VMCAS ethical question

[Chilerelleno]

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I have a friend who applied this cycle, and I found out when she let it slip that in her personal statement she used paragraphs from a former (successful) applicant's personal statement in her own.

In essence, she plagiarized someone else's personal statement, and I am assuming that the other person does not know. Question now is, should I do anything? I don't feel it's my place to rat out someone, but on the other hand she stole to try and make herself look better - it's unfair to every honest applicant out there.

I'm half ready to email the Vet school she's applying to and let them know who she is and who she stole from, but I would feel guilty myself. Opinions please, this is weighing very heavily on me. (And don't worry, I won't do anything until I have thoroughly thought it out.)

 

[quantized]

I'd assume they run all these essays through one of those plagiarism checkers, no? You could always ask them if they do on their forums. As long as the other person applied within the last few years, I'd assume that would catch it.

Otherwise yeah, that is lame.

 

[Nexx]

It's up to you, but yeah what that person did isn't very professional.

But you must also consider that there are many companies out there offering to ghost write personal statements and other such things. That doesn't make it right either, but your 'friend' isn't likely the only one to be trying to cheat the system.

Heck... I'm sure there are people who round up quite a bit on their experience hours and maybe embellish in their personal statements -- is that really any better? IMO it isn't, but while you are thinking about things, just make sure that you think about what you put in your application package and if you were fully honest.

Heck this board is full of people asking things such as the best way to answer such and such an interview question and I think that many times people BS their way through the interview process (some parts anyhow) without stating how they truly feel because they want to 'look better'

If anyone should be made aware of the potential plagiarism it is the person she took the paragraphs from--and then maybe it can be their choice to ring up the uni/vmcas about it, I don't really think it is your place to do so as it may come across as a bit of jealousy and hearsay (after all you don't really know how much was.. if any.. was actually plagiarised) and you don't want to look like an ass if this is much to do about nothing.

All one can hope is that ethics class in vet school and a bit of aging/maturity rectify attitudes like your friends.

 

[Shanomong]

.

 

[Angelo84]

If this person gets to interviews it would likely be caught at that point. I was asked to elaborate on events mentioned in my PS and if it wasn't my experience I don't think I would have been able to do that successfully.

 

[crittergal]

I suspect I will be the dissenting opinion, however, I view this as cheating. Yes, plenty of applicants selectively word responses to questions and agree with others that there is likely padding of experience hours. However, I also strongly believe that once you are aware of a situation like this, to sit back and do nothing is as wrong as the individual who committed the offense (be it cheating, stealing, whatever). Your friend put you in a crappy situation and it was wrong of them to do that to you. I truly empathize with the moral struggle you must be suffering.

Any profession, DVMs, MDs, RNs, etc. polices itself through state boards run overseen by those in the profession. While the incident may be minor in the grand scheme of things (no life or limb lost, etc) it is an example of behavior we do not want in our profession. Fast forward ten years- an accident happens and a patient dies, this person was directly responsible. Will they take the easy way out or own up to the mistake? I worry that if one will take the low road on small issues, then serious situations are fair game. We do not want this type of unethical behavior in our profession. Yes, an ethics class may be insightful for this student, but these classes do not lay the foundation for ethical and moral behavior. We as students walk into a classroom with this foundation already laid. These classes help augment our foundation and provide difficult circumstances with plenty of gray area to ponder over.

Another thought to consider is the personal statement itself. Anyone who has applied understands what a personal statement stands for. I spend hours and hours and hours on mine. Revising, cut, paste, take out, add back in, and on and on. It was an integral part of my application, a way for me to shine and express why I should be selected amongst the ranks of other very highly qualified candidates. To think that someone would steal my work, or anyone else's, is deplorable. It is much more than stealing a few paragraphs. They are stealing part of my life, my story, and calling it their own. Absolutely unacceptable.

Will the school really care if you contact them? I don't know. I know that many educational institutions have strict policies for that type of behavior, but when it is brought to their attention, they fail to show concern or even address it. Regardless of the outcome, you have an opportunity to stand up for your values and the integrity of the profession. I hope that you are able to reach a decision you can live with.

 

[mtambaschi]

I wholeheartedly agree with Crittergal. Stealing someone else's personal statement represents unacceptable behavior that I don't want to see in my colleagues in vet school or later on in my practice. Waiting for an ethics class to teach someone their responsibilities is passing the buck and will probably not be very effective. And I agree that it's your responsibility to report the incident.

 

[dgm]

Wow, don't know what to tell you as far as whether you should take any action, but I do know that I would have a very hard time respecting someone who had done that! She probably told you because she was feeling guilty and wanted someone else to tell her it was okay. Hopefully your response didn't send that message.

...Doesn't a VMCAS rep stop by these boards every once in awhile? Perhaps they will weigh in.

 

[twelvetigers]

I think that if I were in your position, I would not contact the school about it. I would consider telling the person whose statements was plagiarized, if I knew them well enough to approach them at all. I would also make sure that the 'thief' knew exactly what I thought about what she had done. As someone who worked very hard on her PS, I would hate to think of someone else getting in ahead of me that has simply copied someone else's hard work, or of someone copying my own hard work for their benefit.

 

[Crazy Hippos]

Unethical? Yes. Worth ruining her career over? Hmm...

 

[dgm]

If her career getting ruined is the consequence of getting caught for what she did, then it seems to me she should've thought about that before she did it. And maybe this is the kind of person who shouldn't be accepted, anyways. If she's so desperate to get in that she'll cheat on her application, what might she resort to once she's in and feeling the pressure to do well in classes?

That said, even if this kept her from getting in now, I doubt it would keep her from ever getting into any vet school. Maybe this year, but not forever.

 

[nyanko]

Worth ruining her career over? Hmm...

Well, yes, if that's what the school or profession deemed an appropriate reparation.

On a personal level, I put a lot into my statement. Writing is a really difficult process for me and that statement represents to me a lot of time and thought, and my unique style. If I found out another person just took 5 seconds to copy and paste my words, I'd be out for blood. 🙄

 

[Ben and Me]

The majority of people learn from their ethical mistakes only when they are caught. If they get away with it, most give themselves a pat on the back and move on with their lives...and sometimes gain confidence that if they got away with something "small," they can also get away with something "bigger."

Anyone who would plagarize a personal statement is not someone I would want as a future colleague. I think fudging the number of experience hours is almost equally unethical.

An ethics class, while a good idea, is certainly not going to drastically change the behavior of someone who would do something like this.

Where do you attend undergrad? If your school has an honor code, I would approach your pre-vet advisor and ask them for guidance. I also might consider approaching the student who wrote the original PS that was plagarized. I would be pretty darn angry if someone had done that to me.

I wouldn't count on interviews to catch this person either. I wasn't really asked anything directly about my PS.

I'm sorry that you've been put in this situation. Who knows--in the long run, you may be doing this person a favor by calling them out on this behavior now, rather than waiting until something even more detrimental occurs.

 

[DVMDream]

I am sorry you are in this position. It is hard to determine what would be the right thing to do. I would agree that telling her how you feel about what she did and telling the person whose statement was plagarized is a good idea. Personally, I spent a lot of time on my statement. I wanted to make sure it showed who I am as a person and how my experiences have shaped who I want to be as a professional. If anyone stole my PS I would be sure they never got to be a veterinarian. They do not deserve it. I would not want a colleague who cheats to get ahead. I was completely freaked out about how many hours I put down for my experiences and tried to get as close as possible to the real amount. I am still nervous about the times I put down for some of my volunteering as I can't remember if I volunteered first or second semester. I tried to be as honest as possible. IMO someone who is dishonest should never be a veterinarian.

 

[radio2020]

Ok, do not get me wrong. I worked weeks on a personal statement and I didn't even want to read it to other who were applying out of fear they would steal my "awesome ideas"
However, if I was in this position I would definitely not get involved, because it really isn't your business. Yes this person is lying, yes they could benefit, but you could look worse. From a professional point of view no one likes a "tattle tale". I think if you were to call a vet school they may think it was petty and immature and not look at you as an honest Abe. With of all the applications they are sorting through do you really think they would want to bother investigating this? They may wonder if you have a different motive. like previously stated, when she gets in front of them it will be obvious she is not the same person on paper. Just focus all your energy into positive thoughts of you being accepted into vet school. Trust me, people always get what they deserve. 😉😉

 

[snapcall]

***DISCLAIMER*** I have not yet applied to vet schools (will be next cycle), so I have no practical experience with the application and interview process. However, as someone who's so obsessed with vet med and getting into vet school that it's almost a diagnosable mental disorder, here's my opinion for what it's worth.

If your school has a pre-vet adviser that you trust, it might be a good idea bring your concern to him/her first. They would be able to handle the situation properly, and your involvement in the ensuing drama would likely be kept to a minimum. If your school has no or poor pre-vet advisers, I think the next best thing is to tell the person whose PS was plagiarized. That person could then make their decision about how to proceed, and the matter would pretty much be out of your hands (from an ethics standpoint at least).

I have no idea how likely it is that the actual plagiarism would be caught in the interviews. What I do know is that interviewers (in general, of course there are exceptions) tend to be very, VERY good at sniffing out the personality traits of someone who would do this kind of thing. Just like all of us pre-vets/vet students don't want cheaters in the profession, adcoms don't want this s*** in their schools. I suspect/hope this applicant won't get very far in any case.

Yikes, sorry I rambled for so long. 😱

 

[jpeterman13]

I'd probably tell them that I was going to blow the horn on them. and then not do anything so that they get to sweat it out for the next few months and I wouldn't feel guilty for ruining someone's goal. Maybe they'll come clean if they have a concise that is (however, if they stole a PS, they probably don't have much of one.) Also tell the person that they ripped off. If it were me that got my PS stolen, I'd be the smiley face, and they'd be the banana

 

[CorporateFatCat]

This is quite a dilemma. I don't know what I would do, but I do know that all of us applying with VMCAS had to agree with the statement that all the info we documented was true and of our own work.

If she did not follow the truthfulness of this statement, then I believe she deserves all the consequences that come with it. If this means she will be barred from ever applying again, so be it. We all worked our asses off to be competitive applicants, people who cheat deserve to be caught.

I kind of hope VMCAS or specific schools use a service to weed out these plagiarizers....

 

[aspiringDVM]

I would notify the person whose PS your friend plagiarized and leave it at that. He or she has the most right to be upset, and would have the most credibility should they decide to take action. Hopefully VMCAS does run them all through plagiarism checkers -- this can't be so uncommon, and I would be dead furious if someone managed to get in on false pretenses.

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

Hmmm...Not sure what I would do if I was placed in your position. I can say this:

If you were thinking of reporting him/her I suggest you create a free yahoo screen name...choose a screen name that DOES NOT expose your identity...and just write a quick email with the applicants name and that you THINK they may have copied someone elses personal statement. Also say, "I hope you respect my wish to remain anonymous." Now the school or VMCAS..whomever you contact, will decide whether to look into it or not...Most likely, if they found he/she did in fact copy, they would just reject the applicant...and probably the applicant wouldn't know WHY he/she was rejected unless they called which usually they don't allow people to do until April or later....The only problem is I would hope the school wouldn't say they received an anonymous tip..or something along those lines to expose you...

Just don't do something you'll regret.....I'd sleep on it for a few days and then make my decision...especially since you consider him/her your friend.

*That's crazy that she copied PARAGRAPHS! My personal statement was 5 paragraphs...so that probably means a good portion of her personal statment was copied!

 

[Chilerelleno]

Wow, thank you all. I knew you guys would come in with a lot of different opinions, and they all help to allow me to figure out what to do.

Here's what I know: I read both people's personal statements, and the friend I am speaking of took direct sentences from the other person's and used them, copied and pasted, in hers. The amount plagiarized would amount to a solid 2 or 3 paragraphs.

I told her: "You do realize you STOLE ****'s ideas? You realize you could get caught for it? That's plagiarism".

And her reply, paraphrased, was that she (let's call her A) and the other person she stole from (let's say B) had worked at the same vet clinic, however B had a lot more hours and in her PS wrote everything A wanted to say, except a lot better than A could. A said that it was exactly what she wanted to say, already written for her, so she doesn't think it's wrong in the slightest.

And to give a bit of background, A is a hardworking student who has excellent grades, but really has very little experience, which I assume is why she felt the need to steal for her PS. She is quite arrogant, and I do think that if she gets interviews it will show through as she is also extremely immature. I also know she embellished her hours (by a fair bit), and who knows what else. I am thinking that because of her untruthfulness in her application overall that she would not do well in an interview, but you never know.

I certainly don't want to ruin her career chances over something like this, that's not my business and would just earn me bad karma, but I do think that something needs to be done as it is simply unfair for her to use someone else's hard work and present it as her own. She knows what I think about it, but she is stubborn and is convinced she has done nothing wrong (and sadly, that's her stance on most of life as well).

I'll definitely be letting the person who she took the statements from about the situation as she deserves to know, but aside from that I don't think I'll do anything. Maybe I'll email the schools she's applying to (and not mention any names) and ask what is the appropriate course of action in this situation.

 

[natalieises]

Random question, but don't most of the schools ask you in the interview what you would do if you saw someone cheating???? Don't they expect you to say you would do something about it? Maybe I'm completely off, but in response to some people saying being a tattle tale makes you look bad, wouldn't that be opposite of the morals of the vet school?

 

[ImaJerseyGirl]

I started my PS in May. I had six initial ideas, I had to restart it a bunch of times to get it right. I had five different people read it. Four times each. I put many many hours and a crap ton of effort into mine as I'm sure many others here did.
It's a apart of the application process and possibly the simplest... write about yourself, from the heart really... no tricky tests, not a semesters worth of courses... an essay. Not always the easiest to do for us writing challenged however! I'm sure others in addition to this person have "borrowed" PS's and people use the online writers.

It's a cheap way out and it will come back to bite them in the ass. You don't get far that way. If I had a way to back it up, I would definitely report it, if not, it is your word against theirs and that is just how the world works sometimes. Things like this *really* tick me off.

At the same time, just think if he/she couldn't pull it together to write a decent original PS, imagine what the rest of the app must look like.

ETA: Ok maybe I'm being harsh because you are concerned about this person. At this point, we need a wake up call, call them out on it. You would help by nipping it in the bud before it becomes a habit (if it already isn't).

 

[rileyroo]

And to give a bit of background, A is a hardworking student who has excellent grades, but really has very little experience, which I assume is why she felt the need to steal for her PS. She is quite arrogant, and I do think that if she gets interviews it will show through as she is also extremely immature. I also know she embellished her hours (by a fair bit), and who knows what else. I am thinking that because of her untruthfulness in her application overall that she would not do well in an interview, but you never know.

I would think that the adcoms would be able to detect when someone embellishes their hours by a fair amount and center their PS around experience they don't have.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I would think that the adcoms would be able to detect when someone embellishes their hours by a fair amount and center their PS around experience they don't have.

yeah for cereal. and i'm pretty sure adcoms would realize that the experiences this chick claims to have had doesn't mesh very well with the veterinarians LOR.

 

[Shanomong]

.

 

[tpad40]

I think that it is especially important to do or say something since both A and B applied this cycle. Schools may read both PS's and recognize the similarities and the copied applicant (B) may get unfairly penalized.

 

[bunnity]

I'm glad you told the person it was stolen from, and I hope they say something - because if they don't, and someone notices anyway, they will both be in trouble. Who is to say which one stole from the other? If it comes out that she knew someone had stolen from her PS and didn't do anything, then she could be in trouble too.

Just wanted to say sorry you've been sucked into this situation; it's not fair to you either. I had a high school friend copy - paste a PS of mine (for college) and I found out and ... it didn't go well. So it definitely sucks when that type of thing happens and it sucks that you had to be involved when you didn't do anything wrong.

 

[eventualeventer]

Ok, do not get me wrong. I worked weeks on a personal statement and I didn't even want to read it to other who were applying out of fear they would steal my "awesome ideas"
However, if I was in this position I would definitely not get involved, because it really isn't your business. Yes this person is lying, yes they could benefit, but you could look worse. From a professional point of view no one likes a "tattle tale". I think if you were to call a vet school they may think it was petty and immature and not look at you as an honest Abe. With of all the applications they are sorting through do you really think they would want to bother investigating this? They may wonder if you have a different motive. like previously stated, when she gets in front of them it will be obvious she is not the same person on paper. Just focus all your energy into positive thoughts of you being accepted into vet school. Trust me, people always get what they deserve. 😉😉

Radio2020, I hate to pick on someone with such a cute doggy, but this post doesn't sit right with me. There IS a right way and a wrong way to do this sort of thing, and you want to do your utmost to present your case in a mature, neutral way. That said, the way that cheaters get away with it is when everyone turns a blind eye, leaving it for the next person to deal with. This is not behavior that is acceptable for any professional, and I think that the high personal stakes of the application process have shown this person's true colors.

OP, I'm sorry you are stuck in the middle of this situation. I do not know what the best way would be to go about dealing with it, but I agree 100% with the posts above that say that it is our responsibility to police our own profession, starting from day 1. Ditto the comments about ruining this person's career -- the cheater is the one digging her own grave here. I do not have any sympathy.

 

[DVMorBust]

And her reply, paraphrased, was that she (let's call her A) and the other person she stole from (let's say B) had worked at the same vet clinic, however B had a lot more hours and in her PS wrote everything A wanted to say, except a lot better than A could.

There's a perfectly acceptable way to handle that. Who wants to see how a personal statement citing another personal statement would work? *raises hand*

In all seriousness, I'm sorry you're in this situation.

 

[nyanko]

Trust me, people always get what they deserve. 😉😉

People don't get what they deserve unless someone actually calls them on their BS eventually.

 

[VAgirl]

I think that it is especially important to do or say something since both A and B applied this cycle. Schools may read both PS's and recognize the similarities and the copied applicant (B) may get unfairly penalized.

BINGO! Person B has the right to know (I'd say you, the OP, has the moral obligation to let Person B know) and the right to do what (s)he wants with the situation. It they applied to the same school, the same people will be reading their letters. If I was on the adcom, I'd be very uncomfortable letting in someone who I knew already made the choice that it was acceptable to cut corners and cheat. (If they did it once in one situation, they'll do it again in another, they've already made their peace with justifying cheating.) The adcom members might even decide that, since they maybe can't tell who stole from whom, they might just reject both to avoid the situation and be done with it. That would be HORRIBLY unfair to applicant B and she has the right to protect herself against is however she sees fit!

 

[dgm]

According to the first post, the person whose PS was copied is a former (successful) application - so already a vet student and not applying this year.

And I wouldn't necessarily think that it will be obvious she plagiarized parts of her PS. For one thing, I was barely asked about mine, so wouldn't count on the interview catching it. Secondly, there's a lot of stuff one could put in a personal statement that could apply to multiple people, even others who haven't had the same exact experiences. I really doubt the girl took parts that would scream "I stole this from someone else!!" for her own PS.