In her role as a fourth-year resident in emergency medicine and pediatrics on “ER,” Michael Michele portrays a contemporary woman trying to balance the demanding and gritty environment of County General Hospital with her own personal life.

Michele joined the regular cast of “ER” in 1999. “I would say the two operative words to describe her are independent and assertive,” says the actress. “Playing this character raises the bar and makes me a better actor. ‘ER’ is a fast-paced series with a large ensemble cast, and there’s no time for even a hiccup. You have to be ready to walk on the set and do your job right away.”

Michele has appeared in many feature films, including “The Sixth Man,” alongside Marlon Wayans; the urban drama “New Jack City,” opposite Wesley Snipes, and the independent film “The Substitute 2,” with Treat Williams and B.D. Wong. She can be seen in Michael Mann’s upcoming film “Ali,” with Will Smith and Jon Voight, and recently finished production on the MGM film “Plague Season,” starring Kurt Russell, Ving Rhames and Scott Speedman.

Prior to joining the cast of “ER,” she played detective Rene Sheppard on “Homicide: Life on the Street.” She was also a regular on the series “Central Park West, and had a recurring role for two seasons on “New York Undercover.” A devoted mentor, Michele has been actively volunteering her time to work with underprivileged children since she was 15. In addition, she mentors and advises various youngsters in New York and the Midwest.

Michele is an accomplished athlete who played competitive basketball for the top-ranked women’s high school basketball team in Indiana, making her a local celebrity in a state where basketball and “Hoosier hysteria” are favorite pastimes. Besides her passion for roundball, she enjoys running (“It’s my form of therapy”), listening to contemporary and classical jazz and reading (particularly biographies of financial titans).