A day's worth of trauma takes its toll on the men and women of the ER. Dr. Greene looks into leaving the ER and joining private practice. Among other events, multiple casualties are brought in when a building collapses. New medical students report for duty, including Dr. Benton's new trainee, the young and inexperienced John Carter.

Dr. Lewis tries to get a mentally disturbed individual admitted to the psych ward. Carter has a difficult day, treating many members of wedding party, suffering from food poisoning. Dr. Ross finally visits Carol, eight weeks after her suicide attempt. Dr. Greene deals with an elderly gentleman having a difficult time letting go of his dying wife. He also discovers that Jenn passed the bar exam.

A business contractor with a bad heart gathers his family around him in the ER as he prepares for the end. Dr. Ross helps an asthmatic teenage girl when her mother doesn't have the funds. Carter worries that he may have contracted an STD from Liz. Dr. Lewis treats a teenager with alcohol poisoning. Jenn Greene prepares to move to Milwaukee.

Benton and Langworthy interview for the Starzl fellowship. A drunk Chloe throws a tantrum in the hospital. Benton saves a man with a throat wound, earning Morganstern's praise. Carter has a good day, winning a bottle of champagne and getting three leads on apartments. Carol has second thoughts about moving in with Tag after a spontaneous kiss with Doug.

La Dra. Susan Lewis se da cuenta de que el Dr. Cvetic ha estado alterado ultimamente. Benton tiene problemas familiares. Carol se hace cargo de una víctima de violación. Doug se ve rebasado por su trabajo como jefe cuando Mark no asiste diciendo que está enfermo, para pasar un poco de tiempo con su esposa.

Morgenstein le ofrece a Greene un trabajo como doctor al terminar su residencia. Nuevos carros de uso para la sala de emergencia son robados por cardiología. Deb sobrepasa a Carter frente al Dr. Benton. Ross comienza a interesarse en la empleada del hospital, Diane Leeds.

Carol quiere adoptar a Tatiana, pero Taglieri no. Un confilcto se inicia entre Mark y su esposa cuando ella acepta un trabajo en Milwaukee después de que Morganstern le ha ofrecido un trabajo permanente. Benton siente que sus responsabilidades familiares y las del hospital lo están rebasando cuando le pide a alguien que lo cubra durante su turno, para poder ir al cumpleaños de su madre.

Jennifer le dice a Mark que quiere el divorcio. Cansado, Benton cae dormido mientras está cuidando a su madre, y ella se lastima. Carol podría no poder adoptar a Tatiana después de todo. Susan queda fascinada por un doctor que conoce, pero el hombre es un fraude.

Un paciente de Hathaway cree que él es un hombre lobo. Ross tiene una cita con Diane Leeds. Lewis impresiona al nuevo director de la sala de emergencias y Greene no. Benton atiende a su madre enferma.

Susan has her hands full with a pregnant Chloe. Benton goes to dinner with Jeanie. Greene further alienates Swift when he decides to honor a family commitment rather than stay longer at the ER to help him. Carter makes a good impression on Dr. Swift. Doug turns down an offer to "celebrate" with Linda Farrell, instead getting more serious with Diane as he agrees to coach Jake's Little League team.

Susan is forced into the role of parent when Chloe gives birth and both Chloe and her mother, Cookie, shirk responsibility. Doug is surprised and a bit frightened when Diane suggests they move in together. Unfortunately, Linda Farrell happens to be around to take advantage of his nervousness. Carter is offered the ER sub-I but turns it down in anticipation of receiving a surgical position. Peter receives unpleasant news; his mother has died.

Carter faces his last day in the hospital with aplomb, harshly grading Benton on an evaluation report. He later rescinds the report after finding out that the surgical sub-I is his. Carol faces wedding day jitters, culminating in Tag's deciding to call off the wedding. Chloe disappears again, abandoning little Susie with Susan. Dr. Swift changes his mind and decides to support Mark. Jake visits Doug.

Carter gets his first patient...and loses him. Susan's feud with Kerry Weaver intensifies when Weaver demands all of Susan's procedures be cleared with her. Chloe abandons Little Susie again for a lucrative career in the flea market business. Carol finishes her paramedic recertification by picking up a very overweight, lethargic man. Shep hits on Carol. Jeanie ends her relationship with Benton. Wendy conducts interviews with various ER staffers for an article on Dr. Greene. Dr. Ross cares for a four-year-old Asian boy with AIDS.

Carol and Jeanie try to find a home for a schizophrenic architect. Carter signs Benton up for an interview with Vucelich for a prestigious study. Carter and Harper try to find a place to make out. Jenn and Rachel are involved in a car accident; Mark is thrown for a loop when he learns that Jenn has been having an affair with a coworker. Doug dines with his mother. Susan receives $3000 in the mail from Chloe.

The ER staffers are in decidedly unfestive moods as Christmas arrives. Carol's spirits are lifted by a Santa-like patient. Mark is outraged when Jenn decides to stay in Milwaukee over Christmas. Benton and Carter score points with Vucelich when Carter convinces an older gentleman, Ruby, to include his wife in Vucelich's study. Mark gives a deposition in the O'Brien case. The death of a priest threatens to start a gang war. Weaver receives a surprise visit from an African friend. A Holocaust survivor, the victim of a carjacking, brings Chanukah to the ER.

Greene y Rachel rechazan el acuerdo de custodia compartida con Jennifer. El Dr.

Susan throws herself into her work to escape her stressful personal life, earning recognition from Kerry and Mark, who begins preliminary discussions on next year's chief resident. Carter needs a pedes rotation, and fast, with Doug to graduate med school. Doug takes up with his father's girlfriend. Shep overreacts and attacks an Asian boy interfering at a scene. Mark and Jenn try to discuss their divorce amicably, with unforeseen results. Benton is named Resident of the Year. Harper leaves for an OB rotation at Parkland in Dallas.

Carol is pushed to the breaking point after another day when politics triumph over health care, and she quits. Dr. Greene "trades his soul" when he agrees to back Weaver for ER attending, in exchange for her support of Susan for chief resident. Jeanie takes an HIV test and informs Peter he should get himself tested as well. Carter invites Benton to his med school graduation, which he himself misses. Shep's refusal to see a psychiatrist risks his relationship with Carol.

Jeanie y Weaver chocan cuando Jeanie regresa a trabajar. Mientras tanto, el abogado excéntrico de Greene llega a jugar al doctor por un día a cambio de su ayuda legal; y Carter se enfrenta a un policía beligerante.