Multiple red flags

[littlebird313]

Hello! I've been searching through the forum and have seen many threads similar to this regarding alcohol related misdemeanors but I wanted advice on my specific situation. I have multiple red flags involving alcohol on my record. The first was in 2016 when I was a freshman in college. I was caught drinking in the dorms and received an institutional action through my university. I am not sure how to describe this on my application as I feel like I had grown since this incident but I received an open container ticket during a college tailgate in the fall of 2019. Both of these were stupid mistakes and I plan to emphasize that in my application/during my interviews but I am not sure how to show growth if I had TWO alcohol related incidents that were so far apart. Please help!! I have no idea how to describe these on my applications or what to write. These tickets were a result of pure stupidity and I am kicking myself for getting in trouble when i barely even drink alcohol.

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[Goro]

The first IA can be blown off, we were all young and stupid once. But the second puts your judgement into question, and Adcoms tend to shy away from people with poor judgement.

 

[LindaAccepted]

Hello! I've been searching through the forum and have seen many threads similar to this regarding alcohol related misdemeanors but I wanted advice on my specific situation. I have multiple red flags involving alcohol on my record. The first was in 2016 when I was a freshman in college. I was caught drinking in the dorms and received an institutional action through my university. I am not sure how to describe this on my application as I feel like I had grown since this incident but I received an open container ticket during a college tailgate in the fall of 2019. Both of these were stupid mistakes and I plan to emphasize that in my application/during my interviews but I am not sure how to show growth if I had TWO alcohol related incidents that were so far apart. Please help!! I have no idea how to describe these on my applications or what to write. These tickets were a result of pure stupidity and I am kicking myself for getting in trouble when i barely even drink alcohol.

Two is a problem.

I would put more time between 2019 and your application. I would also try to get involved in some substance-abuse rehab kinds of volunteering or talking to teens about responsible drinking and partying, which might be an oxymoron to many teens. Those activities would help you demonstrate that you've changed.

And it goes without saying that you can't afford any more stupid mistakes.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

The best course of action is to stop drinking. These little infractions eventually turn into a DUI or something similar. Right now, the incidents in isolation or even together may not prevent you from pursuing medicine but something like a DUI probably would given the history.

 

[concerninghob]

Were you of legal drinking age the second time around? I swear people on this forum have absolutely no real life experience and don’t realize how common these things are. You’re not a deviant alcoholic for receiving two small infractions, with the last one being almost THREE years ago. Own up to them on your application and don’t make excuses. Of course some schools won’t give you a chance over a candidate with a clean record, but if you have the ability to apply broadly you will find many adcoms who will understand and give you an interview. We are fallible humans and not perfect angels. There are countless med students and docs out there with much worse records who were successful in applying and pursuing a career in medicine. SDN is laughable with how people approach these issues. If you have the MCAT, GPA, ECs and a good reason for why medicine then go ahead and apply because a couple extra years or “targeted volunteering” won’t make guaranteed difference.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Were you of legal drinking age the second time around? I swear people on this forum have absolutely no real life experience and don’t realize how common these things are. You’re not a deviant alcoholic for receiving two small infractions, with the last one being almost THREE years ago. Own up to them on your application and don’t make excuses. Of course some schools won’t give you a chance over a candidate with a clean record, but if you have the ability to apply broadly you will find many adcoms who will understand and give you an interview. We are fallible humans and not perfect angels. There are countless med students and docs out there with much worse records who were successful in applying and pursuing a career in medicine. SDN is laughable with how people approach these issues. If you have the MCAT, GPA, ECs and a good reason for why medicine then go ahead and apply because a couple extra years or “targeted volunteering” won’t make guaranteed difference.

Once and it would have literally been no issue. Twice and it begins to raise character issues in so far as the schools might begin to worry that the OP would be late for rotations, fail a drug test, etc.

Why admit somebody with possible issues when there are literally dozens of applicants with similar scores who don’t have any record?

I guess it’s possible if OP has good scores and metrics but he/she better be on the right side of the bell curve

 

[concerninghob]

Once and it would have literally been no issue. Twice and it begins to raise character issues in so far as the schools might begin to worry that the OP would be late for rotations, fail a drug test, etc.

Why admit somebody with possible issues when there are literally dozens of applicants with similar scores who don’t have any record?

I guess it’s possible if OP has good scores and metrics but he/she better be on the right side of the bell curve

As I mentioned, some schools wouldn't bother to interview while others would give OP an opportunity. Med school admissions is a crapshoot regardless and you never know the outcome until you apply. OP seems truly regretful and I don't think they should let these mistakes eat away at them. I'd go as far to speculate a majority of current physicians drank in a freshman dorm, in addition to drinking at a tailgate. OP was just one of the unlucky ones who got written up for it. Their comment about "barely drinking alcohol" and their acknowledgement of their mistakes makes me believe they regret their actions and it's not part of a trend of poor judgement. Physicians are humans and the best ones understand that people make mistakes.

OP just write up your IA section to your best ability and then have it looked over by several sets of eyes to see how people react to it and make changes as needed.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

The best course of action is to stop drinking. These little infractions eventually turn into a DUI or something similar. Right now, the incidents in isolation or even together may not prevent you from pursuing medicine but something like a DUI probably would given the history.

Drinking when you are 18 and drinking in a park aren't indicators that someone is an alcoholic or has an issue with alcohol. Consider that both would be completely legal in countries that aren't funded on stupid puritan ideals. Majority of people under the age of 21 drink, most don't get caught. It sucks, but write your addendum well and you will be fine.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Just tell the truth, be contrite, and give yourself a limit for the future. My opinion would change if the second charge escalated to a DUI. But one of my early advising points is to stay out of trouble and better to stay away from temptation of trouble.

 

[LizzyM]

There is a strong drinking culture at some schools and the expectation that students will drink. Some will be unlucky, miscalulate their tolerance for alcohol and behave in a way that gets them written up. Other schools have strict policies against drinking and even students 21 or older who drink on campus will be written up. Others will be caught up in a sweep of students some of whom were drinking. I even saw an applicant who was written up because other students had alcohol in her suite while she was doing a semester abroad!

I would make a holistic review of the IAs. When and where did they occur, how old was the applicant, how contrite is the applicant. If the first happened freshman year and the second happened at the biggest party of the year and one day before the applicant's 21st birthday, I might be lenient without requiring 100 hours of volunteerism.

The draconian rules on campus and in the US should be followed but I don't favor throwing away good applicants because they aren't a goodie-two shoes on a party-hearty campus.