So his intern year of emergency medicine was season 4 (after having dropped out of surgery) and we know the ER residencies on the show were 4 years.... So what the heck is he still doing as chief resident in season 9? He didn't become an attending until season 10. So 6 years instead of 4. His addiction storyline was only a few months I thought, not a few years. They really messed that one up!
shareDidnt he go away a few times after he overcame his addictions? I dont remember
shareBecause the Cheif residency was and additional two years of residency, Chen originally was going to do the Cheif residency but she had to resign it after her and Dr Malucci killed a patient with Marfans by giving him thrombolitics
shareChief residency was not an additional two years, it's just one year. In real life and in this show. Mark and Kerry were each CR for only 1 year, for example.
shareChief residents in emergency medicine do NOT extend their residencies at all. They graduate in the standard 3 year (some are 4 years, as shown in ER) timeframe. The only residencies where chiefs extend their education is internal medicine and pediatrics.
shareI think his drug addiction storyline probably left him a year behind, even though he was only in rehab for 3 months he was probably in hospital for a while after he was stabbed. So that explains a year maybe. I just try not to think about timelines in shows cause it will drive you crazy with all the errors
shareAt county general, at least, the Chief Resident position was an additional position AFTER the residency. It was more like Chief of the Residents. It lasted one year. Mark and Doug were the same year, The year after their Residencies completed, Mark went on to be Chief Resident, and Doug received a fellowship under Bernstein.
I imagine it was done this way to save the hospital money by not having to add their best candidates to the faculty right away. The doctors who receive the honor are happy because it looks good on their resume, and theoretically gives them a leg up over their peers applying for the faculty positions next year. It would be especially important for someone who desired to stay at County General, and not apply elsewhere.
It's possible that Carter applied for the position again after completing it the first time around. Maybe they didn't have any exceptional talent from the year before.
It's also possible that since he got the position late the first time, they extended it so he could get the required number of hours to get a certificate, (if that's what those in the position receive at the end). It's a teaching hospital after all, and I suppose it would be affiliated with a university of some sort. Those who complete a Chief Residency position might therefore get something like a 'certificate of leadership in medicine'.
Carter changed specialities more than once. Each time he had to start his residency over.
Bored now.