Med School Admissions Background Check

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tb1383

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I am a non-traditional student, who after graduating with a business degree went back to school to pursue a career in medicine. I have recently taken the MCAT and will be applying to schools this summer. I haven't really thought about it until now, but 4 years ago when I was 20, I was arrested for underage consumption and possessing a fake ID. I went through a diversion program to avoid being charged with anything and I was told that this was expunged from my record. However, I have been getting nervous lately that this may affect my getting into medical school. Since this has been expunged, will this still show up on a background check? Or are the background checks used to find more serious incidents, such as felonies? I would appreciate if anyone could help me with this since this is all I have been worrying a lot about this lately.

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Please do a Search (see "Search" button near the right top of the screen). Many similar threads have been posted and discussed this year. This is probably why you haven't received any other replies. :oops:

If you still have any questions after reading all the archived discussions, then come back and post some more! :)
 
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Go to http://www.certifiedbackground.com/ and run a background check on yourself and see if anything comes up.


hey remo, their description is pretty funny:laugh:

"What is CertifiedBackground.com?

CertifiedBackground.com is an applicant funded background check service. CertifiedBackground.com allows individuals to order and/or purchase their own background check while satisfying the specific requirements of employers or organizations. The background check may then be viewed online by the individual and the organization. CertifiedBackground.com allows applicants to distinguish themselves from the competition and helps organizations maintain a safe and secure environment
."


WTH is applicant funded? why can't they just say "fee for service"...

I get the feeling that you're paying this company and others just like them for no good reason, you're providing them with your personal information, information which they wouldn't have otherwise .

OP, try livescan--> it's a fingerprinting service which runs a background check through DOJ (department of justice) you'll end up having to do this for any type of state or federal employment/licensure.

The hospital I work at does background checks through Choicepoint, a company which doesn't require fingerprinting, and hence probably not all that accurate.

Choicepoint is one of the larger database collection services, you may remember that about two years ago they were caught selling people's personal information to crooks.

Anyway, I'm weary of big brother and I'd be weary of any website/company where I have to provide personal information to get personal information. If you want to test this hypothesis, enter a slightly different address and/or birthday, and I'll bet you that they'll give that erroneous info as part of the search that you paid for!!!
 
I know I have not been convicted of a misdemeanor, but if I disclose this information on an application where it asks if I have ever been arrested or charged with a crime and still get accepted into a school, will this affect me down the road in terms of getting my license?
 
Hey...I have a minor in posession ticket and my buddy had two pretrial diversion consumption issues and we both applied this year.

I reported my ticket whenever they asked about misdemeanors because I assume that's on my record.

My friend reported his ONLY when they specifically asked if he had participated in a pretrial diversion (some secondaries specifically ask you about this).

I would follow the pattern my friend did--he has not yet run into any problems with that, and we're quite late into the cycle.
 
Even if you have been given a ticket for a misdemeanor of any sort, you are not charged with a crime until a judge finds you guilty. Don't you know you are innocent until proven guilty?!
 
Even if you have been given a ticket for a misdemeanor of any sort, you are not charged with a crime until a judge finds you guilty. Don't you know you are innocent until proven guilty?!

you are charged when you get the ticket or go to pre-trial... you are CONVICTED when the judge finds you guilty...
 
My question about background checks is when they are done. Does anyone know? I've been accepted a school since like October of last year and I was wondering if they have already done the background check or if they wait until after May15th when you're 'confirmed' to (very likely) matriculate?

Any ideas?
 
My question about background checks is when they are done. Does anyone know? I've been accepted a school since like October of last year and I was wondering if they have already done the background check or if they wait until after May15th when you're 'confirmed' to (very likely) matriculate?

Any ideas?

Bonjour!
Just stopping by from the Mentor Forum. The Criminal Background Check costs money so the schools are loath to do them on anyone who isn't otherwise matriculating. The proper one's require your consent (always) and often your fingerprints so you'll know when it was done. Some schools will postpone it until the first day of orientation.

That said, even if something turns up, the school is not obligated (at least in terms of state law, which is often what drives these decisions) to drop you. If it is something like underage possession, don't worry. If it is a sex crime or other violent crime (including domestic violence) it is another story.
 
Thanks for the info!

Another question: there has been some disagreement on these threads about how schools conduct background checks. Do they just use an internet-based service or do they used the $82 DOJ/FBI reports or what?

Thanks!
 
My school uses both State Police records & a federal database. YMMV. There have been serious discussions about how deep to dig. Some databases will provide information (rap sheet) on every arrest and its outcome (even charges dropped & acquital). It is very, very rare (as in almost never happens) that anything turns up on one of these to make an adcom or Dean of Admissions pull an offer of admission. Seriously, I think you would need to have killed or abused someone or been convicted of a felony involving narcotics.
 
Or lied. Just make sure you truthfully answer every question. Minor offenses should not hurt you (because they likely did not hurt others). But someone who lies and covers up their records would not seem like a good candidate to be a doctor.

Good luck!
 
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Another question: there has been some disagreement on these threads about how schools conduct background checks. Do they just use an internet-based service or do they used the $82 DOJ/FBI reports or what?

Also keep in mind that there is no mandatory requirement for schools to conduct background checks. My school does not perform one at this time. According to my Dean, there has been some agitation at the AAMC about making this part of the matriculation process, but as of this time, it is still a decision made by individual schools.
 
So I assume if you disclose the information on your application and still get accepted, you should have no problem being granted your license after school is over with. Or could you still run into problems later when the Medical Board does background checks?
 
I However, I have been getting nervous lately that this may affect my getting into medical school. Since this has been expunged, will this still show up on a background check? Or are the background checks used to find more serious incidents, such as felonies? I would appreciate if anyone could help me with this since this is all I have been worrying a lot about this lately.

If you are worried and want to ease your mind about what may, or may not, show up on your criminal record, go run a criminal background check on yourself. It's pretty easy. Call your state law enforcement office and ask about how to get one (the full criminal background check, state and federal). Basically, you show up to the state police office during their background check fingerprinting hours and fill out at the most two forms (one state, the other federal, if your state does it that way; some states have a unified form for both types of checks). They will fingerprint you using either plain old ink, or by the new computer printing systems. You send the cards off to where they are supposed to go, along with check or money order (depending on regulations) and wait for your record to arrive in the mail. You can expedite the federal (FBI) background check, if there is a good reason. I had to do all this for my EMT-B training; it was relatively painless.

If you want information on what may appear on your driving records, call your state DMV office. They usually have a service where you pay a small fee for them to send you your complete driving record that is associated with your state driver's license.

Good luck.
 
So I assume if you disclose the information on your application and still get accepted, you should have no problem being granted your license after school is over with. Or could you still run into problems later when the Medical Board does background checks?

That's a question that gets discussed fairly often on the Residency and Allo forums. I'm not sure of the answer, but if you're really worried abot it, consider posting your question over there or searching the old threads.
 
Or could you still run into problems later when the Medical Board does background checks?

There is no single medical licensing board, per se; it's state run and each state has their own licensing board. If you want to get a license to practice medicine in, say, Missouri, you would have to contend with their state governing body; likewise in any other state in which you wish to practice medicine. Thus, the potential is there for differing regulations, rules, and opinions about your background across states, I would think. It's best to check with the state(s) you are considering getting a license to practice medicine in.
 
Hello all,
I was convicted 2 misdemeanors 2 years ago. They put me on probation for 2 years, but now my probations are expired. I don't want to hide this information while I am applying to med schools this year. However, could any one please tell me what I should write on the report to AMCAS. Can anyone give me an sample? Thank you...
 
Hello all,
I was convicted 2 misdemeanors 2 years ago. They put me on probation for 2 years, but now my probations are expired. I don't want to hide this information while I am applying to med schools this year. However, could any one please tell me what I should write on the report to AMCAS. Can anyone give me an sample? Thank you...

Pretty much what you just wrote. Either that or tell them, "I was FRAMED! Framed, I tells ya!" You should also look into getting your record expunged. You'll still have to disclose it, and it can still prevent you from getting a medical license, but you can also explain that the convictions were expunged.

You should also look into your state's physician liciensing laws. I know that at least in one state (Ohio, maybe?) having two misdemeanors of certain types will automatically bar you from licensure.
 
Hello all,
I was convicted 2 misdemeanors 2 years ago. They put me on probation for 2 years, but now my probations are expired. I don't want to hide this information while I am applying to med schools this year. However, could any one please tell me what I should write on the report to AMCAS. Can anyone give me an sample? Thank you...

if i were you, i would put down you were convicted of two felonies. one for assault with a deadly weapon when you took a bat to the head of a member of the clergy and the second for possesion with intent to sell when you were caught with 300 pills of x at you sister's junior high. write about how you spent the next four years in prison reflecting on your crimes and finding the one true god, allah. then write that you were just kidding and it was only two lousy misdemeanors. sit back and wait for the invites to pour in.
 
PS I'm in my mid-twenties (legal)

ps wandering around drunk in public (illegal)

why did you plead guilty? that was dumb. why would somebody drug a guy? ewwww, nevermind, i don't even want to think about that. are you sure just b/c they didn't fingerprint you it won't come up on a background check?
 
Also keep in mind that there is no mandatory requirement for schools to conduct background checks. My school does not perform one at this time. According to my Dean, there has been some agitation at the AAMC about making this part of the matriculation process, but as of this time, it is still a decision made by individual schools.

State law requires background checks in Illinois. Background checks are also required before you do clerkships in a Veterans Affairs (VA) facililty and because just about every medical school in the country has an affiliation with a VA facility... just about every medical student is subjected to a background check.

Having anything come up on background check is not grounds for dismissal. Decisions are made on a case by case basis.
 
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