Deidre Downs

Deidre Downs
Deidre Downs at the Jimmy Carter Work Project June, 2005
Born	(1980-07-07) July 7, 1980 Alabama, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Virginia Samford University University of Alabama School of Medicine
Occupation	Physician in obstetrics and gynecology (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility)
Employer	University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center
Title	Miss Alabama 2004, Miss America 2005
Term	September 18, 2004 - January 21, 2006
Predecessor	Ericka Dunlap
Successor	Jennifer Berry

Deidre Downs (born July 7, 1980) is an American physician and former beauty pageant titleholder. Downs was Miss America 2005 and Miss Alabama 2004.^[1][2][3]

Downs initially attended the University of Virginia on a volleyball scholarship. She later attended Samford University^[4] and earned scholarship money through pageants, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in history. She was an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia and a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in 2002. After her term as Miss America, she began medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham.^[5] She received her MD degree in 2010 and then completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UAB Medical Center in 2014. She is currently a senior fellow in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UAB. She changed her name to Deidre Gunn after her marriage to Andrew Gunn in 2008, though they are now divorced.

Downs is the only titleholder to reign for part of three calendar years. The pageant, traditionally held in September, was delayed four months to allow the Miss America Organization to secure a TV deal. Her successor, Jennifer Berry of Oklahoma, was crowned as Miss America 2006 on January 21, 2006.

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