Recently been convicted of a misdemeanor and now I'm freaking out ....

[pianola]

OK, certainly driving with distractions of any nature should be avoided -- ideally, don't drive while talking on your cell phone, eating, putting on makeup, drinking, yada yada yada yada the list goes on forever.

But now should we also make it a punishable offense to drive with kids in the backseat (they make noise), an itchy rash, a mosquito buzzing around you, a runny nose, an attractive woman in the front seat, yada yada yada....?


Bottom line, there are a MILLION things that can distract you and yes every time you get in a car you're gambling your own fate and someone else's. This is NOT limited to people who drink and drive.

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[MCP1]

Bottom line, there are a MILLION things that can distract you and yes every time you get in a car you're gambling your own fate and someone else's. This is NOT limited to people who drink and drive.

That is the reason drunk driving is so heinous. Yes, there are a million things that could potentially distract you in the car, so when one, DD, presents itself and is so easy to avoid, avoid it.

Anyways, I am really just beating a dead horse. My point is just that DD is a problem that can be easily avoided and that is why I have no compassion for those people.

Thanks for this discussion.

 

[supertrooper66]

just something to consider: cabs are only at your disposable in big cities.

no one wants to be the DD (designated driver) when you go out. that's how you run into drunk driving problems. for ppl in a big city, i see there being absolutely no reason why there should be ANY drunk driving. if you don't have access to cabs, like myself, you're just an idiot risking drunk driving. i just brought this up because i don't think all of you realize it's not always as easy as to get a cab. there aren't dozens of cabs driving around in non-Chicago, NYC, LA, etc. cities.

i made some British friends last year, and they always said they never understood why Americans drunk drive so much. they started to realize when I said, "most of America isn't London. there aren't cabs or metro systems everywhere. no one WANTS to drunk drive." there was a little more understanding then, and they basically said American sucks then haha

 

[flip26]

Guess we're gonna have to ban residency programs as well since they put so many sleep deprived drivers on the road.

It is a problem. And residency programs and residents themselves bear joint responsibility for the problem.

Anybody who drives while sleep deprived to the point of impairment is foolish, and it is against the law, no matter the reason for being sleep impaired.

Serving the "betterment of humanity" as a doc in training is no more valid a reason than working a double shift at the plant or driving for 20 straight hours on the road.

Don't drink and drive. Don't drive while sleep impaired. Recognizing when one has had too much to drink or too little sleep is a very difficult thing for the impaired person to do, but nonetheless, you are responsible.

 

[bodonid]

it seems as though the voices of reason have died down! Soon those with DUI on their record will be violently slaughtered by the masses taking justice into their own hands... for surely the filthy mutations that they posess must be eliminated from the gene pool!

I personally hope that my physicians have something on their record. Something to have shame for, you know? Physicians have to be able to relate to their patients, and you can't help your patients if you have contempt for them.

 

[pianola]

Anyone know if there are places for residents to sleep in the work setting if they don't feel that they're capable of driving home after a shift?

 

[flip26]

Anyone know if there are places for residents to sleep in the work setting if they don't feel that they're capable of driving home after a shift?

Yes, they have rooms with beds. It is understandable that after a long shift the desire is to leave the hospital, but the work place provides a place.

 

[pianola]

Yes, they have rooms with beds. It is understandable that after a long shift the desire is to leave the hospital, but the work place provides a place.

Really good to know. Thanks.

 

[ripsta]

Who in the world said I got a DUI? Did you geniuses not read my post carefully?

 

[caliluvbruin]

Hello all. Since so many people on SDN love to make generalizations, allow me to make some myself. First of all, the OP never received a DUI but that’s besides the point. Do you know what strikes me as so odd about the medical field, at least from a Pre-Med perspective? This skewed view that doctors are somewhat of godly figures, immune to mistakes or any tainted actions. It is absolutely ridiculous to judge a doctor based on his personal life. Those who claim they would never seek a doctor with a criminal record are probably the same *****s who voted for George Bush, who was also convicted of a DUI. And let’s remember that DUIs were a slap-in-the-wrist back in the days. The fool must have been drunk out of his mind to be convicted; his behavior on the road must have been outlandish. But I suppose that’s a bad example considering his accomplishments in the White House J Anyways, DUIs are somewhat popular in state schools. I have many friends who received one in college. But since many tools on SDN - and this is a flat out generalization but that’s OK since they are ubiquitous on this board – are/were frantic Pre-Med students who attended goodie-goodie private schools, they are oblivious to that notion. While I do not condone drunk driving and see it as an imprudent, conscious act, I think its part of growing up. Not all DUI offenders were caught swerving or running people over as commonly believed. Besides, most Americans have driven while impaired, they’ve just luckily gotten away with it.

I think you’ll be OK ripsta. You were fortunate to have it reduced to a reckless driving charge. Just be honest when confronted about it and good luck.

PS. SDN tools, avoid the bashing and focus on constructive criticism. Furthermore, realize there’s more to life than being a Saint

 

[searun]

Hello all. Since so many people on SDN love to make generalizations, allow me to make some myself. First of all, the OP never received a DUI but that’s besides the point. Do you know what strikes me as so odd about the medical field, at least from a Pre-Med perspective? This skewed view that doctors are somewhat of godly figures, immune to mistakes or any tainted actions. It is absolutely ridiculous to judge a doctor based on his personal life. Those who claim they would never seek a doctor with a criminal record are probably the same *****s who voted for George Bush, who was also convicted of a DUI. And let’s remember that DUIs were a slap-in-the-wrist back in the days. The fool must have been drunk out of his mind to be convicted; his behavior on the road must have been outlandish. But I suppose that’s a bad example considering his accomplishments in the White House J Anyways, DUIs are somewhat popular in state schools. I have many friends who received one in college. But since many tools on SDN - and this is a flat out generalization but that’s OK since they are ubiquitous on this board – are/were frantic Pre-Med students who attended goodie-goodie private schools, they are oblivious to that notion. While I do not condone drunk driving and see it as an imprudent, conscious act, I think its part of growing up. Not all DUI offenders were caught swerving or running people over as commonly believed. Besides, most Americans have driven while impaired, they’ve just luckily gotten away with it.

I think you’ll be OK ripsta. You were fortunate to have it reduced to a reckless driving charge. Just be honest when confronted about it and good luck.

PS. SDN tools, avoid the bashing and focus on constructive criticism. Furthermore, realize there’s more to life than being a Saint

Here is the deal. It is much much tougher to get into med school with a DUII or a major traffic offense on your record. If that is not obvious to you, then go watch the Little Mermaid or rent some other Disney movies. I am not being judgmental, that is the cold hard fact.

 

[ravens11]

I think if we have learned one thing from this thread, it is that senior citizens are scary drivers.

Couldn't we just have certain hours set out each night where different groups can drive?

Here's my plan:

9-10: seniors
10-11: high school seniors
11-12: Mel Gibson
12-1: MADD
1-2: Drunk Drivers

There now everyone's happy!!!

 

[galaxie]

I do not mean to sound overly judgemental..we all make mistakes obviously myself included.

I just view certain "mistakes" as crossing a line that I cannot except. For example, drunk driving, rape, and murder.

Drunk driving irks me the most because it is so easy for it not to be a problem (cab etc as I have said a couple times in this thread)

People make mistakes. Especially young people.
Drunk driving is a lot different than having a beer or glass of wine with dinner and then driving home.

Lumping drunk driving in with rape and murder is totally incorrect. Rape and murder happen mostly when people have serious mental conditions. Usually, drunk driving happens when people make a bad judgement call.

People are just people, no matter what field of work. How many doctors do you see smoking? Are they incapable of being your doctor because they made a bad choice in their PERSONAL life?

 

[caliluvbruin]

Here is the deal. It is much much tougher to get into med school with a DUII or a major traffic offense on your record. If that is not obvious to you, then go watch the Little Mermaid or rent some other Disney movies. I am not being judgmental, that is the cold hard fact.

You stupid tool; I am in no way arguing against that. What I am trying to say is that *****s like you do not have the right to judge anyone's character. There is this misconception that doctor's are godly figures, and I think it's incredibly skewed. For example, many musicians and actors, have publically admitted to drug addiction, yet they are still glorified as influential characters in America.

Go have some fun, make mistakes, cherish them as life-growing experiences, and learn from them.

 

[Somethingmore]

People make mistakes. Especially young people.

Part of being a doctor is having the ability to learn not only from your own experiences, but those of other people. The reason why doctors are viewed as highly respected members of a community is because they rarely make mistakes the first time. In order to do well on the MCAT (which is obviously a good indication of your potential to be a doctor), especially the verbal section, you have to have excellent critical thinking skills and be able to learn quickly. There have been countless numbers of articles and stories addressing the perils of driving under the influence, so one of a doctor's calibre - who can learn quickly - should have understood the consequences of this issue the first time, thus never making the mistake of endangering the lives of others on the road.

Doctors can make mistakes, but mistakes of such a low tier like this one utterly begs medical school's to put your application under scrutiny. But I'm sure you're a good guy and you won't make this mistake again, so good luck.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

You guys are some seriously judgmental people.

And I am adamant again drunk driving. I think it is an avoidable offense. It puts your life and others in danger, and if you do plan on drinking (which, yes, must be decided in advance), you should already know how you're getting home.

Man, you guys are putting people through the shredder.

 

[ripsta]

.

 

[ShyRem]

Be prepared for questions, ripsta. Possibly including the question of "how did you get this charge?" You would then have to spill the beans about it being pled down from a charge of DUI.

The problem is that adcoms are very well aware that the conviction you end up with is generally far below the original charge. As such, a reckless driving conviction raises HUGE red flags about your maturity, your decision-making, your willingness to take responsibility for your errors, and how you work on correcting what led to your mistake. Whatever you do, do *not* lie. If this were me, I would probably take the other track. I would absolutely own up to the full story, and then spell out exactly what I'd done to remediate the issue. Alcohol awareness classes, volunteering in an ER on friday/saturday nights, talking to teenagers about the dangers, anything I could think of. But then again, the only ticket I've ever had in my life was for my headlight being out (no kidding). And I have never driven if I've had more than one glass of wine (with dinner). Ever.

But it's your call. Obviously the topic is a hot one and the likelihood for sympathy is slim to none.

 

[supertrooper66]

Be prepared for questions, ripsta. Possibly including the question of "how did you get this charge?" You would then have to spill the beans about it being pled down from a charge of DUI.

The problem is that adcoms are very well aware that the conviction you end up with is generally far below the original charge. As such, a reckless driving conviction raises HUGE red flags about your maturity, your decision-making, your willingness to take responsibility for your errors, and how you work on correcting what led to your mistake. Whatever you do, do *not* lie. If this were me, I would probably take the other track. I would absolutely own up to the full story, and then spell out exactly what I'd done to remediate the issue. Alcohol awareness classes, volunteering in an ER on friday/saturday nights, talking to teenagers about the dangers, anything I could think of. But then again, the only ticket I've ever had in my life was for my headlight being out (no kidding). And I have never driven if I've had more than one glass of wine (with dinner). Ever.

But it's your call. Obviously the topic is a hot one and the likelihood for sympathy is slim to none.

yeah, but you're a girl. my friend has one drink and she gets drunk. one time, while at dinner, she drank 1/7th of a margarita, turned bright red and laid down IN THE BOOTH. she would not budge haha.

 

[ripsta]

?

 

[ripsta]

?

 

[ShyRem]

ripsta, having the charges dropped is a whole lot different than getting a conviction on a lesser charge.

And i believe it's "you may *not* switch lanes within 100 feet of an intersection", and all five states I've had a driver's license in has had the same law. It was in my original driver's license rules of the road book. As for refusing roadsides, many DORs look at that as grounds to revoke your license for one year without any other information (that's a civil action and not a criminal action).

Not that I don't believe you, but every drunk thinks they're not impaired. And they have all had "two beers". Every one of them.

I was giving constructive help rather than bashing on you. Sorry to give it if you're looking for justification or sympathy. Good luck.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

The problem is that adcoms are very well aware that the conviction you end up with is generally far below the original charge. As such, a reckless driving conviction raises HUGE red flags about your maturity, your decision-making, your willingness to take responsibility for your errors, and how you work on correcting what led to your mistake.

Are you just making this stuff up? In most states, unless there is going to be an issue proving that an individual was DUI, or if they were very close to the legal limit and the prosecutor is not aggressive, there is a possibility of pleading down to a *slightly* lesser charge. In Virginia, DUI and reckless driving are both class 1 misdemeanors. Generally, however, a bunch of other charges will be added on top of the DUI (speeding, failure to use turn signal, etc) in order to try to get the defendant to plead to just the DUI. However, the conviction will then be DUI, not "far below the original charge."

And a reckless driving conviction raises huge red flags? In Virginia, driving at 80 mph in a 65 is de facto reckless driving. There are states that have 80MPH speed limits on some roads.

If there's anything worse than the self-righteous attitudes around here, it's the patently false info disseminated as gospel truth.

 

[cbrons]

"Perhaps the OP wasn't immensely intoxicated while driving. It doesn't take much to get a dui, and for some people this level is far from inebriation."

The amount of alcohol in a person's system is irrelevant so to speak.

The issue is the fact that the person made the choice to drive after consuming alcohol whether it was 1 beer or 10 beers, the person has made a decision to endanger the lives of others where there are other, safer, viable alternatives (walking, calling a friend or a cab).

To me, to make this decision implies a lack of morality and responsibility, qualities a doctor should represent.

I certainly wouldn't trust a physician who had a prior DUI conviction to perform any surgery on me.

No it isn't. The neo-prohibitionist fools over at MADD have lobbied to get the BAC limit right down to .01 in many states. And studies have shown that you are more dangerous talking on your cell phone while driving than you are driving at a BAC of .08 or lower.

Don't get me wrong, drunk driving is a bad thing to do, and I think everyone who does it should get their license taken away for a year on the first occasion and on the second, never allowed to drive again.

But lets make the laws reasonable.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

I think everyone who is talking on their cell phone while driving should be exiled.

 

[ripsta]

?

 

[flip26]

If the state Attorney, someone who specilizes in DUI cases and is a professional in noting signs of impairment and making a case of it, did not believe I was impaired and the judge presiding over my cases concured, I think it's safe for me to say I wasn't impaired; don't you?

No. You were impaired. Your level of impairedness (? a word) did not meet the threshhold necessary for being charged or convicted. I am pretty sure that the judge did not exonerate you by saying "the defendant was not impaired." You simply slipped in under the wire. Congratulations! Go out and celebrate with more drinking!

You have a significant black mark on your record. Don't hang your hat on the fact that you did not get a DUI out of this.

I have not gone back through the thread, but if you are the OP (and I am recalling the details), you have to decide if you should tell the school about it now before they discover it through the background check.

In all the fine print, does the school or AMCAS mention the need to notify them of such a development post acceptance and pre matriculation? My gut tells me you should tell them about it now...its a tough call either way.

I would not put it in writing, but I would call the school and ask to speak to someone in admissions about it.

 

[pianola]

OK -- like I said earlier -- if DUI is not anywhere on your transcript, court sentence yada yada yada whatever -- DON'T MENTION IT. WHY would you do that to yourself, anyway?

If there IS a DUI associated with school actions somehow (on your transcript or God forbid in your pre-medical committee letter) then you may need to explain it.

Yeah, "reckless driving" doesn't look AMAZING, but surely it can't be anywhere NEAR as bad as a DUI.

What exactly was the institutional action taken by the school? Does it have a name? That's the part it looks like you may need to worry about...

 

[searun]

You stupid tool; I am in no way arguing against that. What I am trying to say is that *****s like you do not have the right to judge anyone's character. There is this misconception that doctor's are godly figures, and I think it's incredibly skewed. For example, many musicians and actors, have publically admitted to drug addiction, yet they are still glorified as influential characters in America.

Go have some fun, make mistakes, cherish them as life-growing experiences, and learn from them.

Hey premed boy, when you get around to taking the MCAT, if you ever do, work on those reading comprehension skills before the exam. The OP asked in his original post - do you think this will affect my chances of admission to medical school- the answer is yes - it will make your chances of admission much more difficult. Now, I will go back to enjoying my summer following my first year of med school, and you can return to your premed pimple popping angst.

And if you don't know what the word, angst, means, you can look it up.

 

[DenaliView]

You stupid tool; I am in no way arguing against that. What I am trying to say is that *****s like you do not have the right to judge anyone's character. There is this misconception that doctor's are godly figures, and I think it's incredibly skewed. For example, many musicians and actors, have publically admitted to drug addiction, yet they are still glorified as influential characters in America.

Go have some fun, make mistakes, cherish them as life-growing experiences, and learn from them.

Yeah they are glorified alright but nowadays they are gloried because of their bad behavior not inspite of it. I do agree we all make mistakes and that people can change but I also believe their needs to be some really steep penalties for those who choose to drive intoxicated (read: drunk, not two beers with dinner). I think the penalties need to be in place not to only punish those who choose to break the law but also to discourage those who are thinking about it. Driving under the influence is not only knowingly risking your life but it also puts so many others directly in harms way. If you are responsible enough to choose to go out and have a good time you need to be responsible enough to get yourself home with endangering yourself or others....otherwise you need to be severely penalized. Driving drunk shows a lack of integrity and respect for others and should be taken seriously (even by the Adcomms). When their are so many incredibly qualified people why do they need to admit those with shady records that can not be sure of.....

 

[slick27]

The main problem with DUI is most people associate DUI with drunk driving, which is more than likely not the case. DUI stands for driving under the influence, not driving while drunk. I am not condoning drinking and driving, but i have had friends get DUI and for the most part they could walk, talk, pass all the tests....they just couldn't pass the breath test. For males, having 3 beers in an hour and then driving will result in a DUI and for female i'd say 1 beer or drink may be pushing the limit. how many people have done that before?

also depending on the state, sometimes a DUI is not even a misdemeanor. are you sure your reckless driving was a misdemeanor?

op, i think you will be fine, just don't ever do it again. having a DUI (if you had one) is a lot more common than everybody thinks. a DUI or reckless driving conviction is not the end of the world, treat it as a wake up call. and thank god you didn't get hurt or hurt anyone else.

oh, and i thought i would add, i don't know how many people know, but you can be convicted of a DUI for not even driving. all the police need is to prove "attempt to drive". you may think you are being responsible by using your car as a shelter and sleeping off the alcohol, while in fact you may be setting yourself up for a DUI ticket.

also, back in the day the BAC level was 0.15, so when president Bush got his he must of been drunk off his a**.

 

[tncekm]

1.That is why driving and talking on the cell phone has been made illegal in 5 states. I personally believe it should be a federal law applicable to all states.

2. It is very easy to use an example where some other "idiot" driver runs a light. What if it had been a new driver not realizing she had enough time to stop an you hit her because that 0.1 of a second matters.

My point is, really regardless of the accident, consuming alcohol impairs you ability to drive and thus you should not drive after consuming alcohol.

Anything that impairs driving should be avoided. In the case of a cell phone, you do not talk. In the case of eating, do not eat. Like DD, these are avoidable.

3. You can call me a judgmental ignorant ass if you want ,but maybe you would not have such a cavalier attitude if you had a lost a close friend to a drunk driver. If may be very easy to judge me when you have had no personal experience with the issue.

I think the simple answer to this question is to listen to your lawyer, he's the legal professional. And it's also a damn good excuse for not disclosing it right off the bat.

Having said that, you better cross your fingers. As you can tell, many people (especially in the health profession) are not very sympathetic to people making poor decisions like driving under the influence.

Having said that I drank once in the past 4 years. I waited about 4-6 hours after drinking to go home, and now that I think about it, its still entirely possible that if I got pulled over I could have been nailed for DUI even though I waited and thought I was sober, making a responsible decision. So, I attempted to make a good decision, but it may not have been in retrospect. Maybe it was a similar situation for you, maybe it wasn't, I don't know, so I don't feel like I can judge your event. Just let this be a lesson you never forget, and never forget that you endanger the lives of many if you drink and drive and society is growing increasingly less tolerant of such selfish and reckless acts.