Please help!

[premedkid10]

Before reading this I just want to say please refrain from judging and lecturing me about the following incident as I have heard all there is to be heard and have grown from this experience and have changed...well here we go,

When i was 20 (2 months prior to 21) I was stopped in NJ (I am a NY resident) and was taken in for Underage dwi. My blood alcohol content was .02, far from the legal limit of .08, but i was under 21 so there is a zero tolerance policy (fyi I had about a beer just before getting in the car hence the Blood alcohol content of .02- obviously far from drunk, but a stupid decision nonetheless) Luckily for me , this is only a traffic violation in NJ, so I do not have any criminal record at all.

Having said that, I was curious how this might affect my podiatric licensure in NY later on down the road. I have looked at the application and it only asks for misdemeanors and felonies so I believe I am ok in that regard- unless anyone here has any other input on that.

My real concern is future employers (such as a hospital) doing background checks. Will they look at my driving record? Although the incident happened in NJ, it WOULD show up on my NY driving record unfortunately. It would really be awful if such a stupid mistake would really hamper everything I worked so hard for. I am currently in podiatry school, doing extremely well near the top of my class. Again I know what i did was stupid and wrong and I really have learned from it and am better for it. Any input would be appreciated!

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[Sig Savant]

Can't you get that expunged from your record, or doesn't it expire at some point (maybe 7 years)?

http://www.wikihow.com/Expunge-a-DUI

 

[premedkid10]

As far as I have heard it cannot be expunged. Remember it is NOT a misdemeanor felony, rather a traffic violation, similar to a speeding ticket. But as you might imagine if seen it would be viewed worse than a speeding ticket. I just need to know if hospitals or residency programs view driving records, or am I obsessing about this...

 

[dyk343]

When I was 20, I got caught with underage possession of alcohol at a party. I went to the student lawyers at my university (after 2 years from date of incident, no criminal record since incident) and had them write a letter to the state. About 6 months later I received a letter in the mail telling me the charge has been expunged from my record and I do not have to claim it ever happened.

It was free to talk to the student lawyers at my college/have them write the letter. Its worth a try. We all make mistakes when we are young, including myself. Just don't get in trouble again.

Edit: I just realized you are already in podiatry school. Although I don't think it will really harm you that much in your career, It really can't hurt to talk to a lawyer.

 

[Just Sayin]

Before reading this I just want to say please refrain from judging and lecturing me about the following incident as I have heard all there is to be heard and have grown from this experience and have changed...well here we go,

When i was 20 (2 months prior to 21) I was stopped in NJ (I am a NY resident) and was taken in for Underage dwi. My blood alcohol content was .02, far from the legal limit of .08, but i was under 21 so there is a zero tolerance policy (fyi I had about a beer just before getting in the car hence the Blood alcohol content of .02- obviously far from drunk, but a stupid decision nonetheless) Luckily for me , this is only a traffic violation in NJ, so I do not have any criminal record at all.

Having said that, I was curious how this might affect my podiatric licensure in NY later on down the road. I have looked at the application and it only asks for misdemeanors and felonies so I believe I am ok in that regard- unless anyone here has any other input on that.

My real concern is future employers (such as a hospital) doing background checks. Will they look at my driving record? Although the incident happened in NJ, it WOULD show up on my NY driving record unfortunately. It would really be awful if such a stupid mistake would really hamper everything I worked so hard for. I am currently in podiatry school, doing extremely well near the top of my class. Again I know what i did was stupid and wrong and I really have learned from it and am better for it. Any input would be appreciated!

I have been a podiatric practice management consultant for over 25 years, and often bring associates and partners on board for my clients. That the incident occurred is not a big deal. That said, not disclosing it to a prospective employer leaves them thinking you may be the type that hides things, maybe that could threaten their livelihood or reputation down the road. All employment agreements we use have language that makes lack of disclosure of any criminal offense cause for termination, and I have had to do so a few times over the years (not for something this minor tho).

Tell your prospective employer the story before he does a background check, once it looks like the employment process is moving forward and after they've gotten to know you a bit. They will appreciate it and it will diffuse any thoughts about your ethics immediately. Again, the fact of the incident is not a big deal. You were a kid - and I'm sure they'd done at least that when they were young. They just didn't get caught. Employers don't like to feel that they are being deceived in any way during an important decision like bringing on an associate. If they do react badly, then they probably won't be the right fit for you anyway. Lots of jobs out there, so don't worry about it.

Good luck to you.