Emily Owen M.D.: About the show

At long last, Emily Owens (Mamie Gummer, "The Good Wife") feels like she is an actual grown-up. She can finally put her high school days as the geeky-girl-with-flop-sweats behind her. She’s graduated from medical school, and she’s beginning an internship at Denver Memorial Hospital, where, not-so-coincidentally, her med-school crush Will Collins (Justin Hartley, “Smallville,” “Passions”) is also an intern.

So why does everyone keep warning Emily that the hospital is just like high school? She will soon finds out the hard way – her high school nemesis, the gorgeous, popular Cassandra Kopelson (newcomer Aja Naomi King), is also a new intern at Denver Memorial. Another fellow intern, Tyra Dupre (Kelly McCreary, “White Collar”), warns Emily that the cliques at the hospital are all too familiar: the jocks have become orthopedic surgeons; the mean girls are in plastics; the rebels are in the ER, and Tyra has her own awkward place as the principal’s kid – her father, Dr. Tim Dupre (Harry Lennix, “Ray”), is the chief resident. Tyra latches onto Emily as a new friend, and immediately begins confiding in her – the fact that Tyra is a lesbian, that she hasn’t come out to her father, that she is interested in dating a certain nurse – nothing is too personal for Tyra to share with Emily.

She may have made one new friend, but it doesn’t take long for Emily to realize that the long-standing rivalry she had with Cassandra back in high school is only going to grow. Now, both Emily and Cassandra are competing to impress the brilliant Dr. Gina Bandari (Necar Zadegan, “The Event”), a world-famous cardiothoracic surgeon who has been an inspiration and role model to both of them for years. While Emily and Cassandra vie for Dr. Bandari’s approval, they’re also competing for Will’s attention. Will and Emily were friends in med school, although his handsome face and charming personality left Emily hoping for more. Will has made it clear, however, that he likes their relationship the way it is. Emily struggles to convince herself that being friends with Will is enough, but she has to admit it bothers her just to see Will and Cassandra talking together.

Meanwhile, Emily is also getting to know the slightly nerdy, but smart and handsome resident Dr. Micah Barnes (Michael Rady, “Melrose Place,” House of Lies”). Micah is faced with serious medical issues within his own family, and Emily’s compassion proves an invaluable help. Impressed with Emily’s medical skills and warm bedside manner, Micah brings her in on a delicate surgery and talks her through the procedure, boosting her confidence and bringing them closer – both professionally and personally.

Even with the long hours, the heavy workload, and no shortage of personal drama filling her first days as an intern, Emily still fees like she’s the new geeky kid all over again, and it’s just as awkward as high school. At Denver Memorial, Emily is just beginning to learn that although she may be a geek, she may also grow to be a great doctor, flop sweats and all.

EMILY OWENS, M.D. is from CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Jennie Snyder Urman (“90210,” “Lipstick Jungle”) and Dan Jinks (“American Beauty,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Milk”).