Find out why Dr. Charles may be tempted to resign from his longtime post on Chicago Med.
Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt) has been going through changes on Season 11 of Chicago Med, leaving many Chihards wondering if he’ll be exploring a chapter outside of Gaffney.
As one of the few remaining Chicago Med OGs, viewers have noticed how Dr. Charles has been going through it while balancing the load of some mind-boggling psych cases this season. Dr. Charles has long been the anchor amid the chaotic day-to-day of Gaffney’s E.D., but as he continues to navigate his own mental health challenges, the Chicago Med veteran has found himself at a crossroads.
Chicago Med Season 11, Episode 15’s “Cost of Living” saw Dr. Charles learn of a job offer that could potentially pull him away from his longtime post at Gaffney. Here’s what happened:
Dr. Charles has an exciting job offer in front of him
During Season 11’s latest episode, Dr. Charles was excited to end his shift by grabbing dinner with his good friend Howie (Mark Linn-Baker), a psychology professor and recent widower who lost his wife earilier this season. Dr. Charles was eager to catch up with Howie and was shocked to discover that he stepped away from his teaching position. Howie explained that his head and heart were no longer in it after the death of his wife.
Dr. Charles guessed that the university was dismayed over Howie’s departure, but Howie assured his friend that his colleagues were fine because he’d already found the”best possible” replacement.
“Oh? Well, that’s good,” Dr. Charles said. “Anyone I know?”
“Well, Danny, can anyone really know themselves?” Howie asked with a smirk.
“Me?” Dr. Charles asked, blindsided by his friend’s update. “Howie.”
But Howie was persistent. “The med students you had here are still raving, you clearly have a knack for mentoring, and you keep talking about what comes next, finding something new,” he argued,.
Dr. Charles was “deeply flattered” but told Howie that he couldn’t just “bug out” of his duties at Gaffney and drop everything. Howie pointed out that Dr. Charles had already given half his life to the Gaffney E.D.; it was a “young man’s game.” Plus, he needed a protege ready to take the reins. While Dr. Charles has been making progress with Gaffney newcomer Dr. Theo Rabari (Manish Dayal), he remains dubious about accepting the teaching position.
“Look, don’t answer right away, just promise me you’ll think about it,” Howie pleaded.
“OK, I promise,” Dr. Charles said, ushering them into the elevator to change the subject.
“Good, because I already gave your name to the provost, and I told him you were very interested…” Howie trilled as the elevator doors closed.
Will Dr. Charles bid farewell to his Gaffney friends on Chicago Med?
Howie does have a point in highlighting Dr. Charles’ cravings for change on Season 11, but it may be too early to say.
After previously experiencing the first panic attack he’d suffered since medical school, accompanied by a concerning nose bleed, Charles grew fearful of something deeper happening. After confessing to his therapist that he’d been tempted to retire due to his concerns, Dr. Charles took stock of some of his own mental and physical needs.
Dr. Charles visited his dear pal Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) and let her know that he needed some time away from work to address the ongoing issues with his antidepressants. Dr. Charles admitted he’d been in denial about lingering issues, but wanted to “titrate down” and get to the bottom of his own medical mystery. Goodwin was more than happy to oblige Dr. Charles’ OOO request, and soon enough, Dr. Charles returned to his longtime Gaffney post with his bearings straight.
Dr. Charles was happy to be back, feeling tired but rejuvenated after recently deciding to volunteer for the suicide hotline. But with some steadfast doctors under his wing and an enticing new job opportunity on the table, Dr. Charles has never been in a more solid position to launch into a new chapter. But will he accept this life-changing career change?
Find out what happens to Dr. Charles next by watching Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.