Osteopathic applicant for MD anesthesia with red flag

Started by AZnash89
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AZnash89

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7+ Year Member
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Hi there, long time lurker with a general residency question. I am a new fourth year student at an osteopathic program hoping to get an allopathic anesthesia residency next year. I believe that overall I am a fairly competitive applicant. My stats are:

Step1: 238
Step2: taking in a month
Comlex1: 740
Comlex2: taking in a month
Sigma Sigma Phi member
Rank: 15/150
Research: During my Master's Degree
Over 100 volunteer hours
Leadership roles in various school organizations
3rd year clerkship grades: all honors except surgery and one pediatric month was pass

However, I do have a red flag that I am worried about. In 2012 I was given a minor misdemeanor disorderly conduct citation. I was acting as a designated driver in a car that was subsequently stopped, searched, and marijuana was found. I was not found to be intoxicated, and the drugs didn't belong to me, but because it was my car I was given an extra citation for disorderly conduct. I paid the fine along with the speeding ticket fine so I was technically convicted. It was technically a civil citation, no jail time, and it was expunged one year later.

I am not trying to justify my actions in anyway, I know it was dumb. I told my medical school since it occurred right after I was accepted and they pretty much didn't care. It has never shown up on a background check, but im 100% certain that I will have to report it under misdemeanors for ERAS.

Since then I have tried everything I could think of to overcome this blemish. I was the president of the addiction medicine club at my school, I cosponsored a volunteer event that teaches at risk teens the danger of peer pressure and drug use, and ive already scheduled three elective rotations to MD anesthesia programs.

Assuming I can get the standard 5-10 point bump on step 2, am I likely to match at an MD program if I apply broadly? From what ive read it seems like when there are relatively minor offenses many PDs are willing to look the other way, but I know anesthesia is a little more sensitive to drug related charges than most. Thank you for all of your help in advance, ive been agonizing over this for three years and I would love some advice or peace of mind.
 
Thats awesome news aProgDirector, I have been worried about how it might affect me for a long time. They originally wanted to charge me with possession but that was dropped, so the only conviction for disorderly conduct is what I will report. Thanks for the encouraging words!