I was convicted of felony theft in 1993 (I was 23). I did community service, paid restitution, and went on probation. I was supposed to be on probation for 3 years but due to good behavior, my probation was cut short in 1995 and my conviction was deemed to a misdemeanor. Now, when prospective employers pull my record, they only see a misdemeanor theft, not a felony. I don’t have anything else on my record and have gone on to get a B.S. degree and also have a master’s degree. I have done volunteer work and have been a model citizen since then. I am even able to vote which means that my civil rights have not been taken away from me. However, my question is this: I am going to completely shift gears here and pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor. I am just about to start the pre-med courses. Does anyone know when applying to medical schools, would they be able to see my initial “felony” conviction, or would they see the deemed charge of “misdemeanor” which what comes up. The reason I ask is because, if the medical schools and board is able to see expunged records, wouldn’t they be able to see the initial charge of “felony” even though it has been deemed to a “misdemeanor” now? Thanks for your input.
By the way, I am new to this forum, this is my first post. Nice to meet you all!
Mishi
An expunged record is generally viewable only by the executive and judicial branches of government (that is, by police, governors, and judges) and by correctional facilities (if you go to jail). I assume that medical schools do not have access to those records, nor would they typically try to pull such records for everyone who applied.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the internet.
Mishi,
This is a question for which you must have a solid, 100% reliable answer. I could not imagine the frustration and angst you would feel arriving at the doorstep to med school (even worse to graduate from med school & learn you cannot be licensed) and be thwarted. I would strongly suggest that you consult an attorney, probably someone in the prosecuting attorney’s office, and get THE definitive answer.
To hedge my bets, I would also investigate the licensure requirements for several state medical licensing boards to see if they have exclusions or requirements that pertain to you.