My college convicted me of forgery: What are my chances now?

[premed99887766]

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Hello, SDN --

My GPA is over 3.9, with a spread of academic awards, volunteering and two first co-authorships with professors in the works. I'm pre-MCAT, but let's assume I do well.

Unfortunately, my university convicted me of forgery of a faculty member's signature. As we all know, institutional actions must be reported in the AMCAS.

Let's take the option of not reporting this conviction off the table.

If I were to submit my AMCAS with this charge listed, how would medical schools react to the application?

Let's say that I am still committed to becoming a doctor. What should I do now?

Calling all ADCOMs: @mimelim @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn

 

[deleted480308]

as an undergrad in junior-ish year? I'm not optimistic

 

[gyngyn]

This really doesn't look good.

 

[Dares Dareson]

1/10

 

[deleted480308]

what did you forge a signature on?

 

[premed99887766]

what did you forge a signature on?

An add form to register for a lab.

 

[unnumzaan]

I have a hard time imagining the circumstances under which an adcom would give you the benefit of the doubt on this one.

 

[gyngyn]

Your application is toast for the foreseeable future.

 

[deleted480308]

An add form to register for a lab.

simple solution......forge your own acceptance letter

sorry....last joke

 

[GiantPanda1]

An add form to register for a lab.

OF ALL THE THINGS TO FORGE, YOU CHOOSE THAT TO FORGE???

 

[catmario]

I'm no adcom, but I think I would prefer a kid with a stupid drug incident at age 19 or a student who failed his freshman semester but got it together by graduation
to some conniving, type A student who forges signatures to make ends meet. That's less of a mistake than it is an indication of character (or lack thereof) and puts
a really bad taste in anyone's mouth.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

Would a low end DO school even take him?

 

[hoihaie]

what led you to forge an add card signature? were you trying to graduate on time but only lacking this one lab class which was full?

 

[ComputerGuy365]

What's an add card signature?

 

[efle]

This really doesn't look good.

I am afraid your application is toast for the foreseeable future.

Good.

 

[premed99887766]

what led you to forge an add card signature? were you trying to graduate on time but only lacking this one lab class which was full?

It was a moment of pure sleep-deprived stupidity. I didn't even need that class, and there were other sections that didn't need the signature.

 

[hoihaie]

What's an add card signature?

when you can't enroll in a class normally due to registration standing, class being full, not meeting pre-req...etc, you can sometimes get permission from the professor to enroll in the course with an 'add card'

 

[DrHart]

Good.

hop of the "d" bro

 

[samac]

It was a moment of pure sleep-deprived stupidity. I didn't even need that class, and there were other sections that didn't need the signature.

Yep. That's stupidity.
Things don't look good, but I wish you the best.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

Would any medical school take him? Or any health program for that matter?
Low end DO, Podiatry, Optometry???

 

[ciestar]

Would any medical school take him? Or any health program for that matter?
Low end DO, Podiatry, Optometry???

If i was an adcom at ANY graduate program, I wouldn't accept him. That is just incredibly stupid and does not make him look favorable as a candidate in anyway, in academia, anyway.

 

[samac]

Would any medical school take him? Or any health program for that matter?
Low end DO, Podiatry, Optometry???

Low end DO schools don't look at that kind of thing differently than upper end DO schools. They tend to accept lower GPA/MCAT, not people who have serious issues.
Dunno about the others.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

Don't worry OP:

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Don't worry OP:

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

...sorry OP. You dug yourself a deep hole. Maybe after some extended time doing something else you could come back to medicine. Something that demonstrates your true character and motivation (military service, peace corp etc). And probably 5+ years work.

Otherwise, might be time to move on and find something else you would enjoy for a career.

 

[Goro]

I can't sugar coat this. At my school? Rejection.

Strongly suggest a Plan B.

Hello, SDN --

My GPA is over 3.9, with a spread of academic awards, volunteering and two first co-authorships with professors in the works. I'm pre-MCAT, but let's assume I do well.

Unfortunately, my university convicted me of forgery of a faculty member's signature. As we all know, institutional actions must be reported in the AMCAS.

Let's take the option of not reporting this conviction off the table.

If I were to submit my AMCAS with this charge listed, how would medical schools react to the application?

Let's say that I am still committed to becoming a doctor. What should I do now?

Calling all ADCOMs: @mimelim @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn

 

[gannicus89]

I wonder how they even figured that out. An add card seems so low priority. Anyway, like everyone else has said, this does not bode well. Perhaps look into Caribbean schools and their policies on IAs?

 

[Glandzburg]

Perhaps look into Caribbean schools and their policies on IAs?

Please please please tell me this is sarcasm.

 

[gannicus89]

Please please please tell me this is sarcasm.

I fear it is not. I do not know how stringent Caribbean schools are regarding IAs. If you are well-informed, please share your knowledge!

 

[itsogre]

Please please please tell me this is sarcasm.

This is the person for whom the Caribbean might work out - a smart individual with a work ethic, but with an unforgivable misstep as an undergrad. The OP is out of options in graduate education.

 

[Glandzburg]

I fear it is not. I do not know how stringent Caribbean schools are regarding IAs. If you are well-informed, please share your knowledge!

This is the person for whom the Caribbean might work out - a smart individual with a work ethic, but with an unforgivable misstep as an undergrad. The OP is out of options in graduate education.

Caribbean schools are not a good choice for anybody. I will not hash out all of the reasons why, as that particular dead horse has been beaten on quite a bit in the last couple weeks. Give those threads a read if you are still in doubt.

 

[deleted480308]

I fear it is not. I do not know how stringent Caribbean schools are regarding IAs. If you are well-informed, please share your knowledge!

The only signature they are verifying is the one on the check

Ok....that was the last joke

 

[gannicus89]

The only signature they are verifying is the one on the check

Ok....that was the last joke

You are on a roll, sir.

 

[chemist16]

Lol notice "my university convicted me of forgery..." Either you really didn't forge it or you still are not owning up to it and never learned from it. Either way, you're screwed.

 

[efle]

hop of the "d" bro

I'm saying its good to know poor character is harshly punished nothing to do with gyngyn specifically

 

[Womb Raider]

Just to play devil's advocate here... How does AMCAS or TMDSAS find out about IAs if they student doesn't submit a committee packet? Are IAs on official transcripts? I'm 99% positive they aren't.

 

[deleted480308]

Just to play devil's advocate here... How does AMCAS or TMDSAS find out about IAs if they student doesn't submit a committee packet? Are IAs on official transcripts? I'm 99% positive they aren't.

The fact that your school can send you hone with no degree for falsifying your application of they ever find out is scary enough that the mechanism is irrelevant

 

[gannicus89]

Just to play devil's advocate here... How does AMCAS or TMDSAS find out about IAs if they student doesn't submit a committee packet? Are IAs on official transcripts? I'm 99% positive they aren't.

I was wondering the same thing. I don't really know how IAs work, but I also don't see why such things would appear on a transcript of all places.

 

[gannicus89]

The fact that your school can send you hone with no degree for falsifying your application of they ever find out is scary enough that the mechanism is irrelevant

Hmm. Do you think OP would have a better chance at US schools if he applied POST-graduation?

 

[Womb Raider]

Yeah I'm not trying to get in the business of helping people cheat the system, but there's probably a reason some schools specifically ask for proof that IAs didn't happen...

 

[AspiringERMD]

This is the person for whom the Caribbean might work out - a smart individual with a work ethic, but with an unforgivable misstep as an undergrad. The OP is out of options in graduate education.

Caribbean schools are not a good choice for anybody. I will not hash out all of the reasons why, as that particular dead horse has been beaten on quite a bit in the last couple weeks. Give those threads a read if you are still in doubt.

I agree partially with both of these comments: the Caribbean is not a "good" option for anyone, and I would recommend against it for anyone. BUT, if anyone were to actually succeed in the Caribbean, it wouldn't be the typical low GPA/MCAT doctor wannabes who just can't see that they aren't academically cut out for it. It would be someone like this, who is academically talented but made a huge mistake.

OP, what was your motivation? Time-saving?

You could try to procure letters that speak to your character and beg your school, taking full responsibility with no excuses made, to take it off your record and give you a second chance. It's an incredibly long shot, but you're up a creek otherwise.

 

[premed99887766]

I agree partially with both of these comments: the Caribbean is not a "good" option for anyone, and I would recommend against it for anyone. BUT, if anyone were to actually succeed in the Caribbean, it wouldn't be the typical low GPA/MCAT doctor wannabes who just can't see that they aren't academically cut out for it. It would be someone like this, who is academically talented but made a huge mistake.

OP, what was your motivation? Time-saving?

You could try to procure letters that speak to your character and beg your school, taking full responsibility with no excuses made, to take it off your record and give you a second chance. It's an incredibly long shot, but you're up a creek otherwise.

Furnishing details doesn't seem to be much use. Medical schools wouldn't get that far.

To be frank, I don't remember doing it. The form was recorded as submitted mid-finals week, and I was deliriously sleepy the whole week. I woke up one morning to find a charge in my inbox that confused and frightened me.

 

[Norm0cephalic]

This is the person for whom the Caribbean might work out - a smart individual with a work ethic, but with an unforgivable misstep as an undergrad. The OP is out of options in graduate education.

I doubt unforgivable missteps are forgiven during the residency application process

 

[catmario]

Furnishing details doesn't seem to be much use. Medical schools wouldn't get that far.

To be frank, I don't remember doing it. The form was recorded as submitted mid-finals week, and I was deliriously sleepy the whole week. I woke up one morning to find a charge in my inbox that confused and frightened me.

I've been sleep deprived to the point where I had to have people walk me to my final exams because I honestly thought I would pass out on my way there or get hit by a car whilst crossing the road.
Didn't think about forging signatures or performing any other acts of academic dishonesty though.
Sleep deprivation is just not an excuse. Why one would forge a signature for a class that was not even required with alternatives available is just beyond me. I'm not saying this to be a d**k; I really
can't comprehend this case in any other way other than the possibility that this is something that you've regularly been doing.

 

[ComputerGuy365]

Don't forget that you still have options

Ok, I'll stop with this bull**** now. You screwed up. Honestly, Carib is probably the only way you will become a physician.

 

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Maybe this is a good thing OP, maybe medicine was not the right career path for you and you are actually destined to end up in industry working nice hours with long vacations and making lots of money off your stock options. You can certainly find a job with your resume, assuming your lack of judgement doesn't extend to social interaction.

 

[deleted480308]

Furnishing details doesn't seem to be much use. Medical schools wouldn't get that far.

To be frank, I don't remember doing it. The form was recorded as submitted mid-finals week, and I was deliriously sleepy the whole week. I woke up one morning to find a charge in my inbox that confused and frightened me.

I call bull

 

[hoihaie]

I wonder how they even figured that out. An add card seems so low priority. Anyway, like everyone else has said, this does not bode well. Perhaps look into Caribbean schools and their policies on IAs?

it's extremely easy in a lab section where class size is small and resources are limited. imagine you're the professor teaching a lab with 20 people and suddenly one extra kid shows up saying he's on the roster even though the class is already full and there are no bench spaces anywhere. Would'nt you get suspicious as to how he was able to enroll esp when you have no memory of signing/agreeing to an add card?

 

[hoihaie]

Just to play devil's advocate here... How does AMCAS or TMDSAS find out about IAs if they student doesn't submit a committee packet? Are IAs on official transcripts? I'm 99% positive they aren't.

if you only have say 60 kids in your class, it's not hard to ask each of their college to send a report of any IAs

 

[HCHopeful]

I get why this is such a bad offense, but I'm struggling to understand why the use of drugs is so easily forgiven when this isn't?

I've seen multiple posts explaining that drugs are just "dumb mistakes" and not evident of true character. To me, this is somewhat similar.

Truthfully, if I were on an adcom, I would throw out this app and the app with the "dumb mistake" of doing drugs. Then again, I'm not, so oh well.

I don't feel sorry for you, OP, because your actions were your own. I do, however, wish you the best and hope this one "dumb mistake" doesn't hold you back from your dream. After all, I'd rather have a physician who forged a signature than one who toked it up constantly.

Note: I realize my drug stance is pretty harsh and many on here probably disagree, so I'll be refraining from responding to any argument regarding drugs.