Misdemeanor

[Rickety.Cricket]

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[HomeSkool]

First, awesome screen name!

Second, I imagine adcoms will LOL and ROFL and not give a flying deuce about it. You're fine!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

 

[MedScat]

As long as it is expunged, you do not have to disclose the information. It is NOT considered lying since the application clearly states that if you have something that was expunged, you do not need to report it. To be even more safe, you could call your schools admissions office just to make sure but I'm like 99.99999% positive that you dont have to even talk about it.

Plus, even if you did, I'm sure your interviewer would laugh lol

 

[Rickety.Cricket]

First, awesome screen name!

Second, I imagine adcoms will LOL and ROFL and not give a flying deuce about it. You're fine!

I'm glad someone gets the sunny reference! Thanks for the feedback

As long as it is expunged, you do not have to disclose the information. It is NOT considered lying since the application clearly states that if you have something that was expunged, you do not need to report it. To be even more safe, you could call your schools admissions office just to make sure but I'm like 99.99999% positive that you dont have to even talk about it.

Plus, even if you did, I'm sure your interviewer would laugh lol

See, I've heard conflicting things about this. Some say it's better to disclose no matter what, while others say not to unless its absolutely mandatory. I feel like it's better to disclose, just in case.

I can't see anyone caring too much either, just figured I'd get the professional opinions of everyone here.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Do not disclose. No benefit in doing so.

 

[ciestar]

Be glad you don’t live in a state where this can land you on the sex offender registry.

Anyway, with it being expunged you don’t have much to worry about.

 

[Rickety.Cricket]

What about secondaries? They tend to get a little more specific on the topic, correct?

 

[814965]

Some schools' secondaries don't ask about criminal records. If you're a Michigan resident you're in luck because MSU, CMU, and Wayne are three of them. OUWB also technically doesn't but they may want one disclosed on the "Anything else you'd like to tell us about?" question. Try to find others that don't and apply to those.

 

[Goro]

Hey gang,

Backstory: 2 years ago, when I was 20, I was at a large college fest. I went an took a leak behind a house (that my friend said he knew). Anyway, police came back, and arrested me for public urination and underage consumption (no proof of consumption whatsoever).

Long story short, the underage was dropped, but I still was convicted of disorderly conduct for public urination (a minor misdemeanor). This charge is now expunged, however, I'm wondering how MD schools, particularly top tier schools, will view this situation.

Clearly I'll explain it on the AMCAS, but I'm still not sure of the impact of this, or how schools will view it.

I agree with my learned colleague that this is a non-issue

 

[698344]

Hey gang,

Backstory: 2 years ago, when I was 20, I was at a large college fest. I went an took a leak behind a house (that my friend said he knew). Anyway, police came back, and arrested me for public urination and underage consumption (no proof of consumption whatsoever).

Long story short, the underage was dropped, but I still was convicted of disorderly conduct for public urination (a minor misdemeanor). This charge is now expunged, however, I'm wondering how MD schools, particularly top tier schools, will view this situation.

Clearly I'll explain it on the AMCAS, but I'm still not sure of the impact of this, or how schools will view it.

Some secondaries will ask for convictions or arrests specifically. A very small minority ask for charges as well.

 

[Cornfed101]

I’m not a lawyer, so take this with a grain of salt. The pre med years podcast had a show about this and basically you’re better off to report it. The issue is not in getting into medical school, the issue is that the state licensing can be anal about it and not allow you to practice because you didn’t disclose it. And it sounds like they can still find stuff that was expunged. I have a misdemeanor as well and I’m going to report it on my application because it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I think my chances of it affecting my application are about as low as yours.

 

[ciestar]

I’m not a lawyer, so take this with a grain of salt. The pre med years podcast had a show about this and basically you’re better off to report it. The issue is not in getting into medical school, the issue is that the state licensing can be anal about it and not allow you to practice because you didn’t disclose it. And it sounds like they can still find stuff that was expunged. I have a misdemeanor as well and I’m going to report it on my application because it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I think my chances of it affecting my application are about as low as yours.

My sister’s juvenile record showed up on a federal check. So yes, always better to report just in case.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If an applicant is applying to medical school via AMCAS, which has very clear rules on what you do and do not have to note, if would seem a reasonable conclusion that an applicant unfamiliar the complicated process of applying with multiple secondaries, that the same AMCAS rules would apply. It would be reasonable that if any applicant were accepted and something comes up in a criminal background check that clearly did not need to be reported in AMCAS, an explanation with about the confusion in the process would suffice to the dean of the school and, frankly, in court if necessary. That is my wholly my personal opinion and should not be considered an offer or professional legal advice.
And that is really all I can say on the matter

I agree with @gonnif Generally regarding something this trivial/minor, I am a proponent of disclosing. However, unlike applying to a licensing board where the objectivity of granting a license is not in question as long all the rules are followed and mandatory disclosure is done, an application to a medical school has a subjective component that must be taken into consideration. Having gone through this cycle, I know the importance of being 'lucky' enough to get your app assigned to an Adcom who is amenable to what they read in an app.

This may be far fetch, but what if OP's application is assigned to an Adcom member who has been terrorized by neighbors who throw raucous parties and have had their roses trampled and/or have called the police because the revelers have relieved themselves on their lawn, etc. This Adcom might not take to kindly to what OP has done.

In this situation, perhaps nondisclosure is better and if 'caught' then a simple explanation as suggested by gonnif would be sufficient.

Just saying....

 

[MedScat]

I know someone very close to me who had a felony that was expunged. She was extremely nervous that although it was expunged, that it would still show up. She knew she did not have to disclose it and didn't want to ruin her chances if she didn't have to because lets face it. If they can choose you (with a misdemeanor) or another applicant with the same stats with NO misdemeanor, who are they going to pick? Anyways, my friend found out that the company for background checks that they use is called Certiphi. She contacted Certiphi and found out how to pay for her own background check prior to applying just so she could know for SURE what schools would see. Turns out, she came back completely clean, and she was NOT dishonest but not disclosing it since AMCAS clearly states that you do NOT have to disclose something that's expunged. Even if god forbid something did show up, it would likely have been a clerical error since expunged records should now show up on this check and if this were the case, it would be extremely easy to explain. Just make sure you have the paperwork that shows it was expunged available. If you don't have it, a certificate of disposition is extremely easy to get from the court where the charges were expunged.

I know everyone is so concerned about being perceived at deceitful but in this case, it would not be at all. I really advise against disclosing it because this fact could only hurt your application, not help it, and youre NOT being dishonest by not disclosing it. This incident was only 2 years ago. Applying to medical school is already extremely competitive. Do you want to risk being perceived as reckless and irresponsible if you literally do not have to?

 

[Rickety.Cricket]

I'd say my best bet is to get all my documents together, and go talk to the legal services offered through the university. At this point it seems like I should not put it on the AMCAS, but play it on a case by case basis for secondaries. Like you all said, its really not a big deal, and actually more of a funny story than anything.

 

[RinShanKaiHo]

I don't see why adcom will think a 20 yr old man peeing in another person's backyard as LOL. It's not even funny. Once a drunk guy broke into my dorm and slept on my roommate's bed and peed in it. Absolutely disgusting and disturbing.
I absolutely believe that next time if you absolutely need to pee at party, why don't you just pee into a beer bottle and give it to your friend who told you to do so?

 

[Rickety.Cricket]

I don't see why adcom will think a 20 yr old man peeing in another person's backyard as LOL. It's not even funny. Once a drunk guy broke into my dorm and slept on my roommate's bed and peed in it. Absolutely disgusting and disturbing.
I absolutely believe that next time if you absolutely need to pee at party, why don't you just pee into a beer bottle and give it to your friend who told you to do so?

Actually since this event, I've urinated exclusively in Miller Lite bottles. Thanks for the advice
:troll:

 

[premed.mom]

I’m not a lawyer, so take this with a grain of salt. The pre med years podcast had a show about this and basically you’re better off to report it. The issue is not in getting into medical school, the issue is that the state licensing can be anal about it and not allow you to practice because you didn’t disclose it. And it sounds like they can still find stuff that was expunged. I have a misdemeanor as well and I’m going to report it on my application because it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I think my chances of it affecting my application are about as low as yours.

What kind of misdemeanor was it and how did you discuss it when applying? Thanks

 

[Cornfed101]

What kind of misdemeanor was it and how did you discuss it when applying? Thanks

I had a couple of driving related misdemeanors: driving without insurance, expired registration, speeding (in a state where that is a misdemeanor)