Temp. license application w/ an arrest

[superfly24]

I've begun filling out my pre-employment paperwork and came to a stumbling block in the license application.

"Have you ever been arrested, convicted....etc"?

10 years ago some friends and I were heading on a short road trip and pulled over by the police at a routine stop. After a search of our car it turns out that one of my friends had a small quantity of marijuana in the car. Since the car was in my name I was arrested on the spot for possession of a controlled substance. As the police took me to the station to process the charges, my friends followed me there and the second they got there the person who the marijuana belonged to admitted it was his and I was subsequently unarrested and he was charged 200$ and deferred sentence of 6 months then dismissal.

Now when I see this question on my application I assume I will have to answer "yes" even though I was never charged or anything. I'm worried about how my PD is going to view me and the chances that I get denied a licence?

Kind of freaking out about this. I'm used to the questions being phrased "have you ever been arrested where you have NOT been acquitted or pardoned etc." or something of that sort. Why do they ask if you've been arrested? It should only matter if you've been convicted

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[Fah-Q]

Answer honestly. Nobody is going to deny you a license for what you described. They might deny you a license if you lie about it.

 

[Smurfette]

I've begun filling out my pre-employment paperwork and came to a stumbling block in the license application.

"Have you ever been arrested, convicted....etc"?

Kind of freaking out about this. I'm used to the questions being phrased "have you ever been arrested where you have NOT been acquitted or pardoned etc." or something of that sort. Why do they ask if you've been arrested? It should only matter if you've been convicted

Welcome to medicine, where every place you apply for licensing/privileges/whatever has a different question "arrested", "charged", "convicted", etc. Seriously, every form is slightly different. Some yes responses may require you to give supplemental details about it as well. Some will not.

As Fah-Q says, answer honestly. If they find you were dishonest on your apps, you are screwed. This 10 year old arrest without any conviction is not going to prevent you from being licensed.

 

[michaelrack]

The OP needs to find out if there is any official arrest record.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks

 

[3dtp]

The OP needs to find out if there is any official arrest record.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks

The OP says he was arrested. The question asked, "Were you ever arrested?" The answer to the question is, "yes."

If the police detain you, legally require you to remain or accompany them in the setting where a crime has been committed in the presence of a law enforcement officer is an arrest (Black's definition, paraphrased). In the OP's case he states that he was taken to the station (presumably against his will) to "process the charges."

That there was no conviction, or even prosecution of the charges is clear, and there will be no record of a conviction. That a small quantity of hooch was the root of the problem might mean OP has questionable friends, or is a bad driver, but that is not a show stopper. Not telling the truth in matters of medical licensure or credentialing would be far more serious a problem.

Failing to answer truthfully, could result in a record that looks something like this

Is it really worth going there? Whether or not a record of it exists? Answer the questions honestly and you'll be fine.

 

[dragonfly99]

Just tell the story pretty much like you did up above here...I would seriously doubt anyone would deny you a license based on this.

 

[Droopy Snoopy]

I've begun filling out my pre-employment paperwork and came to a stumbling block in the license application.

"Have you ever been arrested, convicted....etc"?

10 years ago some friends and I were heading on a short road trip and pulled over by the police at a routine stop. After a search of our car it turns out that one of my friends had a small quantity of marijuana in the car. Since the car was in my name I was arrested on the spot for possession of a controlled substance. As the police took me to the station to process the charges, my friends followed me there and the second they got there the person who the marijuana belonged to admitted it was his and I was subsequently unarrested and he was charged 200$ and deferred sentence of 6 months then dismissal.

Now when I see this question on my application I assume I will have to answer "yes" even though I was never charged or anything. I'm worried about how my PD is going to view me and the chances that I get denied a licence?

Kind of freaking out about this. I'm used to the questions being phrased "have you ever been arrested where you have NOT been acquitted or pardoned etc." or something of that sort. Why do they ask if you've been arrested? It should only matter if you've been convicted

So 10 years ago means prior to med school, maybe prior to college? So this can't have been the first time this has come up in an application. I agree to answer honestly, but just curious how did you answer it on those other occasions?

 

[auburnO5]

Most applications only ask about convictions, that's how.

 

[auburnO5]

OP did you feel out the application? I will be in your shoes in a few years, so I am curious. You can PM me if you want.

 

[auburnO5]

fill*

 

[superfly24]

Yes, I of course answered honestly (and sent in the paperwork yesterday). I was never going to lie about it but was more concerned about how the PD is going to view me than anything else.

@Tic this was the first time I encountered the question asking only about being arrested. Most of the time they only ask about arrests that were not pardoned or that led to convictions. Not just a plain old arrest.

 

[auburnO5]

.

 

[HondoCrouch]

As long as you answer the question honestly you will have no problem. Dont sweat it.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Maybe, but I don't think it makes one bit of difference.

Tell the truth. This is not a big deal at all.

The OP needs to find out if there is any official arrest record.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/background-checks

 

[AM638]

Agreed. If you can make it through medical school with the background checks that hospitals do, you are fine. Stop worrying. Nobody cares what you did 10 years ago. The following is directly from a residency handbook and the reason programs do background checks:

"If an individual is found to be convicted of serious criminal offenses, such as assault, criminal sexual conduct, etc. that disqualify the individual from positions with direct patient contact, the individual becomes ineligible for appointment or continuation of appointment"

 

[michaelrack]

A warning to the OP: once you put your "arrest" on this application, it will become part of your permanent record. Since you mention being "unarrested," I recommend consulting with an attorney before answering this question on the application.

 

[bloomingdale]

jjjjh