Should I report it? PLEASE HELP

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SitraAchra said:
I agree completely. As someone who has been through med school, the self-righteous, overly sanctimonious people are EXTREMELY annoying and make for terrible residents. You're always willing to sell out whoever is next to you in order to look better.

Yes CopaceticOne I am absolutely talking about you.
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Deal with it.
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Lol
The slim chance he will supervise you at any point not withstanding, please tell your attending to "deal with it" if you ever make it to residency. Because the different levels we are discussing here .... he could deal with it ;)
 
SpecterGT260 said:
Lol
The slim chance he will supervise you at any point not withstanding, please tell your attending to "deal with it" if you ever make it to residency. Because the different levels we are discussing here .... he could deal with it ;)
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:laugh: Thanks for the chuckle! Luckily I learned a long, long time ago don't F--- with your boss.
 
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centrigeugle said:
I read it, I was just snickering over how SDN treats extraordinarily minor marijuana offenses (which are enormous wastes of public money to pursue and prosecute) like they have any standing on the person's moral or ethical worth.

It's just some pot. You guys need to get over yourselves.

Sounds like you are in the clear either way, OP, as your first offense (even if you test as impaired) won't be a crime either way.
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SitraAchra said:
I agree completely. As someone who has been through med school, the self-righteous, overly sanctimonious people are EXTREMELY annoying and make for terrible residents. You're always willing to sell out whoever is next to you in order to look better.

Yes CopaceticOne I am absolutely talking about you.
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:thumbup: I'm with these guys on this.

DanGee777 said:
If you're really determined to fight this then I recommend to you that you ask a moderator to delete the thread, although they may not agree to do that. Any half competent DA will do an investigation if you take this ticket to trial (a bench trial, I assume) and there is a remote possibility that they could stumble upon this thread and find your posts admitting your responsibility. I realize that you probably believe everything on the internet is anonymous, but not always. There are subpoenas for IP addresses, etc.

Besides, if you do take it to trial, maybe the local newspaper has a court reporter who sees you fighting your OWI charge and includes it in a blotter. Perhaps then an ad-comm at some school to which you're applying can decide to google your real name and boom, he or she finds the article. Even if you aren't required by AMCAS to report it, my guess is that's an instant rejection at any school that discovers it. Just some things to think about, GB.

P.S. -- some background checks include civil violations -- although I'm not sure if Certiphi does. If it does, then obviously med schools will see it, and they probably won't like it very much.
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What? Hahahahahahahahahaha. This is all crazy talk (no offense!). Trial? OP is not facing criminal charges, so there will be no trial. And he never said anything on here that could be used against him.

And no, he would not be rejected in your hypothetical scenario. Some random article found on the internet doesn't hold any weight. It would be a violation of the presumption of innocence. Hence the need for a criminal background check...which brings me to my next point. Certiphi's student screening only reports the criminal history to schools. So in this case, nothing would show up.

Anyway, it seems pretty clear to me OP. Do not report it. There shouldn't even be a debate about it. You're not facing criminal charges, so there's nothing to report. And you're arraignment isn't even until December! Almost every state offers programs for 1st time drug offenders, so you might not end up with anything at all.

HOWEVER, I hate to say it (and someone already mentioned it), you absolutely will face problems in the future. The issue in your case is not the medical schools, but their clinical affiliates. They will do supplemental background checks that are way more stringent. And regardless of the type of offense, outcome, pre-trial diversion, deferment, expungement, age, etc., it will surface and they will see it. Anything drug related will turn into a battle. It's not the end of the world by any means, just be prepared to deal with this again in the future. Best of luck to you! :)
 
So if I am meeting with some admission board members next week to discuss my situation. Is there any advice for things to do if they recommend I take a year off?
 
So I have met with my adviser and it seems like the situation may be bleak for me to apply this year; a gap year is probably beneficial. Any suggestions on what to do during a gap year or how I could have any chance of getting in this year yet? Does anyone know of any schools that may be more liberal toward this type of situation/would be me a shot at an interview to explain myself at least?
 
DanGee777 said:
If you're really determined to fight this then I recommend to you that you ask a moderator to delete the thread, although they may not agree to do that. Any half competent DA will do an investigation if you take this ticket to trial (a bench trial, I assume) and there is a remote possibility that they could stumble upon this thread and find your posts admitting your responsibility. I realize that you probably believe everything on the internet is anonymous, but not always. There are subpoenas for IP addresses, etc.

Besides, if you do take it to trial, maybe the local newspaper has a court reporter who sees you fighting your OWI charge and includes it in a blotter. Perhaps then an ad-comm at some school to which you're applying can decide to google your real name and boom, he or she finds the article. Even if you aren't required by AMCAS to report it, my guess is that's an instant rejection at any school that discovers it. Just some things to think about, GB.

P.S. -- some background checks include civil violations -- although I'm not sure if Certiphi does. If it does, then obviously med schools will see it, and they probably won't like it very much.
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It's a municipal ordinance violation. There isn't a trial. It's not a criminal issue. To put this in perspective for you, it's also a municipal ordinance violation to leave your garbage can on the curb when it isn't trash day.

Frankly, it's the marijuana that makes this "toxic." I doubt the OP would be freaking out over a ticket for having let his grass grow too high before he cut it (also a municipal ordinance violation), having three dogs instead of two, keeping a junked car in the driveway for parts/restoration, or an improperly permitted fence. In some places in my state, it's a municipal ordinance violation to have a clothesline in the yard. They had to pass a state law to protect people's ability to have digital satellite dishes and solar panels.

Talking to an attorney is (almost always) good. It sounds like it would be helpful for you. In the vast majority of cases, municipal ordinance/code violations don't go through the court system *at all*. It's completely separate. I suppose it could show up on a background check, but I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if it did. The only time I've ever known these to get tied up in court is if/when people dig in their heels, fight over them, and get dragged to court to have the fine formally enforced, or to seek to jail someone who has refused to cooperate (here, we're often talking about YEARS of refusal to comply/remediate the problem, and/or pay the fine). When you have a municipal ordinance violation, everything is handled with the municipal department you're working with. If you do what they want and pay them their money, they'll go away. Court filings will never happen.
 
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GBfan5 said:
Ok, your self-righteous belittling posts need to stop. Obviously I know how a BAC gauge works, I was just adding that bit of info to the thread. I have repeatedly stated that I accept responsibility so I am not sure where you are coming from saying I am "fooling myself." I came on here for advice and you have done nothing but chastise me for something that is completely unrelated to you.
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In your defence, I believe marijuana blood tests are different than alcohol blood tests in the sense that marijuana metabolites are stored in your fat so you can't really put a timestamp on when you were high even if you test positive. All they can say is you were high some time within the last month or so. However, if they had evidence to prove you were high while driving then it's a different story, like open container or a used pipe.

I don't think you have to report it either way, but it i think it may somehow affect financial aid. I know there's some rule about federal aid and drug offenders.

Furthermore, if you wanted to go to court, it would likely drag out past the time of your application and interviews if you haven't been convicted yet. One strategy is to always delay as much as possible. Delay a court appointment as much as you can and when you show up ask for another delay. If you have good reasons you can make the process take forever. I did this for traffic tickets and by the time came when we really had to deal with it, the officer had been transferred to a new position and didn't show up.
 
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Certiphi had my speeding tickets on it. Just saying
 
CopaceticOne said:
Don't thank me. I think you are an idiot who deserves to have a criminal record because of this.
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You rank right on up there with the geniuses behind our War on Drugs. Next you're going to say you're a fiscal conservative and we need to tighten our belts...while simultaneously cramming more people into prisons for non-violent crimes, costing more per year than any amount of drug they were using.

:laugh:

What a joke (if that's how you view things)...

CopaceticOne said:
Dude, of course you're not going to blow anything if you weren't drinking. Driving while high, to which you are anonymously admitting to, is just as bad. There is no difference, so stop fooling yourself.
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Cough syrup is more physically impairing than THC. Clove cigarettes bring on a buzz that one could consider impairing. Do you realize regular users of marijuana function as perfectly normal contributors to society? Walk into any restaurant, I'll bet half the employees are high at any given moment. Paper pushers in state jobs, lawyers, musicians, and athletes, to name a few, all use marijuana with no detriment to their abilities - DAILY. It's just rather easy for these individuals to hide the fact that they're high, thereby avoiding judgement from people like you.

willen101383 said:
Yeah premeds like to act all high horsey about matters like this. In the eyes of the law perhaps they are the same but driving while drunk and driving while high are two different matters....and anyone who has smoked pot on the regular knows this. Anyways. I suggest you speak with a lawyer about this. Did you admit to being high to the cops? Because you can NOT prove someone was high...just that they have smoked recently. Maybe in your state (when combined with probable cause) a positive drug test is enough to state you were high who knows...but you cant prove that with a blood test. I am an older dude and a licensed clinical lab guy and ran drug tests for years before I went to med school so I am not just speaking out of my ass. Either way bro good luck. You ARE NOT the only person who has been busted for smoking weed. Its obviously bad for your file but not a death sentence.
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Yes, this holier-than-thou attitude is annoying... It's pretty sick how American kids are socialized into this view on a harmless plant.

centrigeugle said:
I read it, I was just snickering over how SDN treats extraordinarily minor marijuana offenses (which are enormous wastes of public money to pursue and prosecute) like they have any standing on the person's moral or ethical worth.

It's just some pot. You guys need to get over yourselves.

Sounds like you are in the clear either way, OP, as your first offense (even if you test as impaired) won't be a crime either way.
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:thumbup::thumbup:
 
GBfan5 said:
I meant because there is not a definitive answer to whether or not I am guilty based on the fact that there is no concrete evidence against me yet. I have kids like you in my classes. The ones who find old exams or study guides but never share them due to the fact that they don't want to give anyone an advantage over themselves. Good luck in the future man, sorry about your two decade+ virginity streak.
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You admitted your guilt. This guy's no doubt destined to steal percodans from the pixis and write oxycontin scripts for his stepmom for his own use and not see anything wrong with that.
 
sirenomelia said:
You admitted your guilt. This guy's no doubt destined to steal percodans from the pixis and write oxycontin scripts for his stepmom for his own use and not see anything wrong with that.
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How slippery is that slope?

Hopefully you're kidding, but I've seen your posts in the other marijuana thread....
 
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FSUseminoleEM1 said:
How slippery is that slope?

Hopefully you're kidding, but I've seen your posts in the other marijuana thread....
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Its one thing to say -oh I messed up and whatever I have to do to right the wrong I'll do it and Ive learned my lesson. But this Im not really guilty of anything b/c you havent proven with 101% certainty by legal definition of conviction in a court of law- even though yeah I really did it and was busted cold- over the years this attitude is what i've observed common in professionals who get in trouble.
 
OP, your approach should depend on your goals. If you want to preserve your integrity and demonstrate to others (not SDN users, but adcoms) that you might have some semblance of a moral fiber, you should disclose this. If you want to get into medical school at all costs, don't disclose it and roll the dice. More than likely nothing will happen based on your story and the laws people have dug up, but if something does, you're screwed, and you can rest assured that there's very little chance that you'll make it into a US medical school. The offense itself is minor, but lying about it reveals an even deeper character flaw that schools will stay away from. I mean, really, how well do you think the discussion about this will go if your only response was, "well, I hadn't been to court yet when I submitted my AMCAS, and it technically wasn't a state law that I broke."

By the way, I support MJ legalization and think MJ criminalization is a joke. That said, operating a vehicle while high/drunk/other mental status is a bad decision that deserves punishment. You made an unfortunate decision, but saying "I'm sorry and I feel bad" doesn't absolve you of repercussions. It's obvious that you know you're very much in a grey area, otherwise you wouldn't be spending as much time and money researching this as you are.
 
FSUseminoleEM1 said:
Cough syrup is more physically impairing than THC. Clove cigarettes bring on a buzz that one could consider impairing. Do you realize regular users of marijuana function as perfectly normal contributors to society? Walk into any restaurant, I'll bet half the employees are high at any given moment. Paper pushers in state jobs, lawyers, musicians, and athletes, to name a few, all use marijuana with no detriment to their abilities - DAILY. It's just rather easy for these individuals to hide the fact that they're high, thereby avoiding judgement from people like you.
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I concede that many people in society are under the influence of various substances at any given time. My issue, as it pertains to the topic of this thread, are those individuals that while under the influence perform activities that have been shown, based on historical data, to place others at risk for serious harm. By your argument, there should be nothing wrong with drunk driving, yet in our society it is recognized as not acceptable.

Look through my posts. I have never stated my view on the use of MJ but rather my disapproval of impaired driving.
 
NickNaylor said:
OP, your approach should depend on your goals. If you want to preserve your integrity and demonstrate to others (not SDN users, but adcoms) that you might have some semblance of a moral fiber, you should disclose this. If you want to get into medical school at all costs, don't disclose it and roll the dice. More than likely nothing will happen based on your story and the laws people have dug up, but if something does, you're screwed, and you can rest assured that there's very little chance that you'll make it into a US medical school. The offense itself is minor, but lying about it reveals an even deeper character flaw that schools will stay away from. I mean, really, how well do you think the discussion about this will go if your only response was, "well, I hadn't been to court yet when I submitted my AMCAS, and it technically wasn't a state law that I broke."

By the way, I support MJ legalization and think MJ criminalization is a joke. That said, operating a vehicle while high/drunk/other mental status is a bad decision that deserves punishment. You made an unfortunate decision, but saying "I'm sorry and I feel bad" doesn't absolve you of repercussions. It's obvious that you know you're very much in a grey area, otherwise you wouldn't be spending as much time and money researching this as you are.
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I completely agree with you, but I also don't know where to disclose such information since it doesn't fall into the category of criminal. Also, where do I report dorm room violations?
 
Wow in Wisconsin it's not a crime to possess marijuana and to be driving under its influence? Wow seriously. In my state you would be dragged out of the car, have your vehicle impounded, have a criminal record for the rest of your life, go to jail and have your license suspended.
 
CopaceticOne said:
Would those fall into the category of institutional actions?
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I haven't gotten that far on my primary but I would imagine that if there is a section that states that, then I will mention everything there.
 
GBfan5 said:
I recently was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana and a 1st offence OWI in Wisconsin for driving under the influence of Marijuana. I have discussed the situation with my lawyer and neither of these charges are criminal but rather municipal ordinance violations that are dealt with in city court. My court date is set for December 18th and by then I will have already been through the medical school application process so I was wondering what I need to disclose. I have done countless hours of research and have contacted Certiphi (AMCAS criminal background service) and I am struggling to find a definitive answer. I am positive that neither of my crimes are considered criminal in Wisconsin so I have a clean criminal record, but I am not sure if these charges will show up on a report. Also, do the open cases show up either way?
-Please help.
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I looked up the laws in Wisconsin and you're right it's a civil violation not criminal thus even though I hate to say this, there is no need to disclose it on AMCAS. On your primary application you're specifically asked if you were convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony. This incident is neither and obviously it's not an institutional action either. You got very lucky! I would just be honest but honesty does not mean disclosing irrelevant information when not asked for it. Reporting a civil violation in a criminal question is just plain stupid.
 
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ccrone said:
Speeding tickets are criminal offenses.
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:rolleyes:

They are civil citations. Not misdemeanor charges. The topic at hand was whether or not the OPs charge would show up..... if certiphi had my speeding tickets, I would bet they will find this thing.
 
NickNaylor said:
OP, your approach should depend on your goals. If you want to preserve your integrity and demonstrate to others (not SDN users, but adcoms) that you might have some semblance of a moral fiber, you should disclose this. If you want to get into medical school at all costs, don't disclose it and roll the dice. More than likely nothing will happen based on your story and the laws people have dug up, but if something does, you're screwed, and you can rest assured that there's very little chance that you'll make it into a US medical school. The offense itself is minor, but lying about it reveals an even deeper character flaw that schools will stay away from. I mean, really, how well do you think the discussion about this will go if your only response was, "well, I hadn't been to court yet when I submitted my AMCAS, and it technically wasn't a state law that I broke."
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I like this advice. A lot.
 
SpecterGT260 said:
:rolleyes:

They are civil citations. Not misdemeanor charges. The topic at hand was whether or not the OPs charge would show up..... if certiphi had my speeding tickets, I would bet they will find this thing.
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In my state (at least), if it happens while the car is moving, then it's a criminal issue. Hence the phrasing, "Have you ever been convicted of a crime, other than a minor moving violation." Parking violations, etc. are civil/municipal.

I apologize for leading the thread off into the wilderness. I agree that driving under the influence is a crappy thing to do. I was just tickled to see people flying off the handle over a "municipal ordinance violation."

Here's what I thought of:

http://simpsonsparadox.com/2009/08/screwed-by-the-town-of-cary.html
 
ccrone said:
In my state (at least), if it happens while the car is moving, then it's a criminal issue. Hence the phrasing, "Have you ever been convicted of a crime, other than a minor moving violation." Parking violations, etc. are civil/municipal.

I apologize for leading the thread off into the wilderness. I agree that driving under the influence is a crappy thing to do. I was just tickled to see people flying off the handle over a "municipal ordinance violation."

Here's what I thought of:

http://simpsonsparadox.com/2009/08/screwed-by-the-town-of-cary.html
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Here's how random Wisconsin laws can be: If you are in a parked car, keys not in the ignition, just sitting in the driver's set and happen to have alcohol in your system you can receive a OWI ticket if your BAC is over the limit. That's why most people will pass-out / sober up in their passenger side or rear seat of a car. Yet it takes 5 OWI offenses before a felony charge...
 
CopaceticOne said:
Here's how random Wisconsin laws can be: If you are in a parked car, keys not in the ignition, just sitting in the driver's set and happen to have alcohol in your system you can receive a OWI ticket if your BAC is over the limit. That's why most people will pass-out / sober up in their passenger side or rear seat of a car. Yet it takes 5 OWI offenses before a felony charge...
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First part: Not true, they can but only if you were previously operating the vehicle (which can include turning on the accessories).
http://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.html?content=html&seqNo=21382
 
I have ordered a Certiphi background check and it should be in by next week. Stay tuned for updates haha
 
sirenomelia said:
Its one thing to say -oh I messed up and whatever I have to do to right the wrong I'll do it and Ive learned my lesson. But this Im not really guilty of anything b/c you havent proven with 101% certainty by legal definition of conviction in a court of law- even though yeah I really did it and was busted cold- over the years this attitude is what i've observed common in professionals who get in trouble.
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You'll have to excuse me for trying to preserve my innocence, Ill make sure it doesn't happen again...I was not impaired as I have consistently stated on this thread and the fact that you go on here and act as though you would know better is more than a bit annoying.
 
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