Colombani A pediatric surgeon laments the economics of managed care while he tries to help a teenager diagnosed with cancer. Also: a sea turtle from the National Aquarium benefits from modern technology; and young boys from the community visit a gunshot victim.
Alex A doctor explains her preference for the chaotic world of the emergency room, while a first-year intern opts for the surgical realm. Also: parents of a toddler consider surgery to remove an aneurysm, which is judged to be the cause of her increasingly frequent seizures.
Zach A 17-year-old boy and his family anxiously await a lung transplant, while an organ-recovery team races against the clock to deliver the new lungs; a 27-year-old emergency-room doctor talks about her career, and faces a scare when she comes in contact with HIV-infected blood; first-year medical students discuss the impact of their introduction to human anatomy.
Montz A doctor discusses his moral obligation to his patients; a pediatrician charts the course of a baby in need of a heart transplant; an orthopedic surgeon recalls the obstacles in overcoming his diminutive size; a pediatric emergency staff reacts to a child who has suffered head trauma, though they suspect it is not accidental.
Eating Disorders Young women discuss the dangers of eating disorders and self-abuse problems; hearing-impaired patients adjust to a surgical procedure designed to help their auditory capabilities; a third-year resident talks about the ups and downs of practicing medicine and the often humbling experience of seeking help with her work.
Kalemnous A third-year resident is on the physical and emotional roller-coaster ride of a 60-hour shift. Also: an ER doctor tries to look on the bright side of a bad night, and a 45-year-old man waits for a liver transplant.
