"There has been a recent debate in the UK regarding the withdrawal of an offer made to a prospective medical student by Imperial College London, when the admissions offices found that he had a previous criminal record. The student had taken part in a robbery at the age of 16, for which he’d completed the community service required and had done substantial amounts of volunteering work since. He was also a straight A-grade student. Opinion was divided about the decision. Some argued that ICL was wrong because the decision sent out the wrong message. Here was a person who had not only atoned for his punishment but had also turned his life around from his criminal past. The withdrawal, his supporters argued, showed that society was unforgiving of juvenile delinquents and would not allow people to change their ways, forever tarring them with the mistakes of their youth. On the other hand, there were those who thought that ICL had acted correctly because those within the medical profession should deserve the trust which our patients give to us; we should be above reproach.

But, of course, we’re not. Although most of the time, most of us are the consummate professionals and decent, moral practitioners that society wants us to be, we are still fallible because we are human.

Everyone has moments of weakness. But, how much does this matter when it occurs in our personal life? Should the things we do as people outside the medical arena impact our reputations within it? Where does personal life end and professional life begin?

As long as one can always assume the role of the competent, caring and confident doctor at work, does it matter what one is like at play? Is it right for a speeding offense to be listed on the internet, accessible to the general public? How much does one’s behavior outside the medical world say about one’s competence as a clinician?

The third issue relates to the perceived "severity" of the off-duty behavior. You might continue to trust your colleague if you knew they drank a bit too much at Christmas. Maybe even if they were compulsive gamblers or drove like a maniac. (maybe it's not a norm in here but it is in western countries) But what about behaviors which hint at a truly nasty side? What if they made racist remarks? Or participated in fraud?

The majority of doctors and medical students are, fortunately, free from serious bad behaviors. But even the purest of us will have aspects of our character which we would wish to remain hidden from our patients and colleagues. In fact, this selective presentation of ourselves to the world is usually intertwined with our notions of personal privacy. But should doctors lose this behavioral anonymity, open up to scrutiny and be judged whiter than white before earning the right to be doctors?"

I think it's a good question to ask to ourselves but of course, we don't usually see the wrong thingy about ourselves. But, this article doesn't meant you can missbehave because you are not perfect!