overcoming criminal record

[longshot99]

I am in the midst of the application process for next fall and am worried about adcoms' reactions to my being charged with public drunkenness 3 years ago and disorderly conduct 1 year ago. These offenses were not even considered misdemeanors but I think I still need to disclose this information on several secondaries. I am wondering if any current students faced similar problems. Did some schools that didn?t ask about a criminal record on the secondaries find out about incidences through a background check and question you during interviews? How much will this hurt me? I guess that not disclosing this past and facing an investigation by AMCAS is not wise so how should I handle it? Thank you so much for your help.

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[doc05]

Originally posted by longshot99
I am in the midst of the application process for next fall and am worried about adcoms' reactions to my being charged with public drunkenness 3 years ago and disorderly conduct 1 year ago. These offenses were not even considered misdemeanors but I think I still need to disclose this information on several secondaries. I am wondering if any current students faced similar problems. Did some schools that didn?t ask about a criminal record on the secondaries find out about incidences through a background check and question you during interviews? How much will this hurt me? I guess that not disclosing this past and facing an investigation by AMCAS is not wise so how should I handle it? Thank you so much for your help.

this is an interesting question.

 

[WatchingWaiting]

Originally posted by longshot99
I am in the midst of the application process for next fall and am worried about adcoms' reactions to my being charged with public drunkenness 3 years ago and disorderly conduct 1 year ago. These offenses were not even considered misdemeanors but I think I still need to disclose this information on several secondaries. I am wondering if any current students faced similar problems. Did some schools that didn?t ask about a criminal record on the secondaries find out about incidences through a background check and question you during interviews? How much will this hurt me? I guess that not disclosing this past and facing an investigation by AMCAS is not wise so how should I handle it? Thank you so much for your help.

Frankly, most med school admission committees are very overbundened with work as it is, and do not get in the business of running background checks on applicants. These offenses are extremely minor, and it is unlikely that any med school ad com would care about them in evaluating your candidacy. The questions about criminal or institutional action are there to weed out people unsuitable to practice medicine-- for example, people who cheat on exams, commit theft or assault, and the like. Getting drunk while an undergrad doesn't exactly meet this requirement. If you were to be asked about this at an interview, it's easily chalked up to youthful indiscretion.

 

[lenape1]

If they don't ask don't tell them. If you have a problem with Alcohol or Substance Abuse, it might be best to take care of that before attending med school. It's not easy and I know a few who fell off the path along the way,wasted a lot of money and time. If you don't go to med school you could always consider running for president!

 

[ckent]

You should find out if you have a criminal record by going to your local police department. If you do, I'd list it and explain it thoroughly in the section that asks for an explanation. It'd be a shame to be yanked out of med school during third or fourth year because you lied on your med school app. And residency programs do check, even if med schools don't. If it's nowhere to be found, I'd forget about it and never tell anyone about it.

 

[lattimer13]

i was cited for public consumption of alcohol a few years back and listed it whenever i was asked on secondaries and such. i interviewed at a few places and was accepted. hope that helps.

 

[P Diddy]

if it wasn't a misdemeanor, why would you list it on your application?

 

[Winged Scapula]

I thought most apps only asked if you were convicted of a felony? Even if they asked about misdemeanors, if these weren't, then its fair not to list them.

Don't open Pandora's Box if you dont' have to.

 

[longshot99]

Luckily, most schools only ask about felonies. However, some do ask if "you have ever been convicted of a criminal offense" or "have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation?". I can understand that most schools are too busy to do a thorough background check now but what if I kept this to myself and, like ckent said, it comes out later? I really need to post on a law student forum and see what my options are.

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by longshot99
Luckily, most schools only ask about felonies. However, some do ask if "you have ever been convicted of a criminal offense" or "have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation?". I can understand that most schools are too busy to do a thorough background check now but what if I kept this to myself and, like ckent said, it comes out later? I really need to post on a law student forum and see what my options are.

Actually, an excellent idea for you might be to visit a local, good lawyer. I'm sure that even if there was something on your criminal record, a lawyer could make the problem "go away". It might be well worth the couple hundred dollar investment.

 

[redleft123]

The only way to handle it is HONESTLY. If the question is about felonies, you are in the clear. If it also asks about misdemeanors, be sure you talk to legal counsel and find out exactly how your charges are classified. If the questions asks about "any" convictions, then you do not have a choice.

This is something you will have to face the rest of your professional career. Not only for job applications, but for licensing Boards, too.

You certainly do not want to get pulled out of med school if they find out about dishonesty on your application.

And, remember, you have to disclose those things to the Medical Boards. They are law enforcement agencies, and most do a state and a FBI fingerprint check. If you get denied for licensure (or even a prob license) based on dishonesty, that will be reported to the NPDB and that dishonestly will follow you for ever.

Be an adult about it today and admit what you did back then. I heard a Med Board rep lecture one time, and he said "If you got busted with a joint back in college, we don't care (so long as your record is clean since then). But if you lied on your application 3 months ago, you have a current propensity for dishonesty!"

Good luck, dude

 

[Plinko]

We just covered this topic in our ethics class.

You probably shouldn't list the PI offense unless the application criteria specifically calls for it, or at least something akin to it (e.g. "have you ever been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic or parking violation?"). I am aware of cases where medical students were given the boot years into their education for not making the school aware of a DUI conviction on their applications. You definitely want to avoid having that hanging over your head.

You will have to disclose your convictions when applying for medical licensure, as most states' applications asks about any and all drug related criminal offenses. This is not to say that it will hurt your chances of becoming a physician. State Medical Boards mostly just want people to be honest, and not show any evidence of a pattern of substance abuse (e.g. repeat DUIs, multiple misdemeanor drug convictions, etc.). The prof for my ethics session served on the Texas State Medical Board and basically said that if you have only one DUI, PI, or misdemeanor drug offense then such offenses will not affect you so long as you are honest about them on all your applications--medical school, residency, etc. If you lie about it then your license, medical school admission, etc. will assuredly be revoked. He added that so long as you keep such mistakes to a minimum--one time, at the most--and avoid multiple offenses then such infractions will play virtually no role in the development of you career.

 

[grobble]

I woudn't worry about it too much since it wasn't a felony. I know someone that got into med school with a disorderly conduct and criminal mischief on their record which weren't felonies. As mentioned earlier most schools only ask about felonies and if it was in the past (undergrad) and time has passed it shouldn't be the red flag to determine whether you get in or not.

 

[lattimer13]

why would you even apply to med school if you were convicted of a felony? i thought once you're convicted of a felony you can't get a license to practice medicine in the US. please, correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[greggreg]

Hmm..interesting topic. well, I'm just really curious to know if any of the "top 20" schools actually ask if you were convicted of "any criminal offenses" as opposed to the more serious felonies..Harvard? Yale? UWashington?...

 

[Plinko]

lattimer

My ethics professor addressed the felony issue. I think it is difficult to get licensure with a felony conviction. However, my prof did say that state boards consider individuals on a case by case basis and nothing is set in stone. He alluded to a case he sat in judgement of where a physician had been drinking late into the night, fell asleep for a few hours, and then early the next morning gave a friend a ride home. They ended up getting in a minor traffic accident and his passenger wound up with a minor abrasion on her arm. No real damage was done to anyone's car, even the physician's. Because an injury had occured the police officer did a sobriety test and found the physician to be "drunk." In Texas, a DUI that involves an accident with bodily harm is considered a felony by law. The physician was convicted of felonious DUI and received five years probation. He ended up with a suspended medical license, be he did not lose it altogether. The vast majority of the time however I think you are right and one would lose their license if convicted of a felony.

 

[longshot99]

So far it looks like I will need to admit this history to almost half of my schools: Hopkins, Jefferson, Univ. of Maryland, and Dartmouth ask about the all-inclusive "criminal history". Its a shame because these 2 charges were summary offenses (equivalent to parking tickets) and happened because I was just stupid. I have learned my lesson. At least I have another 5-6 schools that should never know.

 

[Smurfette]

At my school, a couple months into first year, we had to fill out a criminal background check permission form. It was NOT optional. My school then (I assume) had someone go through everyone's records. They told us that some hospitals require a background check before allowing you do have direct patient contact (a good idea, IMO). I highly doubt drinking tickets will hinder you for this purpose, but you may have to explain the disorderly conduct charge (since that could mean anything from public urination to just short of using weapons/serious physical harm depending on where you're from). But then again, it depends on the school, so it's not something to worry about; they are looking for offenses that might indicate you are a danger to others (battery, sex assault, street drug charges, etc.), and not that you had several too many drinks one night while you were in college ended up doing something foolish.

 

[tofurious]

Before I started med school, my school asked me to provide them with the proper information to run a background check on me. When I applied to go for away rotations at hospitals outside of my institution, I also had to fill out a form giving them permission to check my records. That said, I know someone who graduated from my school with at least 1 DUI (convicted and noted in the local newspaper) who went on to Family Medicine residency at Penn. So the answer is yes, they do check, and no, it doesn't necessarily preclude you from being a doctor.

 

[longshot99]

bump

 

[redleft123]

Why bump this? What more do you want???

Deal with the issue honestly; that''s the advice from everyone.

No one can predict what action an AdCom will take, and, other than dealing with it honestly, there is nothing you can do about it. It's out of your hands.

[stomps foot]

 

[Neuronix]

My roommate, a fellow Penn MD/PhD, was arrested because he got caught using a fake ID. He was honest about it and he was only asked about it a couple times. Usually, they didn't really care but just asked so they covered it. One professor at CWRU gave him a high-fave and reiminised about when he used to do things like that.

I wouldn't worry about it. He got into several top med schools.

 

[forhonly]

Which schools do ask a blanket statement about "any convictions"?? Please, I really need to know.
I cannot bear to have to have to explain to the adcom my misdemeanor conviction because of the most likely embarrasing situation I would be putting myself into. Would you please, anybody, tell me which schools do/do not ask this question? 🙁

 

[smf]

If Arnold "Terminator" gets elected as CA governor after having allegedly groped womens breasts in public, don't sweat, you will have no problem.

 

[Camden772]

Originally posted by lattimer13
why would you even apply to med school if you were convicted of a felony? i thought once you're convicted of a felony you can't get a license to practice medicine in the US. please, correct me if i'm wrong.

I know that this is an old thread, but I just logged on to SDN for the first time in months and months, and I was reading through this thread and thought that I would share some anecdotal information.

I know of a physician who was licensed to practice in another state, was convicted of selling narcotics illegally (although this was decades ago) and he was admitted to practice in Missouri. I have no idea what the guidelines or rules are, but I know of at least one doctor who was convicted of illegally selling narcotics (a felony) while he was licensed to practice medicine, and he is currently practicing medicine.

I cannot remember if his license was revoked in the other state, or if he was without his license for a while and then was able to get reinstated. So, this information is not too useful, but I thought I would share it anyway.