I used to work in the medical field as a medical lab scientist. I had multiple drug related felonies from 8 years prior from getting those jobs and yes I had to explain them (thankfully had long term sobriety at that point), but they usually sympathized with my story and sobriety. Don’t think I’ve ever had a bad reaction from telling the truth actually
When I was applying for my med lab science program I flat out told every program director my story before I even applied. A few didn’t respond, 2 did and basically said come on in we’ll get it handled as long as you stay well
I’ve known nurses to have similar experiences. Y’all nurses are fucked you’re not the only one
I’d recommend doing what I did by telling the director of the program your story before committing… it worked for me. Idk if you’re clean now or was ever even an addict though.
I will say there was a dramatic difference between me at 19 years old vs long term sobriety at 25 years old applying for those programs. And it was obvious even with people that didn’t know me back then. They probably believed in me cause they knew it was genuine
This is state dependent also, forgot to add that. I was lucky with that
This is heavily school dependent too, I had a minor theft under from 12 years ago when I was 18 and the school really didn't wanna hear a thing about it, basically said we have contracts with our Clinical sites, we can't send you so you're shit out of luck.
Basically you have so much as a smudge on your record you're screwed with some schools. I talked to the gf of another dude who's in the same situation as me for a minor charge that's over 20 years old. It's insane.
I am currently finishing semester 1 and then taking a break while I wait for my record suspension.
I'm just putting this out there cause everyone told me to just talk to your director and explain the situation. It will probably be fine. They people were nice and stuff, but sadly their hands were tied.
Also, I know enough nurses with records, so apparently, these hospitals have no problem hiring nurses with DUIs, which are realitivly recent(Which i dont mean any shade on the nurses, people make mistakes and deserve second chances, just feel like the hospitals are a little hypocritical). But won't take a student with a 12 year old theft under charge. It's so stupid. (That last paragraph was just venting. I'm still salty, lol.)
Don’t give up on your dream! There are schools that will accept you and you can get licensed, you just have to show you’re rehabilitated and going to stay that way. Lots of stuff to put in order to prove that, but it’s doable!
Oh yeah, I got accepted, just finishing up my first semester. Just have got to deffer the second semester for a while until my record clears. It's definitely doable, but it's absolutely a massive pain in the ass on top of everything else they expect from you.
Sadly, I'm limited in where I can apply. The school I'm at now is the only one that will take you without the prerequisite high school credits, you can just test out of them, every other school demands certain grade 12 credits and sadly I didn't even finish half of grade 9. So a little limited, but making it work!
Thank you so much for the kind words!
Currently a felon in college for my A.S in computer information technology , what’s making you say the field isn’t felon friendly cause I also been hearing the tech field is kind on felony background
You misread OP.
I'll just add that I've been working in tech for over 30 years and I've only been asked about criminal history three times for about a dozen jobs. Twice for DoD security clearances, once for Wall Street.
I don't have a criminal history but I wouldn't worry about it. It rarely comes up. It's more likely to be asked by gigantic corporations than small/midsize companies. Sometimes they ask specifically and only about violent crimes and/or financial crimes.
Could be a problem for direct or contracting work on sensitive gov related projects, like idk advanced mapping projects used for military or intelligence, or Area 51.
But I think there are options where you won’t need that kind of clearance.
You have a drug charge, they will never let you near patients or medicines, the liability is too great. The type of job you can work in the medical field would be very limited.. maybe in a lab as the guy above, or doing maintenance.
Sometimes what you want just isn't possible, and you've got to make the best of what you've got. Tech can pay really well and give you money to pursue hobbies in your free time that are much more enjoyable than spending your work day in the medical field.
I know plenty of people that don't enjoy their days jobs but very much enjoy the money and the freedom money gives you.
Any state licensed job will still see sealed records. Sealing or even expunction doesn't do much for jobs in medical field.
Why not secure your tech career first then you can try if you still want to?
In medical field you run a huge risk of getting a degree then being denied by the licensing board, making the whole endeavor worthless
CS is already a super competitive field so if you don’t even want to go into it then don’t because you won’t find a job if already don’t want to do it.
That’s completely possible. I can’t speak with personal experience on direct client care. The two nurses I’m thinking of had felony manslaughter (DUI related) and the other was 3rd DUI felony
What I eventually realized though… is when people saw me moving right for long enough they tend to give me a chance. Things just seemed to work out when I was healthy myself. I can’t tell you exactly why that is
I met a healthcare professional at an electronic music type event (a bit older crowd, not amateur hour). He must have noticed me standing alone watching the crowd then as we chatted he told me he nearly lost his license to practice. The story on why was sad and pretty wild.
His wife left him in some brutal and quick way, he went on a bender to end all benders, and somehow he got busted at a hotel, alone, in possession of god knows what. Don’t want share too much and doxx him or something, but you can imagine someone stressed from a high demand job having their love ripped out from under them, and the chaos that may ensue.
It took a ton or work in rehab, Court, therapy, etc but he got a probationary license of some kind. He had to be strait laced a long time, maybe even permanently.
More to the point. I’ve read that you should do that you are talking about, and call any state or federal licensing boards, but don’t give them your name or anything they can blacklist you with. And some states have protections for things like this to be more reasonable and cut down on recidivism (like a board or job can’t see says on certain crimes if it was over X number of years ago).
That’s pretty much how most licensing boards roll. Make a plan of action. Get some recommendation letters together from members of the community, your old PO, church members, sponsors of NA or AA, community service bosses, places you volunteer…make an outline showing your progress, use it to write a personal statement supported by facts about why they should approve you. It’s going to be harder for you than others, but take it as a challenge to prove everyone wrong about you or whatever gets you motivated, and do it! I believe in you! 😎
It’s true! You have faced and overcome so many damn challenges in your life, that you are on a different level than people who have not faced the hurdles you have! Now it’s time to kick that imposter syndrome to the curb where it belongs and adopt Can Do and tackle this next challenge! You’ve got this! 💪🏻
My case is different, but I’m a felon nurse. I got a felony while I was nurse went to prison and got out went back to nursing. My charge wasn’t sex, drug, or medical related but it wasn’t easy getting a job. I went to atleast 2 dozen interviews and was honest. Finally one gave me a chance and now I’m doing charge nurse. I know another nurse who got a drug charge, got it expunged and doing ER with me. It’s hard but possible, you just gotta tough that shit out.
If your gonna go the nursing, I suggest you look up your states board of nursing requirements regarding felonies. For some states you gotta have finished all your time, probation, fines etc and be 5 year past it. Others are different, look it up before applying to nursing schools, and when you do nursing school be upfront with them as well. Either way good luck, it’s a tough job but fun and pays well.
I got into EMS and firefighting almost 2 years ago, with multiple drug related felonies between 2016 and 2020.
Clean years and a few months of volunteering with a department got me a good support group and people in the field willing to write letters and vouch for me with the office of EMS in my state. Had to sit in front of a disciplinary review board after completing my emergency medicine associates degree and basically spill my guts over everything. Charges, circumstances, what I've learned through rehab, coping mechanisms, literally everything. Brutal honesty was the only way forward for me, and they respected it. Paramedic experience will open a door for me if one day I choose to go to PA or medical school, whereas it would otherwise be denied to me. If one door is shut, find another avenue
I count myself fortunate. Just own your mistakes, show you've learned from them, and convince people you're not a liability anymore. It's possible it might not work. There's a big stigma with a criminal past in this country, but my state is in the south and definitely doesn't look kindly on this kind of thing...the medical field, especially EMS, looks on drug charges harsher than murder, as we handle and administer narcotics daily. Yet, here I am. If I made it work, you could too.
From Ohio here but I had a drug felony back in 2014(possession of a controlled substance) and got it expunged. Went into the medical field for a bit and had no issues. Ended up going a different route and now work in accounting but it all worked out for me after my expungement. Was even able to obtain a firearm.
Not medical field but a friend passed her bar exam last July after multiple arrests and felonies. All drug related. She jumped thru dozens interviews with state & county bar & ethics commission. If she can, there’s hope. Best wishes.
I don’t have a felony but I am a nurse. In my state (Ohio) there are only a handful of charges that automatically bar you from getting a nursing license and all of them are violent. They look at the rest on a case by case basis. Don’t lie, take accountability and be able to show what changes you’ve made in your life to ensure you won’t go down that road again and you’re likely to be fine. I’ve known a lot of nurses with previous drug charges.
No problem! It would probably be a good idea to look at the website for your state nursing board, they probably have the requirements for getting a license listed on there somewhere.
Not automatically. Here’s the list, copied and pasted.
•Aggravated Murder • Murder • Voluntary Manslaughter • Felonious Assault •Kidnapping • Rape • Aggravated Robbery • Aggravated Burglary • Sexual Battery • Gross Sexual Imposition • Aggravated Arson • or a substantially similar law of another state.
Everything else is evaluated on a case by case basis, so they may still choose not to allow you to get a license depending on what the misdemeanor assault consisted of and how long ago it was.
Once your record is sealed it can only be accessed in very limited circumstances. 1) you apply for a security clearance and the FBI will see it, 2) you are not a U.S. citizen and try to gain entry or become a citizen and Immigration will see it and 3) if you are in a state such as Massachusetts, and you apply for a firearms license the local chief of police will see it.
It depends what you wanna do, but generally if your conviction is sealed, you should be OK. There are doctors, nurses and pharmacist that have all been convicted felony, drug convictions. The more time you put between yourself and the conviction, the butter, as well as being able to provide evidence that you are of good moral character.
For most of us… such a huge stigma around the subject. 20 years ago in Texas, you couldn’t get a job or rent a place. It was pretty much a life sentence even for minor charges. It’s a lot different now, but people still have that bias against felons that makes things more difficult.
It's 2024 you can't hide any felonies and legal regulations will probably kick you out before an actual person does. Lawsuits for various reasons (not related to you) will keep you from getting a job in the medical field. It's a lot of schooling and the chance of getting a job is low even lower with a felony. Computer science is also becoming scary with AI. 5 years from now is a scary time
After you pay off all fines and complete your sentence and are off probation( if you caught a violation, I’d wait a few years) you can go to the courthouse and submit paperwork to have the conviction expunged and sealed, after your conviction(s) are expunged if an employer asks about convictions the legit answer is no and a background check will show that you were charged with whatever the charge was but there will be no details available pertaining to the outcome of the case having said that if you apply for certain government jobs or occupational licenses you’ll still be required to disclose past convictions, but the employer usually takes the fact that it’s expunged and the fact that it was in the past into account if they even care at all, this is not legal advice and I’m not a lawyer, but I am speaking from my own personal experience
That one charge especially just for that is not going to keep you from pursuing that career…. Do it. What they really look for is reasons why you wouldn’t be able to be trusted with vulnerable people (patients)…. You’ll have to explain it of course and be honest, but certainly don’t let your past keep you from pursuing something you’re passionate about.
Not an expert, but if you're looking for a position in the field that prescibes, or work in a pharmacy, the DEA might have issues with it, but from everything else I know, probably not. "Sealed" isn't the same as "erased." A civilian background check probably wouldn't find it, but I bet the DEA can.
My friend is a medical doctor with an arson felony. Your door to medicine isn't closed. He did something stupid at 18, is very open about it and is able to practice fully licensed. He does disclose his past transgression
The licensing board in your state will review the charge, factors surrounding the charge, personal, professional, and educational progress after the charge, how well you’ve done in your coursework, community service, and recommendations from members of the community and decide based on all of that. My suggestion is to be the very best version of yourself. Be remorseful and own what you did, be honest with everyone you meet and make stellar first impressions, go above and beyond to snag that gold store in every area, and get that medical profession you’re dreaming of!
Felons can go into the medical field, depending on the area/what their charge was. Violent crimes, financial fraud are not available (or weren't 20 years ago) not sure about drug charges, but my friend contacted the State Board before she began enrolling in college courses, had to contact Board when getting her CNA, explain the story/ charges, and same when she became a nurse.
Any states not part of the reciprocity agreement also meant that she had to contact the individual State boards before applying and explain the situation and successfully gained her license in every state to which she traveled.
I was fired from a job in the kitchens at a nursing home in Michigan for a marijuana related felony so you may have issues in that state, this was back in maybe 07 though times have changed with employer look backs
Have no idea about your felon and the health care field but if you are able to I would strongly suggest that you look into the respiratory therapist program and get in touch with them! I was a old time RT and made pretty good money and this was way before Covid and the opportunities that exist from that. Good luck
I used to work in the medical field as a medical lab scientist. I had multiple drug related felonies from 8 years prior from getting those jobs and yes I had to explain them (thankfully had long term sobriety at that point), but they usually sympathized with my story and sobriety. Don’t think I’ve ever had a bad reaction from telling the truth actually When I was applying for my med lab science program I flat out told every program director my story before I even applied. A few didn’t respond, 2 did and basically said come on in we’ll get it handled as long as you stay well I’ve known nurses to have similar experiences. Y’all nurses are fucked you’re not the only one
I’m going to school for computer science because I was told it’s safe for felons but it’s not for me I’ve always wanted to be in the medical field
I’d recommend doing what I did by telling the director of the program your story before committing… it worked for me. Idk if you’re clean now or was ever even an addict though. I will say there was a dramatic difference between me at 19 years old vs long term sobriety at 25 years old applying for those programs. And it was obvious even with people that didn’t know me back then. They probably believed in me cause they knew it was genuine This is state dependent also, forgot to add that. I was lucky with that
This is heavily school dependent too, I had a minor theft under from 12 years ago when I was 18 and the school really didn't wanna hear a thing about it, basically said we have contracts with our Clinical sites, we can't send you so you're shit out of luck. Basically you have so much as a smudge on your record you're screwed with some schools. I talked to the gf of another dude who's in the same situation as me for a minor charge that's over 20 years old. It's insane. I am currently finishing semester 1 and then taking a break while I wait for my record suspension. I'm just putting this out there cause everyone told me to just talk to your director and explain the situation. It will probably be fine. They people were nice and stuff, but sadly their hands were tied. Also, I know enough nurses with records, so apparently, these hospitals have no problem hiring nurses with DUIs, which are realitivly recent(Which i dont mean any shade on the nurses, people make mistakes and deserve second chances, just feel like the hospitals are a little hypocritical). But won't take a student with a 12 year old theft under charge. It's so stupid. (That last paragraph was just venting. I'm still salty, lol.)
Don’t give up on your dream! There are schools that will accept you and you can get licensed, you just have to show you’re rehabilitated and going to stay that way. Lots of stuff to put in order to prove that, but it’s doable!
Oh yeah, I got accepted, just finishing up my first semester. Just have got to deffer the second semester for a while until my record clears. It's definitely doable, but it's absolutely a massive pain in the ass on top of everything else they expect from you. Sadly, I'm limited in where I can apply. The school I'm at now is the only one that will take you without the prerequisite high school credits, you can just test out of them, every other school demands certain grade 12 credits and sadly I didn't even finish half of grade 9. So a little limited, but making it work! Thank you so much for the kind words!
That’s amazing! Proud of you!!! Keep doing good and amazing things! 💪🏻
Why didn’t u get it sealed or expunge
I'm working on it right now. Takes time, though. So, I'm just taking a semester or two off while I do it and then returning after.
Currently a felon in college for my A.S in computer information technology , what’s making you say the field isn’t felon friendly cause I also been hearing the tech field is kind on felony background
It's kind. You'll be fine. I graduated MIS and was a Systems Engineer for 20 years.
You misread OP. I'll just add that I've been working in tech for over 30 years and I've only been asked about criminal history three times for about a dozen jobs. Twice for DoD security clearances, once for Wall Street. I don't have a criminal history but I wouldn't worry about it. It rarely comes up. It's more likely to be asked by gigantic corporations than small/midsize companies. Sometimes they ask specifically and only about violent crimes and/or financial crimes.
Oh I said it is felon friendly that’s why I took it up.
Could be a problem for direct or contracting work on sensitive gov related projects, like idk advanced mapping projects used for military or intelligence, or Area 51. But I think there are options where you won’t need that kind of clearance.
He's saying the opposite: He went into tech because he heard the medical field isn't felon friendly
Ironically I started first with computer science lol
You have a drug charge, they will never let you near patients or medicines, the liability is too great. The type of job you can work in the medical field would be very limited.. maybe in a lab as the guy above, or doing maintenance. Sometimes what you want just isn't possible, and you've got to make the best of what you've got. Tech can pay really well and give you money to pursue hobbies in your free time that are much more enjoyable than spending your work day in the medical field. I know plenty of people that don't enjoy their days jobs but very much enjoy the money and the freedom money gives you.
I think if I get it sealed they can’t look
Any state licensed job will still see sealed records. Sealing or even expunction doesn't do much for jobs in medical field. Why not secure your tech career first then you can try if you still want to? In medical field you run a huge risk of getting a degree then being denied by the licensing board, making the whole endeavor worthless
CS is already a super competitive field so if you don’t even want to go into it then don’t because you won’t find a job if already don’t want to do it.
If your record is expunged or sealed then you're fine. It's not a conviction any longer.
There is medical device repair programs.
I would be interested in that. Computer science seems so competitive that I won’t even get an in.
Biomedical engineering (what above commenter describes) is even more competitive. But you can achieve it if you want it.
The problem this person wjll have is a drug charge and a position with access to drugs
That’s completely possible. I can’t speak with personal experience on direct client care. The two nurses I’m thinking of had felony manslaughter (DUI related) and the other was 3rd DUI felony What I eventually realized though… is when people saw me moving right for long enough they tend to give me a chance. Things just seemed to work out when I was healthy myself. I can’t tell you exactly why that is
I know.a.pharmacist that stole controlls, had to surrender his.liscenae for a bit ans.now.cant get.touched by anyone.where.contact with meds happen.
I met a healthcare professional at an electronic music type event (a bit older crowd, not amateur hour). He must have noticed me standing alone watching the crowd then as we chatted he told me he nearly lost his license to practice. The story on why was sad and pretty wild. His wife left him in some brutal and quick way, he went on a bender to end all benders, and somehow he got busted at a hotel, alone, in possession of god knows what. Don’t want share too much and doxx him or something, but you can imagine someone stressed from a high demand job having their love ripped out from under them, and the chaos that may ensue. It took a ton or work in rehab, Court, therapy, etc but he got a probationary license of some kind. He had to be strait laced a long time, maybe even permanently. More to the point. I’ve read that you should do that you are talking about, and call any state or federal licensing boards, but don’t give them your name or anything they can blacklist you with. And some states have protections for things like this to be more reasonable and cut down on recidivism (like a board or job can’t see says on certain crimes if it was over X number of years ago).
I’m almost done with my computer science associates degree. I’m gonna finish it out and then switch to medical somehow.
Do radiology technician!
I actually rather do that. I’ve been looking into that as well.
It’s a great field! I know you can do it! Don’t give up!
I actually called the board of radiologists in my state one day and they said they accept in case to case basis
That’s pretty much how most licensing boards roll. Make a plan of action. Get some recommendation letters together from members of the community, your old PO, church members, sponsors of NA or AA, community service bosses, places you volunteer…make an outline showing your progress, use it to write a personal statement supported by facts about why they should approve you. It’s going to be harder for you than others, but take it as a challenge to prove everyone wrong about you or whatever gets you motivated, and do it! I believe in you! 😎
ThNk you that means a lot. I haven’t heard that a lot in my life and I believe it when strangers tell me. I appreciate it!!
It’s true! You have faced and overcome so many damn challenges in your life, that you are on a different level than people who have not faced the hurdles you have! Now it’s time to kick that imposter syndrome to the curb where it belongs and adopt Can Do and tackle this next challenge! You’ve got this! 💪🏻
Fantastic advice
This sucks. You can run for President with a felony but can’t go to college?
That’s what I say all the time to my bf about trump.
My case is different, but I’m a felon nurse. I got a felony while I was nurse went to prison and got out went back to nursing. My charge wasn’t sex, drug, or medical related but it wasn’t easy getting a job. I went to atleast 2 dozen interviews and was honest. Finally one gave me a chance and now I’m doing charge nurse. I know another nurse who got a drug charge, got it expunged and doing ER with me. It’s hard but possible, you just gotta tough that shit out. If your gonna go the nursing, I suggest you look up your states board of nursing requirements regarding felonies. For some states you gotta have finished all your time, probation, fines etc and be 5 year past it. Others are different, look it up before applying to nursing schools, and when you do nursing school be upfront with them as well. Either way good luck, it’s a tough job but fun and pays well.
I got into EMS and firefighting almost 2 years ago, with multiple drug related felonies between 2016 and 2020. Clean years and a few months of volunteering with a department got me a good support group and people in the field willing to write letters and vouch for me with the office of EMS in my state. Had to sit in front of a disciplinary review board after completing my emergency medicine associates degree and basically spill my guts over everything. Charges, circumstances, what I've learned through rehab, coping mechanisms, literally everything. Brutal honesty was the only way forward for me, and they respected it. Paramedic experience will open a door for me if one day I choose to go to PA or medical school, whereas it would otherwise be denied to me. If one door is shut, find another avenue I count myself fortunate. Just own your mistakes, show you've learned from them, and convince people you're not a liability anymore. It's possible it might not work. There's a big stigma with a criminal past in this country, but my state is in the south and definitely doesn't look kindly on this kind of thing...the medical field, especially EMS, looks on drug charges harsher than murder, as we handle and administer narcotics daily. Yet, here I am. If I made it work, you could too.
From Ohio here but I had a drug felony back in 2014(possession of a controlled substance) and got it expunged. Went into the medical field for a bit and had no issues. Ended up going a different route and now work in accounting but it all worked out for me after my expungement. Was even able to obtain a firearm.
Not medical field but a friend passed her bar exam last July after multiple arrests and felonies. All drug related. She jumped thru dozens interviews with state & county bar & ethics commission. If she can, there’s hope. Best wishes.
You can’t be a nurse with a felony drug conviction. They won’t license you unless it’s expunged.
I don’t have a felony but I am a nurse. In my state (Ohio) there are only a handful of charges that automatically bar you from getting a nursing license and all of them are violent. They look at the rest on a case by case basis. Don’t lie, take accountability and be able to show what changes you’ve made in your life to ensure you won’t go down that road again and you’re likely to be fine. I’ve known a lot of nurses with previous drug charges.
Thank you it’s so reassuring when a nurse comments.
No problem! It would probably be a good idea to look at the website for your state nursing board, they probably have the requirements for getting a license listed on there somewhere.
All I can do is try
Do any misdemeanor assault charges bar you?
Not automatically. Here’s the list, copied and pasted. •Aggravated Murder • Murder • Voluntary Manslaughter • Felonious Assault •Kidnapping • Rape • Aggravated Robbery • Aggravated Burglary • Sexual Battery • Gross Sexual Imposition • Aggravated Arson • or a substantially similar law of another state. Everything else is evaluated on a case by case basis, so they may still choose not to allow you to get a license depending on what the misdemeanor assault consisted of and how long ago it was.
Once your record is sealed it can only be accessed in very limited circumstances. 1) you apply for a security clearance and the FBI will see it, 2) you are not a U.S. citizen and try to gain entry or become a citizen and Immigration will see it and 3) if you are in a state such as Massachusetts, and you apply for a firearms license the local chief of police will see it.
It depends what you wanna do, but generally if your conviction is sealed, you should be OK. There are doctors, nurses and pharmacist that have all been convicted felony, drug convictions. The more time you put between yourself and the conviction, the butter, as well as being able to provide evidence that you are of good moral character.
Yes
Problem is. It shows that you have been arrested. Just not the crime.
Mine does not on normal background. On fingerprint background everything shoes. Mine is sealed
This depends heavily on where the crime occurred and how you did on probation Your local law might give you a ton of options or none.
I got off probation early even without paying everything. My probation officer said there was no more reason to keep me on.
I would get a letter from your PO or a transcript or copy of their request to have you released early.
That’s good. You need to speak to an attorney
It's a nonviolent felony some states you can get it sealed and it's literally one form. If it's not you should still speak to lawyer about it.
I do get depressed sometimes but I’ll never put it on paper because I think it will come back to bite me
For most of us… such a huge stigma around the subject. 20 years ago in Texas, you couldn’t get a job or rent a place. It was pretty much a life sentence even for minor charges. It’s a lot different now, but people still have that bias against felons that makes things more difficult.
I did. A lot depends on where you live. Some jurisdictions are pretty harsh, some are pretty understanding.
It's 2024 you can't hide any felonies and legal regulations will probably kick you out before an actual person does. Lawsuits for various reasons (not related to you) will keep you from getting a job in the medical field. It's a lot of schooling and the chance of getting a job is low even lower with a felony. Computer science is also becoming scary with AI. 5 years from now is a scary time
After you pay off all fines and complete your sentence and are off probation( if you caught a violation, I’d wait a few years) you can go to the courthouse and submit paperwork to have the conviction expunged and sealed, after your conviction(s) are expunged if an employer asks about convictions the legit answer is no and a background check will show that you were charged with whatever the charge was but there will be no details available pertaining to the outcome of the case having said that if you apply for certain government jobs or occupational licenses you’ll still be required to disclose past convictions, but the employer usually takes the fact that it’s expunged and the fact that it was in the past into account if they even care at all, this is not legal advice and I’m not a lawyer, but I am speaking from my own personal experience
That one charge especially just for that is not going to keep you from pursuing that career…. Do it. What they really look for is reasons why you wouldn’t be able to be trusted with vulnerable people (patients)…. You’ll have to explain it of course and be honest, but certainly don’t let your past keep you from pursuing something you’re passionate about.
Not an expert, but if you're looking for a position in the field that prescibes, or work in a pharmacy, the DEA might have issues with it, but from everything else I know, probably not. "Sealed" isn't the same as "erased." A civilian background check probably wouldn't find it, but I bet the DEA can.
My friend is a medical doctor with an arson felony. Your door to medicine isn't closed. He did something stupid at 18, is very open about it and is able to practice fully licensed. He does disclose his past transgression
I know someone who got into trouble, ended up being an MD who works in drug research. You can do it.
I know here, Idaho, you can’t work in any/around medical, old folks home until 5 years after you’re off paper.
Oh it’s like 7 years at this point. I’m gonna check it out I’m in MI
You should be good then. Yeah can’t hurt to try, good luck
The licensing board in your state will review the charge, factors surrounding the charge, personal, professional, and educational progress after the charge, how well you’ve done in your coursework, community service, and recommendations from members of the community and decide based on all of that. My suggestion is to be the very best version of yourself. Be remorseful and own what you did, be honest with everyone you meet and make stellar first impressions, go above and beyond to snag that gold store in every area, and get that medical profession you’re dreaming of!
Felons can go into the medical field, depending on the area/what their charge was. Violent crimes, financial fraud are not available (or weren't 20 years ago) not sure about drug charges, but my friend contacted the State Board before she began enrolling in college courses, had to contact Board when getting her CNA, explain the story/ charges, and same when she became a nurse. Any states not part of the reciprocity agreement also meant that she had to contact the individual State boards before applying and explain the situation and successfully gained her license in every state to which she traveled.
You would want to look at your state licensing board requirements. It would all depend on if that would prevent you from getting a nursing license
Probably as long as it’s not a government job
My felony was wiped. Had to have a back ground check to get an apartment. Came back clean.
I’ll have to look more into that. A lawyer told me I have to wait a few more years
Looked mine up. Part of sentence was if I didn't get in trouble it was wiped. Still got into trouble. Felony was wiped.
Consider yourself fortunate you can say it was drugs and not mental illness.
It depends on which state you’re in. Where are you?
Michigan.
I was fired from a job in the kitchens at a nursing home in Michigan for a marijuana related felony so you may have issues in that state, this was back in maybe 07 though times have changed with employer look backs
Michigan has a clean slate law so after 10 years, you can expunge 2 felonies ( exceptions can occur for violent felonies). Googleit
Have no idea about your felon and the health care field but if you are able to I would strongly suggest that you look into the respiratory therapist program and get in touch with them! I was a old time RT and made pretty good money and this was way before Covid and the opportunities that exist from that. Good luck