Misdemeanors and Medical School - Encouraging Anecdotes

[Disposable_Acct]

I wanted to make a thread for future applicants that may find themselves in a situation similar to my own. About a year ago I made a stupid mistake and wound up with a petit larceny charge. In the pursuit of anonymity I have made a new account for this, and I will not share too many details. I will say, however, that this is a theft situation that could be described as a "joke gone wrong." As far as the legal details go, I was charged, but not convicted, and instead placed on probation for community service until it is dismissed. In fact, I am still [technically] on probation, though everything is all sorted out.

In my subsequent panic after this idiotic mistake I naturally turned to the search function here on SDN. The results were not pretty. I am not trying to indict anyone in particular, but users left and right, pre-med to AdCom, 2005 to 2015 were effectively labeling the applications of those like me Dead on Arrival. The phrase "crime of moral turpitude" was thrown around as a hard and fast death sentence. I was terrified.

But I applied anyway. And like an honest person I disclosed this incident on secondaries that asked for it. Luckily, the details of my case allowed me to select "no" on the AMCAS question about misdemeanors, as verified by a lawyer. Where required on secondaries, I wrote about what I learned and why the decision was dumb.

To the future frantic searchers, I want to provide an anecdote that goes against the very bleak grain here on SDN with regard to misdemeanors and medical school. I have received 11 [MD] interview invites and attended 8. Of those, I have 4 acceptances, 1 waitlist, 1 hold, and 2 without notification. In the case where the school did not know about the incident from their secondary, I told them after I was accepted and my acceptance was not rescinded.

In short, there is hope if you have had an unfortunate run-in with the law, even if it was theft.

Here are my stats:
GPA >3.7
MCAT >515
ECs: about average on pretty much every metric

If you have had a similar experience, please share it here. I know that I would have appreciated it about a year ago.

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[Goro]

As I have long pointed out, there ARE Adcom members who believe in redemption. Good luck!

 

[timsk]

I also have a misdemeanor due to marijuana possession when I was 17 (am 28 now) for which I was charged but never convicted. I was honest on every application and, in an abundance of caution, even fessed up to it on prompts that asked for convictions (and not charges, like my particular case). My experience led me to realize how privileged i was to get off with such an agreeable plea bargain, no doubt due in part to my white skin and upper middle class family. This led me to pursue criminal justice reform efforts, including founding a campus club and political efforts to change our drug laws. I have had 4 IIs and 2 acceptances thus far. None of my interviewers have asked me about the arrest and one interviewer even commended me for my advocacy work.

So yes, it is possible. Be honest, up front, and own your mistakes. And demonstrate that you learned from it through your actions.

Now, who knows how many of the schools that rejected me have done so due to my record !!

 

[Disposable_Acct]

I also have a misdemeanor due to marijuana possession when I was 17 (am 28 now) for which I was charged but never convicted. I was honest on every application and, in an abundance of caution, even fessed up to it on prompts that asked for convictions (and not charges, like my particular case). My experience led me to realize how privileged i was to get off with such an agreeable plea bargain, no doubt due in part to my white skin and upper middle class family. This led me to pursue criminal justice reform efforts, including founding a campus club and political efforts to change our drug laws. I have had 4 IIs and 2 acceptances thus far. None of my interviewers have asked me about the arrest and one interviewer even commended me for my advocacy work.

So yes, it is possible. Be honest, up front, and own your mistakes. And demonstrate that you learned from it through your actions.

Now, who knows how many of the schools that rejected me have done so due to my record !!

You might think it strange, but for a while I wished that my issue were marijuana or alcohol-related (besides DUI, that is). Everyone has seemed a lot more permissive about pot than trying to steal something. Still, thank you for your story, and I'm sure someone in the future will take heart after reading it.

 

[Slave to the Game]

Both of you say charged but not convicted - did the judge lower the charge to a civil infraction, or were you able to argue your way out of it? I can't recall the exact wording, but IIRC they only asked about convicted (misdemeanor+) and not charged, since simply being charged holds little to no weight.

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Both of you say charged but not convicted - did the judge lower the charge to a civil infraction, or were you able to argue your way out of it? I can't recall the exact wording, but IIRC they only asked about convicted (misdemeanor+) and not charged, since simply being charged holds little to no weight.

I was a first-time offender, so I was lucky enough to get only probation and community service in place of a conviction, even though I confessed to what I was accused of. This is still on my record despite the fact that I was not convicted, so it definitely carries weight.

Also, many secondaries ask about charges, not just convictions.

 

[Psai]

Did someone really say crime of moral turpitude? Congrats on your acceptances, hope you enjoy medical school

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Did someone really say crime of moral turpitude? Congrats on your acceptances, hope you enjoy medical school

Yes it's actually a technical term, not just a judgmental one. It's often used to describe crimes like theft.

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Presumably that came from a particular vascular surgery resident... ; )

Hahaha well without naming names, I don't feel offended by whoever it was anymore. In my mind I came out on top.

 

[Psai]

Presumably that came from a particular vascular surgery resident... ; )

that was the first thing that came to mind

 

[oshanimalia]

As I have long pointed out, there ARE Adcom members who believe in redemption. Good luck!

Corroborated. A quick perusal of my post history can reveal my situation. Honesty and showing you learned your lesson can let schools consider your redeeming qualities and maybe hand you an ii

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Corroborated. A quick perusal of my post history can reveal my situation. Honesty and showing you learned your lesson can let schools consider your redeeming qualities and maybe hand you an ii

Would you mind reposting it here for the benefit of others? I can't view your post history, as it says "this user limits who may view their profile." More data points are better for future people in our situation, and I think your story could be helpful.

 

[Jared.mock]

Sorry, but this post is absolutely pathetic. You and the others here had the privilege to mark "no" to both the criminal conviction question as well as the IA question and then you're trying to group yourself with those that don't have such luck?

It's different when you actually have to answer yes. You wouldn't even get the II.

 

[Disposable_Acct]

Sorry, but this post is absolutely pathetic. You and the others here had the privilege to mark "no" to both the criminal conviction question as well as the IA question and then you're trying to group yourself with those that don't have such luck?

It's different when you actually have to answer yes. You wouldn't even get the II.

And like an honest person I disclosed this incident on secondaries that asked for it.

I think you have misread my post. I did disclose the incident on the secondaries that asked about arrests or charges, which was about 2/3 of them. In other words, more than half of my interview invites were from schools who already knew about this. In the case where they didn't and I was accepted, I had to write an incredibly awkward email wherein I basically pled my case and begged for forgiveness. I don't think it's relevant whether the schools learned about it on the primary or the secondary. The only difference it would make is that if my disclosure were on the primary, some schools could have screened me out pre-secondary. However, pretty much all of the schools I applied to don't even pre-screen so it wouldn't have made a difference. Furthermore, at the schools that I would have been screened out pre-secondary, it is reasonable to assume that I would then be screened out after they read about it on the secondary.

Due to the prominence of your post in past week or so, I have stumbled upon it and read your story. I understand that you are in panic mode right now, as I was in the same boat a bit more than a year ago, so I can excuse the inflammatory response to my post. I will say, however, that taking something from the lost and found is much less severe than what I was in trouble for, which I hope will bring you consolation. I think your chances for medical school aren't as bad as you think they are, provided your stats and all are up to snuff.

 

[Planes2Doc]

Sounds a bit harsh, have you actually gone through the process yet? As someone who had to check the little box I have to disagree. I don't have a misdemeanor/ other criminal charge on my record other than some parking tickets but I did have to answer to 4 alcohol/ marijuana IAs from my freshman year of undergrad, and I have 3 IIs so far, 1 DO and 2 MDs, with 1 acceptance. And that's with below average stats; 3.35cGPA, 3.85sGPA, and 28 MCAT. Given, I didn't attend the MD IIs so I can't speak for an actual acceptance because I'd rather not stay local for school, but they still came in.

The original posters point was that something like a criminal record or institutional record is not an immediate death sentence like everyone on here makes it out to be. Do they make it more difficult to apply, yes. Can they ruin your chances, yes, at least temporarily. But admissions committees understand that people address these problems and those of us with these "red flags" actually improve ourselves, in some cases learning lessons that end up make us BETTER candidates in the end.

If these types of remote instances (yes, I understand that some cases like OPs might not be so remote) completely kill your chances and make you a "piece of **** with questionable ethics who doesn't deserve to get into medicine", then why is it that so many applicants with impeccable disciplinary and criminal records are rejected every year while you have those like myself, the OP, and scores of other students who manage to get in every. single. year. We might not be attending top 10 MD/PhD programs, but at least we've paid our dues and fought for a spot somewhere.

In the end, in the absence of a DUI, assault, major drug violation, or cheating/ plagiarism, I am of the opinion that any record can be overcome. If you are able to put enough time between yourself and whatever sketchy items are in your past, it's your own fault if you don't get in somewhere, and if you apply cycle after cycle without interviews, I would put money on the bet that you wouldn't get in even in the absence of said record. Lack of a record definitely doesn't make up for a dry, robotic, creepy personality, but a great personality can definitely work wonders when reviewing a sketchy record.

Well said! Not to mention that for every person that gets caught and gets an IA or misdemeanor, ten others will not get caught. Therefore, a lot of our fellow classmates will have done many things which includes cheating, drinking and driving, drug use, and even worse and still have spotless records. Also, I lived in a state where a simple speeding ticket is considered a misdemeanor!

I wouldn't judge people unless you're a perfect angel that has never done anything wrong before. Also, I hope you never went 1mph over the speed limit in a state where it's considered a misdemeanor!

 

[Disposable_Acct]

OP here. I'm gonna take a second to necrobump this thread to let future readers know.... I have matched and I have my license. F*** the haters and go get it.