Smythe is at the pinnacle of his career. He s respected, he loves his work and he has a loving family. However, his last six months as a general surgeon have seen his confidence in his profession falter under the strain of bureaucracy, which in his ever-cynical mind has been systematically interfering with his work as a doctor. Moreover, his personal health is suffering, he s facing disciplinary action left and right and his family life is losing out due to his workaholic lifestyle. He s becoming increasingly erratic inside and outside of the operating room. When Smythe proposes emergency surgery on the mother of a hospital nurse, he is opposed in a showdown with Chief of Staff, Dr. Rick Abbott, culminating in an ending that is both exciting and unexpected.