Chicago Med: Did Dean sabotage Ethan to remain in control of the ED?

Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) ran into some physical problems during the latest episode of Chicago Med. The doctor attempted to resume his duties in the ED, but the effects of his season 6 injury led to him nearly collapsing in the arms of Marcel (Dominic Rains).

While it seemed like a simple case of overexertion, there is a case to be made that Dr. Choi was encouraged to push himself too far by Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber). Choi and Archer have always clashed in the ED, and it’s worth exploring the possibility that Archer saw an opportunity to take hold of the unit in Choi’s extended absence.

Here’s what we know about Choi, Archer, and the incident that happened in the ED.

Is Dr. Ethan Choi leaving Chicago Med?

Since his return, Choi has been sporting a back brace and deferring to the other doctors in the ED so that he doesn’t cause any damage. Things changed in the episode, “Just As a Snake Sheds Its Skin”, however. Choi was tasked with helping a patient who was going to miss the birth of his child due to a hernia-related injury.

In an effort to ensure that the patient would see the birth, Choi suggested a manual procedure. Marcel immediately shot down the idea, noting that Choi would run the risk of injuring himself. It was Dr. Archer who made the ultimate ruling, and he encouraged Choi to follow his gut and go with the manual procedure.

The procedure worked, but Choi immediately felt pain and was rushed over to get an MRI. The scan revealed that the brave doctor had multiple fractures and would need to undergo surgery that would require a few months of post-op recovery.

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Dr. Archer is no stranger to underhanded tactics. The season 6 finale saw him bending the rules of the ED to suit his own personal agenda, and this approach has paid off, since he was promoted to interim chief in Choi’s absence.

It’s totally within the realm of possibility that Archer pushed Choi to a breaking point so that he could hold down the chief position a little bit longer. It would definitely be one of the worst things we’ve seen Archer due, especially given the severity of Choi’s injuries and the potential lasting effects it could have on his health.

Even if Archer didn’t initially think of a way to extend his reign, it’s likely that he realized he could bend the situation to his advantage when Choi expressed passion for helping the patient with the hernia. Here’s hoping he doesn’t have a chance to exploit his surgeon peer when he eventually returns.

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