Chihards can prepare for the hilarious return of the quirky Gaffney OBGYN, Dr. Vera Lovell.
Chicago Med icons Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) are mere weeks away from becoming parents to a bouncing baby girl, and Hannah is experiencing some growing pains of her own as she meets her replacement during her maternity leave.
Gaffney has welcomed dozens of passionate doctors to their ranks, with the latest being Dr. Vera Lovell. Dr. Lovell is played by Abby Corrigan, known for series like Castle Rock, American Horror Stories, and Harlan Coben’s Shelter. With Hannah and Archer navigating parenthood and the highs and lows of preparing for a child, they’ve brushed shoulders with Dr. Lovell, whose chronically online jargon and unorthodox demeanor continue to steal the show.
Dr. Vera Lovell returned in Chicago Med’s latest, delivering humor and heart while preparing to walk in Dr. Hannah Asher’s shoes.
Who is Abby Corrigan’s Dr. Vera Lovell on Chicago Med?
Dr. Vera Lovell is an OBGYN at Gaffney, first introduced in Season 11’s “What’s Hiding in the Dark?” While Hannah is regarded as Gaffney’s go-to OBGYN and the doctor patients want in the delivery room, she’s been forced to hand over the reins to other gynecologists during her pregnancy journey. This dynamic placed Dr. Lovell in a bit of an awkward position after previously meeting Hannah and Archer to complete an ultrasound.
After inadvertently starting a debate between Hannah and Archer over whether or not they wanted to learn the gender of their baby, Hannah proved the theory of doctors being difficult patients. She struggled to resist playing the “trust me, I’m an OBGYN” card and wasn’t exactly the easiest patient for Dr. Lovell, who didn’t get a word in. From the jump, Hannah and Vera didn’t jive, and that tension returned in Season 11’s “Altered States.”
Chicago Med Season 11
One Chicago Wednesdays are here!
Fresh off an extended fall hiatus, new Chicago Med episodes begin airing January 7, 2026 every Wednesday at 8/7c. New episodes are available to stream on Peacock Thursdays at 6 a.m. ET.
Keep up with your favorite doctors Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson), Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt), Dean Archer (Steven Weber), Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram), Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell), Caitlin Lenox (Sara Ramos), and John Frost (Darren Barnett) as they navigate the highs and lows of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
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Dr. Vera Lovell is taking over for Hannah during her maternity leave
As Hannah reached her due date, she was shocked to learn from E.D. Chief Dr. Caitlin Lenox (Sarah Ramos) that she’d selected a replacement OBGYN to take over for Hannah during her maternity leave. This news was enough to ruffle Hannah’s feathers; she wasn’t expected to be training a temporary replacement so soon, but Hannah became outright panicked once she realized Dr. Vera Lovell would be the one to assume her post.
Dr. Lenox instantly noticed Hannah’s worry, asking if they’d met before. With dismay, Hannah confirmed they had, expressing confusion over the decision. Dr. Lovell was excited while shadowing Hannah and getting the lay of the Gaffney E.D., but Hannah struggled not to butt heads with her apprentice.
After growing increasingly irritated with Dr. Lovell and her drastically different approach to care, Hannah brought her concerns to Lenox in the bathroom. Lenox leveled with Hannah, explaining that Dr. Lovell wasn’t the problem. Hannah’s anger was rooted in her bottled-up anxiety over putting her career on pause to become a mother. Just after Lenox left, Dr. Lovell exited a stall, awkwardly washing her hands after Hannah’s explosive moment.
Hannah apologized for her outburst, tearfully admitting that Lenox had been right; she was scared that she was leaving Gaffney just as she was hitting a groove. Dr. Lovell graciously accepted the apology, telling Hannah that she’d always respected her and wanted to become a doctor like her, but encouraged Hannah to focus on the path ahead.
Watch Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.