I desperately need some advice. I have always wanted to be a doctor. I have maintained a high gpa and scored very well on my mcat. I have also done much volunteer work with charities and medical establishments. I feel that I am really prepared to attend med school. But unfortunately I have a dismissed felony for possession of marijuana. Although the felony was eventually dismissed after completion of deferred adjudication probation, I plead guilty. I plead guilty because I did not want to take the chance of loosing the case and getting a conviction. So should I disregard med school altogether and not apply? How will this affect my chances of getting in? And if I get in, will I even be able to get licensed? Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Need help, how will my past affect me?
- Thread starter mikep
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If it has been dismissed will it even show up on your record? The best idea would be to:
a) Get a copy of your criminal record, if one exists.
b) Call schools you are interested in, anonymously.
c) Find out what the requirements are for state licensure in the states that you are considering.
a) Get a copy of your criminal record, if one exists.
b) Call schools you are interested in, anonymously.
c) Find out what the requirements are for state licensure in the states that you are considering.
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mikep said:
Certain states have options for expungement of your record. Contact a lawyer in the state of your offense to see if this might be possible in your case. If expunged, you do not legally have to answer 'yes' to anything ever again, unless the question specifically asks if your record has been expunged.
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Talk to your premed advisor. As others have stated, talk (anonymously) to a couple medical school admissions offices and to the state agency that licenses physicians.
If you decide it needs to be addressed on your application, then here's what I suggest. You should take 2 or 3 sentences to briefly state that you had this problem, that this was in your past, and list the specific steps you have taken to make amends. This should be done without making excuses or blaming others.
If you decide it needs to be addressed on your application, then here's what I suggest. You should take 2 or 3 sentences to briefly state that you had this problem, that this was in your past, and list the specific steps you have taken to make amends. This should be done without making excuses or blaming others.
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mikep said:
A friend of mine was facing a situation similar several years ago. As I recall, in order to get into the diversion program, he had to sign papers saying that if he violated the terms of the program before completion he would automatically enter a guilty plea and have no right to contest the charge. HOWEVER, that guilty plea would only be entered IF he didn't complete the program. Upon completion of the program the case was dismissed and he went on with his life like nothing ever happened. It seems likely that you were in a similar type of diversion program, so my guess is that you probably don't have a criminal record.
But, you may have an arrest record (depending on if you were taken to jail or just issued a summons). There is also probably a record of your diversion in the precint that handled the case. I have no idea if these show up on a background check, but I do think that if there's one check they'd show up on, it would be the DEA inquiry (which I've heard is very extensive).
You need to contact a lawyer and work this out. It probably won't prevent you from becoming a physician, but you will definately need to show that this is something you've A) put WAYYYY behind you and B) learned from.
Good luck,
S
