John Carter begins the first day of his internship at County General Hospital, a surgical student under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Benton. Dr. Mark Greene, an ER resident physician, is mulling an offer to go into private practice. Dr. Susan Lewis, another ER resident, deals with an advanced cancer patient. Dr. Doug Ross, the ER pediatrician, confronts a woman over potential abuse of her daughter. The lead nurse, Carol Hathaway, returns several hours after her shift as a patient, overdosing in an apparent suicide attempt. Nielsen Ratings: 23 million viewers.