be the hurdle you need to get over.