Skip to main content
Home

Main Navigation

  • Admissions
    • ADMISSIONS
      • Admissions Overview
      • Admissions Requirements
      • Admissions Assessment
      • MCAT
    • FEES AND FUNDING
      • Tuition and Fees
      • Scholarships
      • Financial Aid
      • Student Finance
      • Partnerships
      • AIM Partnerships
    • APPLICANTS
      • How to Apply
      • Canadian Applicants
      • Transfer Applicants
      • International Applicants
      • Career Changers
  • MD Program
    • PROGRAM
      • Program Overview
      • Program Objectives
      • Hospital Affiliates
      • Simulation Institute
      • MD-MPH Combined
    • CURRICULUM
      • MD Curriculum
      • Medical Sciences - Years 1 & 2
      • Clinical Education - Years 3 & 4
      • Clinical Home Offer
      • MedOrigin
    • ACADEMIC RESOURCES
      • Academic Calendar
      • Resources and Student Support
      • Career Advisement
      • Residency Appointments
      • USMLE Information
  • Student Life
    • STUDENT LIFE
      • Student Life Overview
      • Housing
      • Campus Tour
    • STUDENT CULTURE
      • Explore Barbados
      • Teaching Facilities
      • Clubs & Organizations
      • White Coat Ceremony
    • STUDENT SUPPORT
      • Campus Services
      • Safety & Security
  • About
    • ABOUT
      • RUSM Overview
      • Why Ross Med?
      • Facts & Figures
      • Community Impact
      • Accreditation & Approvals
    • IN THE MEDIA
      • Newsroom
      • News
      • Blog
      • On-Demand Webinars
    • LEARN MORE
      • Faculty & Staff
      • Dean
      • Mission & History
      • FAQs
      • Testimonials
  • Apply Now
    • Start Your Ross Med Application
    • Submit Your Common Application

Secondary Mobile Menu

  • Incoming Students
  • Events & Webinars
  • Information for
    • Alumni
    • Admitted Students

Utility Navigation

  • Request Info
  • Apply Now

Secondary Navigation

  • Incoming Students
  • Events & Webinars
  • Information for
    • Alumni
    • Admitted Students
    • Current Students
Search
Cancel Search
Home Home

RUSM Main navigation

  • Admissions

    Explore Admissions

    Are you a strong candidate?

    Take an Admissions Assessment
    Take the Admissions Assessment
    • ADMISSIONS
      • Admissions Overview
      • Admissions Requirements
      • Admissions Assessment
      • MCAT
    • FEES AND FUNDING
      • Tuition and Fees
      • Scholarships
      • Financial Aid
      • Student Finance
      • Partnerships
      • AIM Partnerships
    • APPLICANTS
      • How to Apply
      • Canadian Applicants
      • Transfer Applicants
      • International Applicants
      • Career Changers

    Information For...

    Admitted Students

    Parents

    Premed Advisors

    MERP

  • MD Program

    Explore MD Program

    Do you have a question?

    student asking question
    Speak to Admissions
    • PROGRAM
      • Program Overview
      • Program Objectives
      • Hospital Affiliates
      • Simulation Institute
      • MD-MPH Combined
    • CURRICULUM
      • MD Curriculum
      • Medical Sciences - Years 1 & 2
      • Clinical Education - Years 3 & 4
      • Clinical Home Offer
      • MedOrigin
    • ACADEMIC RESOURCES
      • Academic Calendar
      • Resources and Student Support
      • Career Advisement
      • Residency Appointments
      • USMLE Information

    Related Links...

    MCAT Information

    Why Ross Med?

    Match Day

  • Student Life

    Student Life

    img for new Mega Menu
    Overview
    new Mega menu Square 5
    Housing
    New Mega Menu Image 6
    Campus Tour
    • STUDENT LIFE
      • Student Life Overview
      • Housing
      • Campus Tour
    • STUDENT CULTURE
      • Explore Barbados
      • Teaching Facilities
      • Clubs & Organizations
      • White Coat Ceremony
    • STUDENT SUPPORT
      • Campus Services
      • Safety & Security

    Related Links...

    Merchandise Store

    Community Impact

    Mission & History

  • About

    About RUSM

    Start Your Road to Residency

    medical students
    Request More Information
    • ABOUT
      • RUSM Overview
      • Why Ross Med?
      • Facts & Figures
      • Community Impact
      • Accreditation & Approvals
    • IN THE MEDIA
      • Newsroom
      • News
      • Blog
      • On-Demand Webinars
    • LEARN MORE
      • Faculty & Staff
      • Dean
      • Mission & History
      • FAQs
      • Testimonials

    Related Links...

    Contact Us

    Campus Location

  • Apply Now
    • Start Your Ross Med Application
    • Submit Your Common Application
  • Request Info
  • Apply Now
    • Start Your Ross Med Application
    • Submit Your Common Application

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. About
  3. News
  4. 2020 RUSM Alumna Matches in Pediatrics at MSU
Alumni

2020 RUSM Alumna Matches in Pediatrics at MSU

Fri, 17 Jul 2020

Get Started Today

You'll submit your completed Ross Med application online in our application portal.

Apply Now
The daughter of an Emergency Medicine pediatrician, Savannah Gowan, MD ’20, knew she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps since childhood.

Raised in Texas, Gowan was a premed major at Texas A&M, and also worked as an EMT while in college.

“I’ve been grooming myself for this career my whole life,” she said. “There was never any other path for me.”

After graduating, Gowan began applying to US medical schools – first in Texas, and then more broadly. When she didn’t get in, she started looking into other ways to connect with the US schools and show them what a great candidate she was. In the process, she discovered Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM).

“My dad has always said there is more than one way to the top of the mountain,” she explained. “I went to a health fair hoping I could connect with some of the medical schools I’d applied to, and in the midst of it, I found RUSM. I interviewed, applied, and was in Dominica a few months later.”

Gowan’s fiancé, Brett Hinsley, MD ’20, was a paramedic at the time, and when she told him of her plans, he decided to take the MCAT and apply to RUSM as well.

“We ended up going to RUSM together with our dogs,” Gowan said. “It was great.”

Given her upbringing, Gowan was under no illusions as to the rigor of medical school. Still, she noted, it was no joke.

“Everyone tells you medical school is hard, and that’s true whether you go to medical school in Texas or Harvard or RUSM,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s up to you to perform at the level you’re expected to. I ended up not doing well on my first exam at RUSM, but that was the last test I did poorly on.”

Gowan is thankful to RUSM not only for giving her the opportunity to become who she’s always wanted to be, but also for helping her build her resilience and belief in herself.

“RUSM makes you tough, in a good way,” she said. “No matter what comes your way, you learn to just go with it. Going to RUSM made me very adaptable.”

Gowan noted that those strengths will stand her in good stead in her chosen specialty of Pediatrics.

“I actually went through most of medical school pretty certain I was going to specialize in OBGYN,” she said. “But from the start of my Pediatric rotation, I was hooked.”

When asked what it was about Pediatrics that made her change her mind, Gowan replied, “I liked the idea of watching my patients grow up. Also, kids are so resilient, and that’s something I can really relate to. That’s the kind of patient I want to work with.”

When it came time for Gowan to enter the National Resident Matching Program® The MATCH℠, she and Hinsley had the added pressure of trying to couples match – her in Pediatrics, and him in Emergency Medicine – both very competitive specialties.

“I got flooded with emails initially – over 30 Pediatric interviews,” she said. “We realized we had to be strategic though.”

She continued, “There’s a lot of mixed advice on couples matching. Mine is that you really have to put yourself out there and contact these hospitals and advocate for yourself and your partner.”

Another piece of advice Gowan and Hinsley received was to also consider applying to less competitive specialties.

“Neither of us was willing to do that,” she said. “We knew we’d be unhappy in anything else but the ones we were set on.”

In the end, their perseverance paid off when they received the news that they had matched at hospitals in their chosen specialties within 30 minutes of each other.

“I matched at Michigan State, and he matched at Ascension Genesys Hospital,” Gowan said. “Finding out was such a relief. You work so hard in medical school, but don’t see the fruits of your labors till the very end when you see that M.D. behind your name, or when you have that match result and a job that’s secure. I’ve dreamt of being a doctor my whole life, but putting on that Michigan State lab coat that has my name on it – that’s a day I’ve been dreaming of forever.”

As she prepares to begin residency, Gowan said that she is most looking forward to having more autonomy and getting to know her fellow residents.

“I’m ready to be a doctor,” she said. “I’m excited to get started.”

As for her dad? He couldn’t be prouder, according to Gowan.

“He’s really happy for me, and I’m so glad I’ve been able to make him proud because it’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she said. “RUSM gave me the chance, and sometimes that’s all you need. Because of RUSM, I know that I can do anything.”

Share This Article

  • facebook
  • tiktok
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

The information and material contained in this article and on this website are for informational purposes only and should not be considered, or used in place of, professional medical advice. Please speak with a licensed medical provider for specific questions or concerns. Ross Med is not responsible for the information maintained or provided on third-party websites or external links.

Related News

martina-white-coat
Alumni
A Mentorship Match Meant to Be: Martina Tripcovici, MD ’22
hana-malik
Alumni
Match Day 2025: A Childhood Dream is Fulfilled
raymond-ho
Alumni
CaRMS Match: Classroom Incident Inspires Teacher to Become Physician
Ross University School of Medicine
Apply Now
Contact Admissions

Campus Address:

Two Mile Hill St. Michael
BB11093
Barbados

 

Admissions Address:

10315 USA Today Way,
Miramar, Florida, 33025
Phone: +1 754.707.5547
Email: Admissions@Rossu.edu

RUSM Footer Sub menu

  • Information For
    • Admitted Students
    • Career Seekers
    • Current Students
  • Navigate
    • About RUSM
    • MD Program
    • Admissions
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Student Life
    • Contact Us
  • News & Events
    • Blog
    • News & Press
    • Events & Webinars
    • On-demand Webinars
    • Academic Calendar
Branded Element

© 2025 Ross University School of Medicine. All rights reserved.

Hands-on From the Start®

Academic Catalog | Student Handbook | Student Consumer Information | Online Cookie Policy | Accessibility Statement | Office of Nondiscrimination and Access | Cost of Attendance | Privacy Policy

 

Policy on Non-discrimination

Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) is committed to providing an education conducive to the personal and professional development of each individual and to maintaining an academic environment free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, ancestry, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or parental status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law in the admission to, access to, or treatment, or employment in any of its programs or activities. RUSM will not tolerate, condone, or allow discrimination or harassment, whether engaged in by fellow students, faculty members or non-faculty colleagues.

Connect with Ross Medical School

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Ross University School of Medicine is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP, www.caam-hp.org).

 

CAAM-HP is the legally constituted body established in 2003 under the aegis of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), empowered to determine and prescribe standards and to accredit programs of medical, dental, veterinary and other health professions education on behalf of the contracting parties in CARICOM.

Accreditation by CAAM-HP is a rigorous, peer review process which examines all aspects of a medical program. The CAAM-HP board, an independent and autonomous body of professionals, only certifies medical schools which are operating at the highest levels of industry standards.

Through this accreditation, the CAAM-HP provides assurance to medical students, graduates, the medical profession, healthcare institutions, and the public that programs leading to qualifications in medicine meet appropriate national and international standards for educational quality, and that the graduates have a sufficiently complete and valid educational experience.

CAAM-HP logo - transparent