Question about Institutional Action - I really messed up

[ToasterMan]

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Freshman year, first semester, my friends and I held a dorm party. There was alcohol involved, and since it was in the safety of my dorm and my first party ever (and first time drinking), I overdid the alcohol and got buzzed. Long story short, after meeting the RA, I patted him on the shoulder (I was fairly intoxicated), and he gave me a **physical harassment violation**. I patted him because I dapped him up minutes prior. Then, when he tried to get me to say where we came from, I lied to him saying I came from a frat house (to protect my roommates) which I later confessed that it wasn't true. He then gave me 2 failures to comply violations. In total, with the noise violation and 3 alcohol violations, it totaled up to 8 total violations.

I waited for an email to come, but it never did. Then, the day after my roommate went to court, I realized I had missed the email for my own court date. The email had come but was completely buried by my other emails. Thus, I didn't get to defend myself. This was my fault, and I definitely take full responsibility: I avoided alcohol, parties, everything for the rest of the school year. My mental state, however, deterioriated and I started skipping a lot of classes (my grades dipped, too). I was so stressed, exhausted, everything. I felt dirty, having this kind of record against me. Sure it expunges in 7 years after I graduate (when i'm 29), but I still felt like a garbage human being even though no matter how I convince myself I don't think I did anything to warrant such self-deprecating thoughts.

I don't know whether or not this counts as 'Institutional Action', according to AAMC and Duke it does, but I'm clinging on my last strings that Berkeley itself does not consider it as one according to one of the board review members I talked to. He said it was classified as 'low-level' and unreported to the rest of the departments at Berkeley. I'm going to get my Dean's Certification letter and a response from the actual residential hall department this week to see if it actually counts. If it does, I'm just going to man up, take the L, and I don't really know what else I can honestly do.

The reason I'm posting here, is because, there are so many other life-changing stressors going on in my life that I can't cope with even the wait. If this is the case of what will happen, I'm going to have to report this Physical Harassment/Failure to Comply/Alcohol violation, does anyone here seriously think I still have a chance to go to medical school? I doubt after reading the headlines of my IA, they would bother reading my explanation or the rest of my app tbh. I don't really know what to do as my career if I don't, I've already commited myself to being a doctor, luckily I'm going into my sophomore year so maybe I'll still think of something.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

How long ago was this?

I can't say you'll "never" get into medical school, but it will take a good amount of time to get over the fact you compounded one bad decision with several others. You should have gotten counseling; if you haven't, start. But you must report it all, and work with your student conduct dean to make sure you have the right language and description of the violations.

 

[ToasterMan]

Welcome to the forums.

How long ago was this?

I can't say you'll "never" get into medical school, but it will take a good amount of time to get over the fact you compounded one bad decision with several others. You should have gotten counseling; if you haven't, start. But you must report it all, and work with your student conduct dean to make sure you have the right language and description of the violations.

Hi, this was about an year ago. Start of Freshman year for me, I'm going into Sophomore year after this summer. Like I said, this year has gone by almost like a flash from this incident, I think I need therapy at this rate.

EDIT: thanks for responding, by the way.

EDIT2: Sorry, what do you mean counseling?

 

[Goro]

Counseling = therapy.

In general, admissions committee members tend to overlook things like these when it occurs in the Freshman or sophomore years.

You're going to have to own this, and more importantly do not screw up again.

Engage in positions of responsibility during the next few years while you're at it. An example would be serving on your school's honor board.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

And also... stay out of trouble. You should have read..

Don’t Look for Trouble: How Freshman Year Mistakes Could Doom Your Path to Medical School | SDN

Welcome to the new academic year and first-year orientation! As a new freshman resident of our Prehealth Living Learning Community Dormitory, I share your

www.studentdoctor.net

 

[LizzyM]

It sounds like you have straightened yourself out in terms of bad behavior. Now you need to straighten out your self-defeating thoughts which is why Goro suggests looking into counseling (psychological therapy). Your school should have resources on campus that can help. You might also find help through your primary care provider (if you have one) and some large employers (if you have a parent who is employed) have Human Resources offices that offer short-term counseling as a benefit for employees and their families.

You will need to report this unless it is later wiped from your record. It all happened as one event so write it as such. You got sloshed your first time drinking booze, behaved badly, and lied to protect your roommate. This isn't the end of the world for a med school applicant so do not let it derail your path by screwing up your academics. Work hard to get out of the academic hole you might be in, don't be all "doom and gloom" about what this does to your chances, and watch things turn around. You've got this.

 

[polymerization]

From experience, I notice that you didn't say too much about how well (or not) you did in class, only that you dissociated right through it.

From experience, if you do find yourself struggling in a way meaningful to your performance that is visible on your transcript, you should move to be formally diagnosed and receive a document supporting a retroactive medical withdrawal from courses you took that semester(s).

Many states have different statutory deadlines in pursuing this process, but they are usually not very generous. Past the deadline, you will need prayer, a presidential pardon, and the audacity to try and informally petition the registrar's office—if there are such extenuating circumstances that would require that kind of self-advocacy... from experience. It is worth it: a retroactive medical withdrawal doesn't appear on your transcript—it is deleted, as if you had never registered.

Just a whisper through the vine.

 

[PickaGodnPray]

You will need to report this even if it is later wiped from your record.

This is no longer the case on AMCAS if the school expunges it from your record. "However, you may answer No if the action was deleted, expunged, or otherwise removed from your record by the institution."

 

[PickaGodnPray]

Hi, this was about an year ago. Start of Freshman year for me, I'm going into Sophomore year after this summer. Like I said, this year has gone by almost like a flash from this incident, I think I need therapy at this rate.

Stuff happens, most important thing is to grow from it and move past it. Do well in school, pursue your extracurriculars, and stay out of trouble. Follow what was mentioned above and when you get the start of the year you plan to apply, ask your program if they would be willing to expunge or delete it from your record. If you maintain great grades, have no other disciplinary issues, and have taken steps to understand how what you did was wrong, there's a good chance your program will remove it to help you be more competitive in your cycle.

 

[LizzyM]

This is no longer the case on AMCAS if the school expunges it from your record. "However, you may answer No if the action was deleted, expunged, or otherwise removed from your record by the institution."

Good to know! Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[ToasterMan]

It sounds like you have straightened yourself out in terms of bad behavior. Now you need to straighten out your self-defeating thoughts which is why Goro suggests looking into counseling (psychological therapy). Your school should have resources on campus that can help. You might also find help through your primary care provider (if you have one) and some large employers (if you have a parent who is employed) have Human Resources offices that offer short-term counseling as a benefit for employees and their families.

You will need to report this unless it is later wiped from your record. It all happened as one event so write it as such. You got sloshed your first time drinking booze, behaved badly, and lied to protect your roommate. This isn't the end of the world for a med school applicant so do not let it derail your path by screwing up your academics. Work hard to get out of the academic hole you might be in, don't be all "doom and gloom" about what this does to your chances, and watch things turn around. You've got this.

Hi! Thank you very much for the kind words and advice. The record expunges 7 years after I graduate. Is it worth it to pursue another career or degree while I wait for the record to absolve? Be brutally honest: how badly does this affect my chances?

 

[LizzyM]

Hi! Thank you very much for the kind words and advice. The record expunges 7 years after I graduate. Is it worth it to pursue another career or degree while I wait for the record to absolve? Be brutally honest: how badly does this affect my chances?

It is not worth waiting 7 years! You write your explanation as to why the RA threw the book at you, what you learned from the experience and how you have changed. This one night does not define you and I find it highly unlikely that it would derail you from being admitted if you are an otherwise sterling candidate.

 

[ToasterMan]

Counseling = therapy.

In general, admissions committee members tend to overlook things like these when it occurs in the Freshman or sophomore years.

You're going to have to own this, and more importantly do not screw up again.

Engage in positions of responsibility during the next few years while you're at it. An example would be serving on your school's honor board.

Thanks for the response! Although, looking over 8 violations including failure to comply and physical harassment violations really seems a long shot unless I, like, become Dr. House as an undergrad. Unfortunately due to family circumtances I can't serve on my school's honor board as I won't be able to live in the residence halls for the rest of the 3 years. Would you have any other suggestions?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Well, I'll be...

Institutional Action

Institutional Action

students-residents.aamc.org

 

[ToasterMan]

Well, I'll be...

Institutional Action

Institutional Action

students-residents.aamc.org

Yeah, I saw that; thank you, though.

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks for the response! Although, looking over 8 violations including failure to comply and physical harassment violations really seems a long shot unless I, like, become Dr. House as an undergrad. Unfortunately due to family circumtances I can't serve on my school's honor board as I won't be able to live in the residence halls for the rest of the 3 years. Would you have any other suggestions?

Maybe your school is different but one of my kids served on a academic honor code board (not to clean up a problematic record -- just as a good citizen of the academy) although the kid lived at home.

 

[Goro]

Hi! Thank you very much for the kind words and advice. The record expunges 7 years after I graduate. Is it worth it to pursue another career or degree while I wait for the record to absolve?

You are catastrophisizing, so please stop.

Unless you really don't want to be a doctor, you've already received excellent advice on how this will not inhibit you from becoming a doctor, as long as you don't screw up again, and do well in your studies.

I trust that your family is not forcing you to go down this path,?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I also wanted to make sure that if AMCAS has decided you didn't need to disclose expunged records, you may have to disclose to individual programs. Read their prompts carefully; it's possible schools will be flexible and not traumatize you to recall the IA but others might not. This is still why you should craft a statement with your student conduct dean or administrator.