Grey’s Anatomy focuses on the lives and work of some of Seattle’s best surgeons. It’s important for fans to realize early on that Grey Sloan is not just an average hospital and is actually home to some of the most superior equipment and medical professionals. As such, fans can enjoy a wealth of complex medical cases alongside their heavy scoop of steamy love triangles.
But not every doctor at Grey Sloan is able to hit the nail on the head, and some fall too far behind for them to ever catch up. Not to mention, some cross the line too many times and have no choice but to admit their mistakes and leave. As such, it’s clear that Grey Sloan isn’t afraid to fire even its most loyal doctors.
Even the Protagonist Has Experienced Dismissal
Meredith Grey
There’s no denying that Meredith Grey is at the center of Grey’s Anatomy, but not even she’s immune to getting fired. The first time Grey gets the boot is in Season 8, Episode 1, “Free Falling,” after Richard catches her invalidating Derek’s Alzheimer’s trial. Fortunately, Meredith was able to keep her job because Webber took the blame for her wrongdoings and eventually stepped down as Chief of Surgery.
Though fans believed that she would behave herself after being let off the hook, she got fired again in Season 15. In “Jump Into the Fog,” Bailey dismisses Meredith, Alex, and Richard after they committed insurance fraud whilst trying to save a patient’s life. Once again, Grey got a stroke of good luck and was able to keep her medical license in “My Shot.”
A Simple Mistake Got Her in Serious Trouble
Izzie Stevens
Izzie Stevens was a key part of Grey’s Anatomy for six seasons and suffered a wealth of ups and downs during her time at the hospital. Not only did she experience a ton of messy breakups and the loss of her partner Danny Duquette, but she was also diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic melanoma in Season 5, Episode 17, “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.” As such, it comes as no surprise that she was under a lot of stress.
In Season 6, the hospital announced a ton of budget cuts as a result of the merger with Mercy West. In “Invasion,” she accidentally administered the wrong dose of medication, meaning that her patient was no longer eligible for a kidney transplant. Webber questioned her mental stability and fired her due to medical negligence.
Protocol Forced This Character to Ignore a Key Resident
Eliza Minnick
In an attempt to bring new life into the residency program, Bailey hired Eliza Minnick as an education consultant. This newbie was keen to play by the book and teach a new generation of interns how things should be done. Although she did have her lighter moments, such as her fling with Arizona Robbins, Minnick tended to be quite strict and overly professional.
These traits, unfortunately, came back to bite her in Season 13, Episode 24, “Ring of Fire.” After a fierce blaze breaks out in the hospital, Minnick is obsessed with following protocol to the letter but fails to mention to the fire brigade that a resident is still trapped inside the building. As such, Dr. Bailey felt that she had no choice but to let her go and labeled her as a bad fit for an inclusive hospital like Grey Sloan.
This Doctor Got a Bit Too Big for His Boots
Vikram Roy
Vikram Roy arrived as part of the B-Team, a small group of interns who were asked to shadow their superiors. Yet, much like his peers, Roy struggled to take a step back and couldn’t stand not being in the spotlight. The first time he got fired was in Season 14, Episode 20, “Judgment Day.” After a plate of weed cookies makes its way to the surgical team, Ray pretends he’s sober in order to get the chance to scrub into surgery. But, after tripping out and falling over, Richard fires him for potentially endangering a patient.
However, Vikram isn’t out of the picture for very long because his brother threatened to sue the hospital if he was not reinstated. During one of his ER rounds, he’s asked to take care of a patient called Tad, who is suffering from a nosebleed. Yet, Roy thinks nothing of it and places him in the corner. But Tad eventually ends up coughing blood, and Roy refuses to call the time of death because he doesn’t want to be held responsible. As such, he’s removed from his position for the final time.
This Headstrong Surgeon Met Her Match With Dr. Bailey
Dahlia Qadri
Fans quickly fell in love with Dahlia Qadri because she fully understood the importance of building a strong and calming relationship with all her patients. She also wasn’t afraid to take risks, as she removed her hijab and used it to stop a patient’s bleeding. Overall, Qadri seemed like a fantastic asset to the hospital and audiences adored everything she had to offer.
Yet, her time at Grey Sloan was cut short after she had a heated disagreement with Dr. Miranda Bailey. In Season 16, Episode 3, “Reunited,” she complains about having to communicate with Meredith Grey over video call and states that she joined the program to work alongside great doctors and not to chat with them over the phone. Bailey took this criticism to heart and fired her for refusing to understand that she was enrolled in the program to learn, not to rub shoulders.
This Intern Got Lost in the Merger
Megan Nowland
Many long-time fans of Grey’s Anatomy may have forgotten about Megan Nowland because she was presented as a typical intern. During her time following Meredith, she was in awe of the fact that George O’Malley had delivered a baby and was excited to jump into the OR. Throughout her time as an intern, she was involved in a handful of cases but didn’t exactly break the mold when it came to her skillset.
Thus, when the Mercy West merger came to light, Megan Nowland was one of the first interns to be fired. Initially, she sued the hospital for discrimination because she believed that she was only let go because she was pregnant. Yet, in Season 6, Episode 13, “State of Love and Trust,” Derek invited her back to the hospital for a fresh start when he became Chief of Surgery. So, it seems that it all worked out in the end for this loveable intern.
A Major Distraction Caused Her to Ignore a Simple Task
April Kepner
Season 6, Episode 6, “I Saw What I Saw,” begins with the residents trying to decipher why a patient named Cathy Becker coded. Though she was involved in a tragic hotel fire, her vital signs are stable, and her burns are manageable. Just as April asks to check her airways, she is distracted by a patient who has an axe sticking out of him.
Thus, Richard believes that Cathy died because April didn’t successfully assess her airway for soot. Though April feels immensely remorseful, Richard blatantly tells her that she’s fired. It should be mentioned that all of her colleagues vouched for her and tried to explain that she had made a simple mistake, but April walked away without even saying goodbye.
The Chief’s Drinking Got in the Way of His Professionalism
Richard Webber
As a prestigious surgeon and key member of the hospital, fans would assume that Richard Webber would embody the ideal professional. But, after having a tumor removed and splitting up from his wife, Webber struggled with an alcohol addiction. Instead of being sober for surgery, it seemed that Richard was more concerned about getting drunk in Joe’s Bar.
Throughout Season 6, Webber’s drinking got out of control, and he was eventually fired from his position as Chief of Surgery. Although Derek Shepard took over from Webber, he eventually gave up the job after the events of “Sanctuary.” Thus, Webber got back on the wagon and returned to his rightful role as Chief.
This Doctor Thankfully Got a Second Chance
Leah Murphy
Even though Grey Sloan can be quite picky when it comes to selecting their next set of interns, some of these budding professionals are lucky enough to get another chance to shine. In Season 10, Episode 23, “Everything I Try to Do, Nothing Seems to Turn Out Right,” Richard fires Leah Murphy because he believes that she doesn’t have the right skills to be a surgeon. However, Leah is determined to prove him wrong and spends many years training at Foster Hospital alongside Maggie Pierce.
In Season 13, Episode 6, “Roar,” Murphy makes her grand return to Grey Sloan and begins her new journey as a surgical resident. Though many of her old co-workers were skeptical about her returning, Maggie Pierce was happy to guide her through every process. Despite returning to her old stomping ground, Murphy hasn’t been on-screen since “It Only Gets Much Worse,” so many fans are unsure as to whether she still works at the hospital.
A Fan-Favorite Character Got in Too Much Hot Water
Owen Hunt
Although he’s already considered to be one of Grey’s Anatomy’s most controversial surgeons, Owen Hunt’s arc has taken a turn for the worse in recent years. After going on the run with his wife, Teddy Altman, in Season 19, Hunt refused to toe the line in the following season. As such, he was fired in “Burn It Down” after a heated argument with Catherine Fox.
Although Hunt’s fate is yet to be revealed, he’s still considered to be a primary character in the latest season. In Season 21, Episode 4, “This One’s for the Girls,” he expresses martial issues with Teddy. In turn, this suggests that this key character is expected to see a lot more misfortune in the future.
