When enthusiastic third-year medical student, Lucy Knight (new series star KELLIE MARTIN), begins her emergency room rotation at Chicago's County General Hospital, she quickly learns that her book knowledge does not necessarily help her perform procedures correctly. Although she impresses doctors with her ability to answer medical questions, her attempts to help patients are clumsy.

Lucy meets Dr. Maggie Doyle (recurring guest star JORJA FOX) and works with second-year resident Dr. John Carter (series star NOAH WYLE). She also encounters Bernard Gamely (recurring guest star VINCE VIELUF), a lanky 24-year-old medical student. Head nurse Carol Hathaway (series star JULIANNA MARGULIES) notices Lucy's lack of confidence and befriends her.

Placed on probation, Hathaway's fianci, Pediatric Emergency Fellow Dr. Doug Ross (series star GEORGE CLOONEY), must report every procedure he needs to perform to Acting Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Kerry Weaver (series star LAURA INNES). Meanwhile, a paramedic asks Dr. Mark Greene (series star ANTHONY EDWARDS), chief resident, to consider acting as the district medical director for EMS (Emergency Medical Service), a voluntary job. Greene's daughter, Rachel (recurring guest star YVONNE ZIMA), is living with him for the summer.

In search of a new fellowship, surgical Resident Dr. Elizabeth Corday (series star ALEX KINGSTON) returns from an interview in Denver and reunites with her lover, Dr. Peter Benton (series star ERIQ LA SALLE). Benton tells Corday that his son's hearing test is postponed due to an ear infection. Benton hopes the baby's hearing loss is due to the infection. And attractive Roxanne Please (recurring guest star JULIE BOWEN), an insurance agent injured during her exercise workout, receives treatment at the emergency room. Not appearing in this episode is series star GLORIA REUBEN as Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet. KEN KERCHEVAL guest stars.