WAMC

[deleted1044559]

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Hi how bad are 2 institutional actions. I have one marijuana from 3 years ago and one alcohol from 1 year. Both nonviolent and really stupid. First time caught in dorms and second time an open carry container. Have a 3.9 and a 512.

Weak ECs
Disc golf club member
Hospital vol. 50 he
Online vol. -30 hr.
Shadowing 6 docs-130
Volunteer with disbaled- 100
Poster presentation
Scribe applicant

Do I have a shot at DO or some MD? How bad are the IAs?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If this is really meant to be a WAMC post: *~*~*~*IMPORTANT: How to Format Your WAMC Thread for Optimal Results and More!!*~*~*~*

If you owned up to the marijuana and alcohol issues from 3 years ago and have not done anything that stupid again, you are likely to be okay. Just never do it again.

 

[Kirby Smart]

I would be almost equally worried about your lack of ECs as I would be about the IAs. You should probably take a gap year to build your app up more. Ask adcoms like @Goro about the IAs. I think usually an alcohol/weed related IA isn’t an app killer, but two spaced out by two years show you didn’t learn anything the first time so I wonder if it will be viewed very negatively by adcoms.

 

[Goro]

Hi how bad are 2 institutional actions. I have one marijuana from 3 years ago and one alcohol from 1 year. Both nonviolent and really stupid. First time caught in dorms and second time an open carry container. Have a 3.9 and a 512.

Weak ECs
Disc golf club member
Hospital vol. 50 he
Online vol. -30 hr.
Shadowing 6 docs-130
Volunteer with disbaled- 100
Poster presentation
Scribe applicant

Do I have a shot at DO or some MD? How bad are the IAs?

I'd say that you didn't learn your lessons. Not good. Please don't assume that DO schools will be more forgiving. As mentioned above, your weak ECs are even more concerning.

I suggest that you take a gap year or two and seriously bulk up those ECs, The more time between your transgressions and applying, the better.

 

[deleted1044559]

I appreciate your response. I totally am going to express my accountability for my actions in my application.

Would it make any difference if marijuana is legal in my state of residence and if both of these incidents are considered ordinance violations...NOT misdemeanors.

 

[deleted1044559]

I would be almost equally worried about your lack of ECs as I would be about the IAs. You should probably take a gap year to build your app up more. Ask adcoms like @Goro about the IAs. I think usually an alcohol/weed related IA isn’t an app killer, but two spaced out by two years show you didn’t learn anything the first time so I wonder if it will be viewed very negatively by adcoms.

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I appreciate your response. I totally am going to express my accountability for my actions in my application.

Would it make any difference if marijuana is legal in my state of residence and if both of these incidents are considered ordinance violations...NOT misdemeanors.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I appreciate your response. I totally am going to express my accountability for my actions in my application.

Would it make any difference if marijuana is legal in my state of residence and if both of these incidents are considered ordinance violations...NOT misdemeanors.

Focus on your EC's. Marijuana at last check is still illegal nationally. If it could show up on a criminal background check, you disclose it. No exceptions.

 

[Kirby Smart]

I appreciate your response. I totally am going to express my accountability for my actions in my application.

Would it make any difference if marijuana is legal in my state of residence and if both of these incidents are considered ordinance violations...NOT misdemeanors.

In my mind it's a little bit more excusable I guess but it's still to me not a question of morals but rather judgement. I'd imagine that's what adcoms would think too. I'd assume most don't think that your IAs show that you're a dangerous criminal but rather that you didn't have the discipline/judgement to avoid making a dumb mistake twice for the sake of your accomplishing your goals.

Bad judgement is probably one of the worst qualities a doctor could have, so it will definitely be a red flag regardless. I personally don't think these mistakes have to define your judgement abilities or anything about who you are as a person, but I'm just explaining how it will likely come off to adcoms.

I'm no adcom, but I suspect that distancing yourself from these mistakes and aggressively/explicitly explaining how you take responsibility for them and have learned from them will be very important to change their minds.

The fact of the matter is that you are going to be competing with hundreds or thousands of other applicants with identical or better stats, much better ECs, and 0 IAs. So, comparatively you are at a great disadvantage. This is why I think at least getting your ECs to a more competitive level is a must, and then otherwise maybe you can convince some schools that you've grown from this and they will otherwise be interested in your story as a whole. As it stands now, there's frankly not much about your application that would make any school want to accept you over most other applicants. Not trying to put you down, just being realistic.