Misdemeanor - affect on acceptance, licensing and jobs?

[Hemegroup]

Oh right right, yearly...I'm tired. Goodnight.

[Guest foreverLaur]

Anyways - back to the point of the question.

 

If this is on her record, she'll have to report it. How much will it affect her chances of getting into PA school with a 4th degree misdemeanor for playing with an orange cone on the sidewalk of a college campus? Will it affect her getting her PA license? She has a totally clean record otherwise.

[bradtPA]

Lauren,

 

No one can answer definitively here. It will be up to each individual school. Most PA programs do background checks, and they are extremely detailed. If its on her record, they will know about it. If they know about it, then it can affect the application. Licensing is the same and it may affect that as well. To be honest, in NC even the nurses have to be fingerprinted and checked for their license, and this may also affect your friend's nursing license in your state.

 

She would be better off paying for a lawyer. Find one that will take installments.

[Guest foreverLaur]

I knew they would all know about it. I just didn't know how much a silly 4th degree misdemeanor like that would matter. Honestly, I wouldn't care if the person providing care to me decided it would be fun to drag an orange cone back in college. I know someone in medical school with a DUI and two people in my boyfriend's law school class had felonys.

 

It's just such a silly thing. I'm sure someone can relate in some way back in their college days. Hopefully the admissions committee will read the explanation of the felony and just laugh and look back to their college days and move on to the rest of her app...

[LESH]

bradtPA is right. No one can answer your question here IMHO. Only the ADCOMS and programs know what they will do in a case like this. This person needs to apply to a PA school and take it from there.

 

What will be in their favor is the fact that time will have passed, they will have matured a little more and maybe it will just be one of those youthful indiscretion things...especially if they have spent some time working as an RN and they don't get busted for anything else.

 

FWIW

LesH

[primadonna22274]

Guys,

 

Any discussion with foreverlaur is bound to be circuitous and frustrating. Just drop out like I have and the thread will die.

 

:o

[Hemegroup]

I don't think there's any need for condescension, and that sort of attitude takes credit away from those of us who were interested in engaging this topic in conversation. She raised valid points, and is only trying to give her thoughts and opinions on the matter. Threads tend to drop on their own when they're done, there's really no need to try and expedite the process at the expense of someone's reputation.

 

LESH gave the best advice, why not just leave it at that.

[Maximillion]

Primadonna, I thought this site was for help, info and support. ForeverLaur has some valid concerns and just needs to process the situation. If you don't want to assist, don't read nor comment. Pretty simple. I think you should take a look at yourself. Why are YOU getting frustrated with it?

[JenGintheED]

Let's rein in these comments, people... if you can help "Mary", post something. Otherwise... don't. Thanks for cooperating :)

 

Wouldn't it affect nursing licensure and jobs? Our nurses have to report those things, just like PAs do...

[Guest foreverLaur]

Wouldn't it affect nursing licensure and jobs? Our nurses have to report those things, just like PAs do...

 

 

She has already spoken with the board of nursing and they said something as low as a 4th degree misdemeanor would not affect her licensing.

 

I assumed that it would be easier to get a nursing job with something like that since there is a need for RNs to fill RN jobs. Maybe I am wrong... I just figured she'd have an easier time getting an RN job than a PA job.

 

I realize you guys aren't on admission committees and can't give me a perfect answer. I'm just looking for thoughts and opinions of people who have been out in the field for a while.

 

I just find it surprising that someone would actually hold her out of her dream profession because she dragged a random orange cone back to where her other friend found it one night on a college campus (and at the point when she applies - probably 5+ years ago)

 

Obviously I have no idea - I'm just sharing my thoughts and opinions. If I had a clue, I wouldn't have posted on here looking for advice.

[LESH]

I just find it surprising that someone would actually hold her out of her dream profession because she dragged a random orange cone back to where her other friend found it one night on a college campus (and at the point when she applies - probably 5+ years ago)

 

It's not the act of dragging an orange cone around. Its the criminal record. Most PA program do or are going to have to start doing background checks on all students for malpractice and for clinical affiliation agreements. These things tend to show up.

 

The clinical sites are very strict on who they let come into their facilities to see their patients. They have to be. Anything that shows up on a background check can lead to a disqualification of a PA student from a rotation. Clinical sites remember those things. When they see anything like a trend they may think twice about taking students from that program. Then all the students suffer.

 

The clinical coordinator is also impacted trying to find the replacement rotation for that student and the worse case scenerio is to lose a clinical site all together because the site has concerns about the program's students. Does this make sense? It really can get to be a pretty big thing.

 

I could understand why an ADCOM might not want to take that on is all that I am saying. Especially if there's a large applicant pool. It is unfortunate if it goes down that way but it's not personal.

 

My two cents FWIW.

 

LesH

[Guest foreverLaur]

So the fact that you have a criminal record can keep you out, regardless of what it is?

 

There's a big difference between someone who played with an orange cone 5 years prior when they were in college and someone who had minor assault, theft, etc.

 

We're hoping she can get it dropped in court since her friend (who stole the cone, was underage, and showed a fake ID) got everything dropped. Essentially, she's now being charged as an accomplice to a crime that didn't happen now. Hopefully when she apologizes like crazy and explains the situation again and explains how she's a 4.0 nursing student with aspirations to become a PA.... we'll run into a judge on a good day.

 

It would be sad if someone with a DUI can get into medical school and someone with a felony can get into Law School, but returning an orange cone a friend drag a block down the sidewalk will keep you from being a PA.

 

What a twisted world.

[LESH]

So the fact that you have a criminal record can keep you out, regardless of what it is?

 

People get into PA school with criminal records. It is a case by case thing and the ADCOM will deal with that. The best thing IMHO that this person can do is what I mentioned in post #30. You wanted input, I gave it. I tried to present you with possible reasons why this applicant may not be as competitive to some ADCOMs. It's just my opinion.

 

I am backing away slowly with my hands up, I do not wish to get into a discussion about the whys and whats and how twisted the world is...I was just answering your question to the best of my abilities.

Peace

LesH

[Guest foreverLaur]

I think I am going to advise her to try to get a continuance (court date is Oct 22). A few of my boyfriend's friends who I also know have taken the bar exam but haven't gotten their results back yet. If she can get it continued into November, they will know the results and hopefully one passed. They'd all represent her for free and hopefully get her out of it.

 

I'm not sure how easy/hard it is to get a continuance, but with being a full time student working two jobs, I'd assume it wouldn't be terribly hard, but who knows?

 

I believe, like mentioned before, that if she were to get it expunged, it would still show up. Anyone have a clue if that would make a difference? A 4th degree misdemeanor vs an expunged one?

 

Thanks for all the help/input guys. I appreciate all the opinions.

[just_me]

while there is definitely a difference between the two actions....when a background check is run all they see is the degree of the misdemeanor....they dont know what exactly transpired that night, they dont get to see the police report (which might be a good thing in her case). The only thing they can go off is her story....not saying shes a liar but who's to say shes not lying to them?

 

If sufficient time hasnt passed since the charge, how do they know the person is out of that "phase" how do they know its not just the begining of irresponsible behavior ect? For the school its about protecting the program reputation for the liscense its about protecting the reputation of the profession.

 

If this is her first offense I couldnt see the courts throwing the book at her. Plus if she plans to work for a few years as a nurse then thats even better....especially if the case isnt dropped.

[Guest firecoins]

She need to get a lawyer. So she takes a semester off from school to pay it off. No big deal. Better get a lawyer to look at it and take a semester off than find out you can't be an RN or PA. Even in one can get the RN, it may affect employment.

 

Its better to go through it with an attorney than without one. In the long term, this will be better. A semester off from school may be good. If Patti has these types of friends.

[Maximillion]

My friend had to get a full-time job to pay off her lawyer and court fees. She had to delay her schooling by only taking one class a quarter. Basically, the bottom line is that if your friend is serious about taking care of this legal matter, nothing else really matters. Either way, her DWI is now a "Physical Control" and does not have to be put on her record - she made sure of that. As for a story that was told to me, my co-worker's brother committed what most people might consider a "bad" thing. After a year of his probation, he had his record expunged, applied to healthcare profession schools, and his record never came up. I know of many sumilar stories. So your friend has 2 options - lawyer up and pay the exorbitant legal fees and get the charges reduced, which ALMOST always happens, or don't lawyer up and bend over to take whatever might come. My opinions are those of my friends who are police officers and lawyers. I guess the lesson learned from this is to choose your friends and situations wisely. Good luck.

[just_me]

My friend had to get a full-time job to pay off her lawyer and court fees. She had to delay her schooling by only taking one class a quarter. Basically, the bottom line is that if your friend is serious about taking care of this legal matter, nothing else really matters. Either way, her DWI is now a "Physical Control" and does not have to be put on her record - she made sure of that. As for a story that was told to me, my co-worker's brother committed what most people might consider a "bad" thing. After a year of his probation, he had his record expunged, applied to healthcare profession schools, and his record never came up. I know of many sumilar stories. So your friend has 2 options - lawyer up and pay the exorbitant legal fees and get the charges reduced, which ALMOST always happens, or don't lawyer up and bend over to take whatever might come. My opinions are those of my friends who are police officers and lawyers. I guess the lesson learned from this is to choose your friends and situations wisely. Good luck.

 

read it wrong

[Prospective PA]

Mary isnt being chared with a DWI....Mary is being charged with a 4th degree misdemeanor for playing with a street cone--even though she was just putting it back

 

Just_me, i think he was talking about his friend with the DWI

[True Anomaly]

In case it wasn't mentioned before....GET A LAWYER. IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE

 

I just wanted to make sure it was said, because I think in three pages of responses, maybe it wasn't mentioned. I don't know. Maybe.

 

Peace out

[Guest foreverLaur]

I'm aware a lawyer would be in her best interest. I've been dating a "lawyer" for 4 years! He just hasn't taken the bar exam yet so he can't play lawyer.

 

I was asking how much of a issue a "criminal record" would be for playing with a randomly left behind orange traffic cone would be in her future endeavors.... assuming she doesn't get it dropped.

[True Anomaly]

Primadonna, I thought this site was for help, info and support. ForeverLaur has some valid concerns and just needs to process the situation. If you don't want to assist, don't read nor comment. Pretty simple. I think you should take a look at yourself. Why are YOU getting frustrated with it?

 

Not to get any further with it, because it will only get off-topic, but in defense of Primadonna, she had a valid reason for bringing it up and "getting frustrated with it".

 

Back to the discussion!

[just_me]

Just_me, i think he was talking about his friend with the DWI

 

 

I think you might be right lol:D

[Maximillion]

"I was asking how much of a issue a "criminal record" would be for playing with a randomly left behind orange traffic cone would be in her future endeavors.... assuming she doesn't get it dropped."

 

To put it all to rest, she should contact the school of her choice and find out straight from their mouths.

[Guest foreverLaur]

To put it all to rest, she should contact the school of her choice and find out straight from their mouths.

 

I've been going back and forth with the same idea.

 

In some aspects it sounds great - she may get a straight answer on how the school would deal with something like that.

 

On the other hand... I don't think she should say anything until after her court date. I wouldn't think she'd want all the schools remembering her as the girl who called to ask about her criminal record and then not have one when she applies! (as in it was dropped).

 

I suppose if she goes to court and they refuse to drop it... then she could get in contact with schools.

 

Court sucks. I got pulled over for a speeding ticket once and it was via air and they got the wrong person. In court the police officer admitted to it and the prosecutor offered to drop it to 69 in a 65 (I was following mom and grandma). The judge must have been having a bad day - he decided to stick me with the 82 in a 65 anyways. Hopefully she catches a judge on a better day!