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Med School is all about what research you have done and your MCAT. Yeah, your GPA is 50% of what they see when your app first comes up, but as long as the MCAT is strong, you have a fine shot. What frustrates me is that we all think of “med school” as Harvard, Yale, Brown… etc. Take a look at the public state school where you’re at. Look at its average scores and GPA. There’s a world of difference. Also, keep in mind that state schools give you a stipend to cover tuition and living expenses while you’re there (most often). So even if you have an egotistical view (sometimes every person does) that you have to go to an Ivy to be a good doctor, look at your residency, research and internship opportunities. That’s most likely where you will get a job, or where you will be able to stick your nose in tons of publications …
I wouldn’t sweat it, my dear. If you are so worried about your science GPA, take some extra easy science courses and ace them. A lot of schools take the overall science GPA and not just specific prereqs.

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I am not absolutely positive on how it works out for medical school. By the time you would hit your third year, though, that misdemeanor better be expunged or else not related to the numerous crimes that would make you illegal to practice medicine. For example, there is a Nurse Practice Act in every state where if you have ever been convicted of a crime, it will come up when you are licensed. If it is even retail theft – it is a crime of “moral turpitude” and you cannot get a license until it is expunged, or gone in front of the state Board to show how you have changed, recommendations from faculty/supervisers etc. … It’s a long process.

My recommendation to both of you is to find the medical practice act in the state that you want to go to and see your legal rights to practice. I doubt every med school will spring $55 on every applicant to screen for criminal background upon entry into the program, so it may not come up until you are licensed, or perhaps the third year when you start clinicals.
However, would you want to go to a doctor with a record? Even if you understand it does not make you a bad person, and it may have been no big deal whatsoever, the public is stereotyped about criminal background – and there is always public access to criminal records… If you cannot expunge it ever (felony is 7-10 years after sentence, misdemeanor 2-5 depending on conviction and sentence), you may need to think about having to explain yourself every day (possibly) about having a record and wanting to treat people.

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