Could a domestic violence charge or conviction — or even a protective order granted by a judge that orders you to stay away from a former romantic partner based largely on his or her allegations and the judge’s estimation of the truth — stop you from pursuing a career in the medical field?
Absolutely.
It probably doesn’t surprise you to learn that a domestic violence conviction can end the career of an armed guard, a police officer, a military man or anyone else who is required to carry a weapon to work. After all, federal law prohibits anyone with a domestic violence conviction from owning or using a gun. But it does surprise a lot of people to find out that a domestic violence conviction or a protective order can close a lot of other doors in the medical field as well.
Depending on the exact conviction that’s on your record, as well as the criteria and expectations used by the school or business involved, a domestic violence charge could affect your ability to engage in a number of careers:
— You might not be able to even get into medical school in the first place, if you haven’t already been accepted. Medical and nursing schools are highly competitive, and no campus wants to get a reputation for being lax about investigating a student’s criminal history.
— Hospitals all have to keep an eye out toward patient safety. If you’ve been labelled “an abuser,” you may not be considered trustworthy with your patients under the type of stress that a doctor or nurse faces on a daily basis on the job.
— You may not be able to get a job in a nursing home because those are also considered stressful positions with a highly vulnerable population. Anyone who works in a nursing home is generally subject to an extensive background check, especially now that employers are aware of the possibility of lawsuits due to nursing home abuse.
Domestic violence is never okay — but there are people who are savvy enough to use the charge like a weapon that will let them either control or punish an errant romantic partner. If you’re in that situation, don’t just walk away — find an attorney who can help you fight the domestic violence charge and keep it from limiting your future choices.
Source: the nest, “Can Domestic Violence Cause You to Not Get a Job in the Medical Field?,” Beth Greenwood, accessed June 01, 2017