The road led them not only on the path to success as students of Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM), but it also led them down the aisle; they graduated as MDs in 2014 and married two years later.

Today Richard P. Bowser is a PGY-2 anesthesiology resident at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami Hospital, and his wife Lindsey Ling Bowser is a PGY-2 family medicine resident at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Jacksonville, FL.

They entered the Couples Match, attempting to obtain residencies close to each other, “but unfortunately it wasn't very kind to us,” Richard commented. Nevertheless, they were undaunted in their pursuit of their professional goals and the dream of a life together. “We make it work,” Richard said.

 

Florida Natives and Football Rivals

They are both Florida natives. He grew up in Jacksonville and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, and she grew up in Brandon, FL, near Tampa, and did her undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa.

What brought them together initially, Lindsey said, was “watching a UF vs. USF football game.” Richard added, “We had a bet on which team would win.” While on the Dominica campus they were active in several student clubs and organizations. He was a three-time flag football champion with the MERP Strong team, and she was involved with the Neuroscience Society, the Pediatric Students Association, and as the island’s Tennis Commissioner.

 

Why did They Choose RUSM?

Their time on the island “was an adventure that allowed me to grow not only as a student but also as a person,” Richard said. “I garnered a new appreciation for a wonderful culture and for my future profession.” Lindsey said that her experiences in Dominica were “full of adventure, camaraderie, and disciplined studying.”

Why did they choose RUSM? “My parents both went to an international medical school,” Lindsey related,” so choosing Ross was only natural. I also worked with an alumnus at his Internal Medicine practice.” Richard said that enrolling in RUSM was “an opportunity to achieve my medical degree. It also had a stellar reputation from friends who were enrolled prior to my application submission.”

Now the married doctors are proud RUSM alumni who enjoy sharing their success story.

In 2020, 91% of RUSM students passed the initial step of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) on the first attempt. And in 2022-2023, results show yet another strong year for RUSM with a 98% first-time residency attainment rate* thus far. Located on the island of Barbados and with a network of more than 15,000 alumni, RUSM is one of the largest providers of doctors for the U.S. healthcare system. RUSM graduates practice in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico.

*First time residency attainment rate is the percent of students attaining a 2023-24 residency position out of all graduates or expected graduates in 2022-23 who were active applicants in the 2023 NRMP match or who attained a residency position outside the NRMP match.