Alcohol & Drugs: MIP, MIC, Intoxication OWI Michigan and Physician assistant program

[Longtoe]

I am getting ready to start my physician assistant program in May of 2006. However, this St. Patricks day I got arrested for OWI. THe situation is very precarious for me. There is one student in the program who was denied admission once, but did not disclose it the next year and got into the program and everything is fine. A 2nd student is in the current class disclosed his conviction, before acceptance, and is also in the program and is fine. I am quite sure the charge will be reduced to impaired. I was wondering will the courts work around my intense school schedule so I can succeed at becoming a physician assistant despite my terrible mistake? Also, I am unsure if I should disclose this information to the program for fear of being dimissed. I am almost certain they do not do any background checks once in the program or any major ones for the clinicals either. Thank you for any advice.

 

[ibis]

I'd say you are better off reporting it. If in the application they ask about arrest/convictions and you answered no and later they found out about this OWI they would have grounds to toss you out. In addition it is something you will have to deal with when you apply for your PA license. Particularly if you want a DEA number to prescribe scheduled drugs.

Ibis

 

[ibis]

Website on Licensing in Michigan for PA

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-27417_27529_27550---,00.html

BTW, the legal system won't give you any preference just because you are in school.

 

[raskalnikov]

You should report it to alleviate anxiety for yourself, and also because there might be a board that has to accept you to be a PA with rules different that those to be in a program.

For a first offense I don't think there'd be much of a problem with their conditions interfering with your schooling.

Good Luck.