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Reckless Driving
Started by CHarper
moved to the appropriate forum
The first thing I would do is email all of the medical schools you plan on applying to and ask them if it matters to them. If it does, should you really waste the money? almost every app I have filled out asks if you have anything besides a parking ticket. I had an underage drinking ticket and all of the schools I emailed said it didn't matter. Someone may ask you about it in an interview, which did happen to me. It costs about $100 per med school app or more plus time so I would work this out before applying, unless you have tons of money, in that case you can just go for it.
Depending on how close you are to applying it could be disasterous, or not that bad but still bad. If you are applying now, I'd say your out of luck at mid-high end schools, and iffy at others depending on your stats. If you are applying in a few years, you can talk about how much you've learned etc... etc..., but it will still negatively affect your applications.
They will be thinking "do we want someone with X on our campus" and recklessness isn't an attribute to be desired in medicine.
This all assumes you will be convicted however.
*Disclaimer* I am not a lawyer and advice is not intended to be legal counsel.
I had this same situation. I put it down on my primary app. During the interview the Dean of Admissions asked me about it...
Dean: "Can you explain about the Reckless Driving?"
Me: "Yes maam. I drove recklessly in that instance."
Her: "Do you still drive recklessly?"
Me: "No maam."
Wasn't brought up ever again...accepted 7 days later.
Dean: "Can you explain about the Reckless Driving?"
Me: "Yes maam. I drove recklessly in that instance."
Her: "Do you still drive recklessly?"
Me: "No maam."
Wasn't brought up ever again...accepted 7 days later.
You're innocent until proven guilty so get yourself a lawyer and have your charge changed to something else. If not, I wouldn't be worried about it. People may have you thinking this is horrible but honestly, it really says nothing about you or competence in med school. Besides, cops are *******s anyway.
I don't think something like that will matter. Like an above poster said reckless driving can mean a lot of things. When you go to disclose it, I wouldn't give details unless they make the situation less bad. Don't say for example, well really it was a DUI but it was plead down.
LizzyM says some of the convictions they are most concerned about have to do with selling drugs, theft, assault, honor code violoations. This does not fit into one of those categories. She also says it depends on the school.
I don't think you will be automatically rejected from mid-high tier schools for something like this. People make mistakes, doctors make mistakes. Things such as driving convictions happen to a wide range of people all of the time. Not everyone is super careful and attentive 100% of the time while they are behind the wheel. And if they claim to be they are liars.
LizzyM says some of the convictions they are most concerned about have to do with selling drugs, theft, assault, honor code violoations. This does not fit into one of those categories. She also says it depends on the school.
I don't think you will be automatically rejected from mid-high tier schools for something like this. People make mistakes, doctors make mistakes. Things such as driving convictions happen to a wide range of people all of the time. Not everyone is super careful and attentive 100% of the time while they are behind the wheel. And if they claim to be they are liars.
Thanks for the advice I do appreciate it. Luckily I am not going to be applying for a little while (I just graduated high school so ive got 4 years of under-grad to go). I have also decided to hire an attorney and try to get it pled down to non-criminal offenses. Hope it goes well
haha honestly, i think having the above conversation in an interview is about as severe as the consequences will get. i'm 100% sure there have been harvard med grads that have gotten reckless driving tickets in the past and gone on to practice medicine without being any less competent. if you're worried about it though, just ask if you can go to driving school & get it wiped off your record... and if that doesn't work, follow it up with asking if the judge is willing to reduce the ticket from reckless to speeding.
