Over Grey’s Anatomy‘s almost 20-year reign, there have been several talented surgeons who have stepped up to the prestigious Chief of Surgery position, but only one can be considered the best. The Chief of Surgery at Grey-Sloan Memorial is not only regarded as the top surgeon, but also has several managerial responsibilities, and acts as the chief of staff for all the other surgeons. As a result, the Chief of Surgery always has an increased narrative role in Grey’s Anatomy during their tenure in the position.
The decisions that the Chief of Surgery makes directly impact every attending and resident surgeon, as the position also puts them in charge of the hospital. A large part of the role involves delegating funding to different programs and making administrative decisions that can make the lives of their colleagues harder. As several Grey’s Anatomy characters have realized, the position is not for the light-hearted, as it is considered one of the most stressful jobs at Grey-Sloan Memorial. While the job is highly sought after, it is not for everyone.
9. Dr. Preston Burke
Interim Chief Of Surgery In Season 2
Preston’s time as the interim chief in Grey’s Anatomy season 2 was not entirely bad. However, it is not a memorable moment in the show which places Preston at the bottom of the series’ chiefs roster. Dr. Burke takes over after Richard has brain surgery and is meant to replace Richard after his retirement, but this never happens. Ultimately, the personal storylines concerning Preston remain far more prevalent in Grey’s Anatomy fans’ minds.
Preston is an excellent surgeon and conducted a risky surgery on a familiar favorite during his tenure, which shows off his valuable skills. However, the difference between his example and Richard’s is too noticeable to ignore, which ultimately works against him and leads to him losing the position he strived for. He is only in the position for two episodes, but his impact is insignificant.
8. Dr. Derek Sheperd
Chief Of Surgery In Season 6
While Derek is only the chief for one season, his tenure in the role is considered one of the worst examples of anyone in the position. Derek becomes Chief of Surgery after Richard steps down to get alcoholism treatment, but Derek’s heart is not in it. He wanted the position for its prestige but did not appreciate the role once he had it. The position has a significantly larger amount of administrative work attached to it than surgery, which leads Derek to feel dissatisfied with his work.
Derek is also one of the worst Chiefs of Surgery because of how he handles his promotion. When he finds out that Richard has been drinking on the job, Derek goes above him to tell the hospital’s board about Richard’s addiction, despite Meredith’s pleas not to. While he was right to do so, this betrayal proved that Derek was interested in calling out Richard for his own interests rather than for the good of the hospital.
7. Dr. Mark Sloan
Interim Chief Of Surgery In Season 8
Eric Dane’s Mark Sloan is also not necessarily one of the worst Chiefs of Surgery, but his short tenure did not give him much room to become the best. Mark becomes the interim Chief of Surgery for one day in season 8 when Owen takes the day off. Mark’s short tenure makes him one of the most amusing Chiefs of Surgery, but he also has several problems that stopped him from becoming the best.
Mark Sloan died in the season 9 premiere, only a few episodes after he was the interim Chief of Surgery.
Mark’s charisma, genuine care for his patients, and his ability to push Derek to be his best gave him the potential to be one of the better Chiefs of Surgery. However, Mark lacked the experience to realize what it meant to be a good Chief of Surgery. When Mark oversteps his role to stop Richard’s planned transplant surgery, Richard quickly tells him to stand down and that what seems perfect is not always the best choice for the patient. Despite Mark’s errors, he had a strong potential to become a great leader if he were given more time.
6. Dr. Miranda Bailey
Chief Of Surgery From Season 12-18
Bailey is vital to Grey’s Anatomy and the function of Grey Sloan Memorial, which makes her a memorable chief as well. While she makes some amazing decisions as chief throughout her reign between seasons 12 and 18, her character also experiences significant changes and stresses that impact her work ethic. Bailey was a great Chief, but she often seemed to let the stress of the job get to her and took it out on her attendings as a result.
While Bailey is one of the most hard-working doctors at Grey Sloan, she also hated the job and took it for prestige rather than what was best for the hospital.
Her first day is particularly bad as she criticizes her staff for not being able to complete a difficult surgery plan on time after they had already been working a long shift and were at their wits’ ends. While Bailey is one of the most hard-working doctors at Grey Sloan, she also hated the job and took it for prestige rather than what was best for the hospital. Her dislike of the job and the stress it brought is representative of her performance as chief.
However, it is notable to mention that Bailey is a tough leader and does her best to right wrongs, especially when they happen under her guidance. While she can be harsh at times, she always gets the job done. She is chief during some of Grey’s Anatomy‘s most stressful moments, and she os able to keep the hospital running under it all, which makes her a noteworthy Chief of Surgery, albeit not one of the best.
5. Dr. Alex Karev
Interim Chief Of Surgery In Season 15
As one of the only surgeons to actually seem to like being the chief, Alex Karev as the interim chief is one of the best Grey’s Anatomy storylines. Alex’s appreciation for the role made him one of the most beloved Chiefs of Surgery. A strong advocate for his patients, Alex learned to use the job to his advantage and implement the changes he wanted to see in the hospital based on what would be best for his patients, rather than the hospital’s administrative policies.
A strong advocate for his patients, Alex learned to use the job to his advantage and implement the changes he wanted to see in the hospital.
Only two things knock him down in comparison to his colleagues. One of his first decisions as the interim chief is to accidentally spend the full budget for the first quarter on his first day on the job. While it was a learning mistake, it was a significant problem for the hospital. Additionally, his time in the position is short; since Alex is only a temporary replacement for Bailey while she is on leave, his potential to be an excellent chief had a set limit from the start.
4. Dr. Meredith Grey
Chief Of Surgery From Season 18-19
As the titular character of Grey’s Anatomy, Meredith Grey’s promotion to Chief of Surgery in season 18 is a true recognition of everything she has put into Grey Sloan. Her decision to rebuild the residency program after it was shut down shows her passion for wanting to improve the hospital’s efficiency to care for patients better. She also hires Nick Marsh to run the residency program, which ended up being one of Meredith’s best decisions. While her time as Chief of Surgery lasted for just over one season, the decisions she made as Chief are still positively felt.
Meredith is a fair chief and clearly cares for her colleagues and patients. Meredith’s Grey’s Anatomy career also blooms after becoming chief. She works longer hours and gains the skills needed to perfect harder surgeries. While her role as chief is not the most memorable, her tenure set the hospital on the right path and benefited everyone.
3. Dr. Richard Webber
On-And-Off Chief Of Surgery Since Season 1
Richard is the longest-running Chief of Surgery on Grey’s Anatomy, having been chief on and off since season 1. He is also an excellent mentor, and he is commonly considered the true chief at Grey Sloan. Richard commands respect and will always have a special place at Grey Sloan. However, his faults are too big to ignore — while he made a significant impact throughout his tenure as chief, he is not perfect.
In season 5, Richard’s alcoholism begins to affect his work. Rather than step aside, he continues his duties as Chief, putting several people at risk. Throughout Grey’s Anatomy, Richard also acts very lenient towards Meredith whenever she makes a mistake that someone else would be fired over. His mistakes had the potential to have serious consequences, so while he is considered an amazing chief whom everyone respects, he also has some fatal flaws.
2. Dr. Teddy Altman
Chief Of Surgery From Season 19 To Present
After Richard, Teddy has had the most back-and-forth tenure as Chief of Surgery, but her experience in the role solidifies her as one of the best. Teddy has been the Chief since season 19, but she is briefly demoted in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 after going behind Catherine’s back to fund Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research. Luckily, she returns to the top position in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 along with her notable brilliancy.
Teddy is consistently a strong advocate for her patients and interns, who are often overlooked or dismissed by the Chief of Surgery in the history of Grey’s Anatomy. She also believes in doing the right thing instead of the best thing for the hospital. While these morals make her unpopular with administrators like Catherine Fox, her time as Chief has shown she is an incredible leader who genuinely cares.
1. Dr. Owen Hunt
Chief Of Surgery From Season 8-11
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Owen’s faults as a character were made up for during his reign as Chief of Surgery in seasons 8 through 11. He is mostly level-headed and fair and seriously weighed decisions based on their benefits for the hospital, the staff, and their patients. His one big mistake was booking a cheap airline which led to the horrific plane crash episode in season 8, which also almost bankrupted the hospital. Owen’s decision could be written up as a genuine human error, and his brilliance as Chief of Surgery should not be overlooked.
Despite the guilt that Owen feels, he manages to maintain his position as Chief of Surgery and pull the hospital out of one of its darkest periods. Owen’s military experience likely helped him manage the stress of his position as chief and the hospital is able to bounce back after its devastating losses. While Owen has significant character flaws, his ingenuity and practical attitude as Chief of Surgery in Grey’s Anatomy let him rise above his peers, among several great contenders.
