Can You Work In Health Care With A Misdemeanor In 2024?
Many felons looking for work consider going into the medical field, because there are plenty of high paying job opportunities all across the US. However, the reality is that its much harder to get hired in health care for people who have criminal records.
Some ex cons already have medical degrees and want to go back to their careers after getting out of prison. Other felons consider getting degrees as a medical assistant, a phlebotomist or a nurse, hoping to get a steady job that pays well.
There are a number of reasons why the medical field is so attractive to felons:
– Field is growing every year
– There are many job opening all across the states
– high pay: $35K-$80K depending on the profession
– career growth opportunities
The big question is: can felons work in the medical field?
Health care jobs open to felons
Overall, the field of medicine in our country offers very few felon friendly jobs.
Clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities and medical centers have very strict hiring policies and extensive background checks. Generally most places will avoid hiring someone with a felony, especially because there are so many candidates vying for one position.
Here is a list of jobs that a felon has a small chance of getting. It helps tremendously if you have a degree, appropriate license/certification and prior work experience in the field.
Medical assistant
Nurse aid (CNA)
Home health care aid
Medical administrative assistant
Medical coding/billing
Typically, a convicted felon will NOT be able to get the following jobs:
– Doctor (MD)
– Physician assistant
– Psychiatrist
– Psychologist
– Nurse (RN/LPN)
– Radiologist
– EMT/Paramedic
– Surgical Tech
– Phlebotomist
– Chiropractor
If you have a felony that is related to sexual or physical abuse, murder, manslaughter, other types of violence, drugs and theft, you pretty much have no chance to get a job in the medical profession.
Crimes related to theft, fraud, and any kind of dishonesty and deceit will also make it very challenging to enter the medical field. This is because most employees need to protect patient information and ensure their overall safety.
Can a felon go to medical school?
Many felons want to know if its possible to enroll into medical school after getting out of prison.
In general, this largely depends on the type of felony you were convicted for as well as the policies of a particular medical school.
The vast majority of medical schools in America prefer not to accept convicted felons because they will not be able to get a license to practice medicine after graduating. The licensing boards of most states do not allow convicted felons to get any kind of medical license unless their records have been expunged.
Keep in mind that there is very stiff competition to get into medical school even without any negative factors on an application. If you have a felony, you need to have stellar academic performance and test results, as well as other impressive points on your resume, for the admissions committee to consider your application over someone who has not been in prison.
If your goal is to pursue higher education, there are many other more felon-friendly college degrees and majors than medicine.
Licensing and Certifications
Typically, professional health care jobs require you to get a license after completing an accredited education program. This is where things can get confusing.
Different states have different licensing requirements and policies regarding granting licenses to convicted felons.
For example, if you want to become a phlebotomist, California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington have state regulations for this professional license. However, in other state in the US, a phlebotomist does not need to have a state level certification to be hired.
There are also a number of independent licensing boards in each medical field that also have their specific rules regarding criminal records of applicants.
For example, if you want to become a medical assistant, you will need to be certified by one of three licensing boards: American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), American Medical Technologists (AMT) and National Healthcare Association (NHA). Each has their own policies regarding felons. However, they all do a criminal background check on all applicants, so being honest is essential.
This means that you need to find out about specific regulations in your state for the career you are interested in pursuing, before you spend time and money applying to different programs, studying for exams, etc.
If it turns out that the medical career you initially hoped to pursue is not an option for you due to the nature of your felony, consider other job options.
How to increase your chances of getting a job in the medical field
While medical careers are considered to be off limits for most people with criminal records, even misdemeanors, there are still some success stories that can inspire you to pursue your dream.
There have been individuals with felony convictions who have been able to become licensed nurses, phlebotomists, medical assistants, CNAs, etc.
Here are some tips to help you succeed in this career path:
– Be honest on your school and licensing applications
– If you have drug related convictions, go through a reputable drug rehab program
– Have references that can attest to your good character traits such as honesty, trustworthiness, ability to care for others, etc
– Do volunteer work: this will be a favorable point on your application
– Prepare a personal statement that explains how you have transformed since you have left prison and lessons learned from your criminal past.
– Document all steps you have taken to rehabilitate yourself after getting out of prison. This is something you will want to discuss at length during your admissions interviews.
– Apply to many different schools and programs. Don’t put your eggs in just one basket. You never know which admissions committee may take a liking to you and would want to give you a second chance.
Alternative medicine careers for felons
If you love taking care of people’s health and see this as your perfect job, you may want to consider various alternative medicine fields.
These include:
– Homeopathy
– Acupuncture
– Naturopath
– Regenerative medicine
– Ayurvedic medicine
– Chinese medicine
There are many online certification programs available. Moreover, many of these professions don’t require a license. Also, the programs are more welcoming and understanding of individuals with unique backgrounds, even felony convictions.
About The Author
Joe Hunter
Joe is the founder of HireFelons.org. Having had friends and co-workers who have a felony conviction, Joe Hunter decided to use his expert knowledge in starting a successful business to launch HireFelons.org and teach as many former felons as possible how to earn a decent income, when finding a traditional job is simply not an option.
I have an arrest for child endangerment children we’re not removed and there is no conviction will it stop me from being able to graduate nursing school and getting a job as an LVN
I got a misdemeanor on my record for an OVI which I got a year ago. I was out with friends had a few drinks and I’m not really a drinker but was celebrating a wedding. That’s the only thing on my record. I’m applying for a position as a Patient Transport Tech at a hospital, chances of me getting the position?
I have a few felonies and misdemeanors on my record. I almost didn’t get hired at a physical therapy company, but then they saw my charges were 7 years old so they hired me. I work as the front office specialist. Last year, my charges were hidden as part of the clean slate act in PA. I’m also in school now to get my bachelors in healthcare management with a concentration in health informatics. I just got a job offer to be a medical biller at a medical billing company. They are going to do a background check but not the FBI one. Since Pennsylvania has hidden my charges, I’m thinking they won’t see my charges on a state background check. I’m a little worried though.
Clean slate act??? Whattt!? I wish they did that in Idaho. Is that the only state who passed that law?
We don’t have many healthcare jobs on our platform yet, but there are some – and all of the employers who post are fair-chance. You can search for jobs on the Honest Jobs website.
I am a felon of drug and paraphernalia charges. They were supposed to be expunged but the court and my attorney messed up. I recently got my RN license in NY and I have a job but really had to settle for a terrible and grueling job. I was a nurse for 10 years then fell into addiction. I am really having a hard time finding a job and as soon as my background comes up I wither. I believe God has a plan but it’s something I can’t see right now. I have been clean 7 years this month, I was early released from probation and here I am. Feeling very discouraged right now.
Thank You for your inspiring comment — it gives me Hope! My situation is similar here is Pennsylvania but I wish I was a RN (my dream career). Right now I’m a CMAA and CEHRS.
So, I Truly Appreciate You! And Yes! Absolutely God has a plan craved out specially for You! {p.s. – Grace of God I 3 years sobriety}
I was browsing through as saw this. Thanks for sharing your dilemma. I have the same one and just graduated with an MSW and cannot find work. I had a possession/forgery charge in 1989 and in 1990 and went to prison for it. This is so old now and I am 63 years old a vaguely remember it. I can’t even get a job cleaning as a tech in a rehab in Florida. My dream is to help others who have struggled with addiction. If anyone can offer positive suggestions it would be appreciated. Every job application in Florida (instead of going back 7 to 10 years) ask the question: Have you ever been convicted? There is a difference. I am so disgusted I feel like just giving up? I found out I owe 512.00 in fines that I cannot even pay..No Job….People make mistakes but this one has followed me forever.
Hi I have a felony on my background have been on there since 87 they said that it will come off once I do my three years probation and not getting in any trouble for some reason is still on my background can anyone tell me who I need to talk too in Dallas ,Texas
Welcome to Texas. They lie all the time to make naive people take plea deals. I know first hand. It’s been since 2010 since I finished my DAP for a misdemeanor A. It’s still there and still causing me grief.
Hi
Im in the medical profession as well but when they see I’m a convicted felon the job is no longer available. It seems like it’s harder for a woman to get a job than a man.What happened to giving people a second chance. If god can do it why can’t man.
T.Nurse
I’m in Maryland and I was convicted of felony mail theft in January of 2009.. I was sentenced to 6 months house arrest and had to pay a $3,000 dollar restitution fine.. I was also on probation for 5 yrs, which I completed in 2014.. I’m 40yrs old now and I really want to become a Surgical Tech.. Anyone have any advice??? What do you think my chances are???
Check with the certifying / licensing board for your state / national and see if you are screwed ir not. I’m having to do the same thing with the phlebotomy cert and BA: HIM I’m wanting to do.
Reading this gave me hope. My mother kicked me out at 17, the summer before my senior year of high school (I was a rambunctious teenager that liked to stay out late and I didn’t get along well with my stepdad, they just didn’t want me there). I ended up living with friends a couple towns over who were into stealing things, I got caught up in it and we all got arrested months later. 2 weeks after my 18th birthday so I was tried as an adult. After a year and a half of court, being kicked out of my high school for having felony charges, and not much in the way of long term thinking I agreed to plead guilty to most of the charges to avoid jail time. The DA was good with the deal. The judge was not. She was determined to teach me more of a lesson and had me locked up anyways, and a couple months later I was released early into a young offenders program. I thought my life was over and sank into depression. With my record on my back I knew it was pointless to even try to go to school for any kind of good paying career, or medical like I had originally been interested in. I already had my GED by then. I started researching what I could do. I had a background in cooking from my high school job so I stuck with that, not what I wanted but what my skills were in. After the birth of my son I went to community college and got my associates and went on to transfer to a state university for a BS in animal science (I had always wanted to work in the medical field but knew it was now off limits, figured that was close and I love animals). But with one semester left, a life change led me to withdraw from school and now 10 years later I’m still working in restaurants. Im 35 with 3 kids, they are my world. It has been well over 10 years at this point and I am able to seal my record but I know it will never actually go away. I’d love to return to school, but for a better paying job than what I had originally gone for. Something meaningful and to help people and to be a better role model for my kids.
I am a felon. I have a drug related felony for possession from 2008 and misdemeanor for DUI from 2013. I’m in recovery and can get good character references. I desperately want to get into the medical coding and billing field. I planned on teaching myself through free or low cost courses, books, & research. I then want to take the exam to get certified. However, before investing all of the time and money it’ll take I’m trying to find out is I’m going to be able to get hired anywhere. I just want to continue to grow, recover, and to be able to provide a better life for my babies. Does anyone have an answer, any advice, or any ideas about where it find answers? Any help, advice, comments would be very appreciated.
Do the course you are going to take require background check? If they do and you can pass that, it would be a good indicator whether you can get a job after. In addition to getting your charge expunged, reach out to the program you wish to apply for and ask the program director if you can have a preliminary background check run. This way the clinical directors can approve you or deny you way before you start doing any prerequisites or courses. I just did this and also sent in reference letters and a letter of explanation. It took about a month for an answer, and 4 months for the expungement. The background check was $90 and the expungement was around $400 in my state. Contact your county’s solicitor office and they should be able to look up you background and tell you if the charge is eligible for expungement.
Stay clean and sober and straight. Get those certificates (ed2go is a good option) or if you can get your associates / BA in it. Have 3+ people who will give you glowing recommendations (I have found that having 3 phd references and 3 non-phd references…none of which I have seen since at least 2005 honestly…, really helps). If you can manage to get hired as a receptionist somewhere, anywhere, especially in healthcare than jump on it— that’ll help getting that job later. The certification might be iffy but I think your drug charges will hurt you less than us with anything close to theft or those with violent charges. Keep your head up.
Hello in 2013 I was charged with a felony drug charge because my brother had something in my home and my name was on the lease of the house. It has ruint my life and my passion has always been the medical field and helping people. I finished 4 years of probation out with no issues but that felony is on my record forever,I’m just wondering what if any careers in the healthcare profession would allow me to attend school and get a job. Thank you.
Contact your local legal aid, circuit clerk or lawyer’s office. You should be eligible for expungement. I’m not sure on where you live or your exact charge, but most class d felonies are eligible for expungement after a certain amount of time has passed.
What state are you in? Some states, not many, allow you to expunge those records. They’ll still come up if they run a FBI background check on you. Be sure to answer that box correctly and be willing (even 10+ freaking years later!!) to explain the situation resulting in that charge honestly on that form and often durning the interview process. Even if you don’t get certified in anything right now get as much education as you can in the field (or closely related) as you can. Like if you want to do something medical office like…get certificates in medical office, billing, coding, etc and any other forms of office stuff you can get. I have an associates in biology, and several certifications of completion via courscea (sp?) & ed2go. These help but I still haven’t gotten my BA yet because of this issue too (and why spend the money on something I can’t use attitude—I’m trying to fix that). I don’t buy that “faith moves mountains” stuff but it’s obvious that we are between our screw ups (rock) and our consequences (hard place) and it’ll take serious effort on our parts to get anywhere with it.
hello i have a misdemeanor for interference with custody my daughter was was in folster care she got took from me i had no baby sitter in needed to go to work was told she ould not keep coming with me to work so i left her home a few hours she went to folster care i went for visitation in i took my baby i sent 20 days in the county jail i now have my child back theygave her back to me due to i have always kept a roof over our head in things like that so after i got out of jail my baby was granted to come home
Hi I’m shatira I’m a felon..and going for cNA …I have 211 charge …I stolen baby milk to feed my son …can I still get a chance for a real job???? CNA
I’ve worked as a NA with CNAs with everything BUT violent crimes. Check with your state to be sure but even “hold you back” Texas let’s you certify as a CNA and stay on as a nurse with drug charges.
They let felons work in medical field but if u have a felony for forgery u can’t, thats not fair
Depends where (state and company) and what job you are going for.
I was told that the felony had to be 10 yrs old to even work as an aid in South Carolina. Mine is 7
Been working in corrections for over ten years. Never, never, NEVER allow ANYONE to dictate your life. Have watched several return to the medical field after conviction. They were truly talented individuals with a passion for patient care. Go to each medical facility and work with the people…offer to sweep the floor if that’s the only way to start, but don’t stop, don’t give up. God bless.
I have a felony for Driving under the influence of alcohol. I want to become a Lpn or may be even a RN one day will I be able to get a job??
Amen! Thank you for saying that! You’ve inspired me!
Kate, you are a blessing yourself to be working in corrections and still have the ability to recognize people can be ok after serving a sentence. It’s not often that you hear anyone working in your field say anything positive about someone that has been convicted. There are some very bad people in this world, granted, but not everybody that passes through jail doors are necessarily that. Most are smart individuals that made one poor decision…
Your response gives me hope! I have a 20 yr old felony theft charge, here in Texas and currently working as a caregiver! I was surprised that I got hired on with the company in April 2020. I’m still with them today and it’s going on a year! I’m just praying that I can finally achieve a personal long term goal! Thanks for sharing that!!
What company are you working for?? My friend recently got convicted for a felony and needs to find another job.
Those are uplifting words but one problem: we can’t work for free we gotta pay our way.
I’m a felon and I got time served state jail felony drug charge can I get my CNA license
I have a question I got my home health aide license in 2005 in 2007 I caught a charge they gave me one year probation I completed probation and paid my fines, they said that I can get it expunged in 2017 but this is almost 2020 can I go back to home health aide or do I have to get it expunged first?? I’m in New Jersey as well but can u please give me some insight.
Probably. In Texas HHA aren’t certified usually and the agencies ask about criminal records. Just answer the box correctly and honestly.
I am in probation for 8 months I have paid all of my state restitution and my probation fees the job I am in which is in assisting living as a medication tech./ Resident Care Associate wants me to put my two weeks just because I asked them to help me keep my job I don’t know what to do I don’t know who to talk to
Hi, I am a felon (I received the felony my 2nd to last semester school) and I also have just one more semester to go before I can get my medical office administration degree. Anyways when I got in trouble I truly believed I completely ruined my career in that area. However I was reading on this website and I came across a list of those who could still possibly get a degree in that area!!! Is this true, or could someone give me more information on this topic?
You have to be crime free for 5yrs after your probation and have paid off your restitution,and probation fees to be able to ho into that medical career.
Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Where there is a will, there is a way. Sure, it may be more challenging. But, all things are possible. Faith can move mountains, and the law of attraction is real. People usually get what they’re expecting and what they’re thinking about the most. Therefore, don’t think about what you don’t want and do think about and focus on what you do want. Expect the outcome you want. If you do that the universe will deliver.
Thank you.I needed to hear that. It is so hard to stay positive these days. I keep on trying and that’s what I can do.
Thank you! This just might be true. I know (as a felon myself) it’s hard out here. You’re judged by the mistake(s) you made forever. I guess I need to contact the county I got in trouble in, and ask for forgiveness. Pray I can get my record expunged. I am an addict (clean 5 years December 2 of this year ❤️). However, my choices that led to my sobriety weren’t always the best. I lost my children (have them back), hurt my family. I would’ve died if it weren’t for my parents “tough” love and jail time. I stay in contact with the jail, and volunteer my time there. Never give up hope. This is just another avenue to try. I long to be an RN/Midwife. Good luck to you all.