im a paramedic student and was recently arrested for misdemeanor dui and possession of marijuana. should i tell my school and program? will i still be able to get a license? will i kicked out of school? i have no idea what to do and any advice would be appreciated. my biggest concern is that we have to do background checks for our clinicals at the beginning of every school year and that next year my arrest will show up and ill be kicked out of school or wont be able to do clinicals then be kicked out of school. i made a mistake and still want a chance to be a paramedic. thanks.
DUI and Posssession charges, what to do
- Thread starter badcall10
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8jimi8
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You better join NA or AA and get a sponsor, or someone who will be willing to vouch that you have been clean for the entire year, leading up to your next background check.
You need to talk to your state licensing office and find out if you will even be allowed to continue.
You might have ruined your chance for this go-around. They may want to see a history of a few years without any new arrests before they are willing to consider putting you in charge of people's pre-hospital healthcare.
You need to talk to your state licensing office and find out if you will even be allowed to continue.
You might have ruined your chance for this go-around. They may want to see a history of a few years without any new arrests before they are willing to consider putting you in charge of people's pre-hospital healthcare.
8jimi8
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The best advice i can give you is to proceed openly and honestly. If you can pass your school background check by answering "no" to a felony conviction that is fine; however, the state ems board will scrutinize your new arrest. It is best to contact them and ask them how to proceed. They are the final authority on your license to practice in your state.
TripsTer
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You have to also think about when you start looking for a job and the background checks they give you. It's safe to assume that if you don't pass your school's check, you won't pass your job's.
You need to throw the reefer out of your life and learn not to drink and drive. If you have any plans of being a Paramedic or get any kind of civil service job, you aren't going to get one anytime soon with that on your record.
You need to throw the reefer out of your life and learn not to drink and drive. If you have any plans of being a Paramedic or get any kind of civil service job, you aren't going to get one anytime soon with that on your record.
firecoins
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you need to speak to an attorney. do not get your advice from an internet forum.
Hospitals are still responsible for their patients and are entitled to know who will be working within their facility even if it is just for clinicals. Most health care programs require an entry background check with the application process. EMS should not be an exception.
You will find that regardless of whether the word "felony" or "misdemeanor" was used, clinical programs and employers may have this in their contractual agreement whether it is just for class clinicals or employment.
You will find that regardless of whether the word "felony" or "misdemeanor" was used, clinical programs and employers may have this in their contractual agreement whether it is just for class clinicals or employment.
Any crime related to the sale, possession, distribution or transfer of narcotics or controlled substances in the 7 years immediately preceding the submittal of application.
Right now marijuana can still be classified as a controlled substance. Some figure 7 years might be adequate for you to have made up your mind about the priorities in your life and whether you are now ready to assume the responsibilities that come with decision making where people's lives are concerned. The argument will be that if you make bad decisions while in Paramedic school, what judgment will you use when it comes to treating patients or with the responsibility of driving an ambulance?
Right now marijuana can still be classified as a controlled substance. Some figure 7 years might be adequate for you to have made up your mind about the priorities in your life and whether you are now ready to assume the responsibilities that come with decision making where people's lives are concerned. The argument will be that if you make bad decisions while in Paramedic school, what judgment will you use when it comes to treating patients or with the responsibility of driving an ambulance?
If you are convicted, you will not get a license anytime soon. You will not be kicked out of school however, clinicals are a problem..which means you can't finish. Pray for a no-conviction.
mississippimedic
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I would hold off on telling your school for a while, I would make an attempt to talk to face to face with the DA and beg for mercy on the poss. charge to get that dropped first, then I would try to get him to lessen the DUI charge. If you talk to them the right way and plead your case you may have a chance. However, they may not be willing just to do it for you, offer community service and maybe some AA NA type stuff. Also you may offer to take the DUI driving course if your state has one. If you have a otherwise clean record it may work, Its up to the DA. I got caught up in some stuff when I was about 20, I went to the police dept talked to the chief, he asked the officer that charged me, If he minded dropping the charges we all talked a while, I keep a humble attitude, and they dropped it. Step 2 hire a lawyer and fight like hell you may get lucky find a loophole or sympathetic judge and get a dismissal.
Step 3: none of the above work tell your program dir. If you have any chance of beating the charges I think talking to the DA is your best shot, all he can do is say no.
Step 3: none of the above work tell your program dir. If you have any chance of beating the charges I think talking to the DA is your best shot, all he can do is say no.
find another career
wyoskibum
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Trying to hide it will come back to haunt you.....
Definitively consult a lawyer. However, you need to go to your Paramedic Program Director and be open and honest about what happened. If there is any chance of you continuing, it will be with your program director's involvement. Trying to hide it will only make matters worse when it does come out. (And it will).
You do need to decide if you are serious about EMS as a career. If you are, you need to give up this immature behavior of smoking pot and need to make better choices about alcohol consumption.
Just my $.02 worth
Definitively consult a lawyer. However, you need to go to your Paramedic Program Director and be open and honest about what happened. If there is any chance of you continuing, it will be with your program director's involvement. Trying to hide it will only make matters worse when it does come out. (And it will).
You do need to decide if you are serious about EMS as a career. If you are, you need to give up this immature behavior of smoking pot and need to make better choices about alcohol consumption.
Just my $.02 worth
There is no obligation to report to anyone unless there is a conviction. If these were felony charges, it is probable his license would be suspended pending the outcome.
That would depend on the state. Some do require the state be notified of an arrest, especially one that includes a controlled substance, within a reasonable amount of time or for re-cert. This is no different than if your employer reprimanded you for certain offenses, errors or misconduct which may also be reportable to the state.
All the more reason he talks to a lawyer before an employer. The guy's not convicted of any crime..yet.
You should already have been reading your state's statutes for cert/license. Quite possibly if you had read them when you initially got your EMT cert, you might have realized drinking and driving while being in possession of marijuana was not the best idea.
As is true in most every state. Go hand a lawyer 500 bucks for some good advise. It may be well worth your while.
PS: Have ya learned anything from this?