With Chicago Med being renewed for season 9, the show must keep Dr. Nellie Cuevas on the team. Introduced in season 8, Nellie is the ED’s first psychiatry fellow since Dr. Sarah Reese’s departure in season 4. Dr. Charles finally has another partner to bounce ideas off of, and the Gaffney patients’ psych evals have been more thorough than ever. Although actor Lilah Richcreek Estrada confirmed that Nellie is done for season 8, Chicago Med should make her an essential part of the team going forward.
Dr. Charles has been the only voice in the psychiatry department for several seasons now, and sometimes it’s caused him to butt heads with other doctors in the ED. When Dean was first made interim head of the ED, he and Daniel butted heads over if psychiatry belonged there. Dean has come around since then, and Dr. Cuevas has been a big help in showing psychiatry’s worth. Although the job is never easy, Dr. Charles and Dr. Cuevas have proven they can be a strong, effective duo in the ED.
Dr. Cuevas Brings Back A Chicago Med Strength
Although Dr. Reese wasn’t originally planning to be involved in psychiatry, she developed a passion for it thanks to Dr. Charles’ mentorship. Although her time on Chicago Med came to an unfortunate end, there’s no doubt about the impact she’s had on her patients, thanks to Dr. Charles’ guidance. Daniel has been a more than capable representative for the psychiatry team since her absence, but it was time he received another fellow under his wing.
One element that always stood Chicago Med apart was its consistent psychiatry angle. Amongst the physical injuries, it was always refreshing to have Dr. Charles sit down with a patient and empathize with them. Even though Nellie has only been in one season, she has already left her mark on several patients. Especially with her status as a woman of color and a DACA recipient, she brings insight that even a veteran like Daniel couldn’t bring. Nellie might still be a novice to the ED, but she has already given Dr. Charles the worthy partner he’s been missing for seasons.
Chicago Med Needs Their New Doctors To Stay
In the past two seasons of Chicago Med, Dr. Scott, Dr. Hammer and Dr. Taylor have all left the show after brief ED stints. Especially with original doctor Ethan leaving in season 8 as well, the Gaffney team needs some stability. Dr. Asher’s rehiring showed that doctors could come back, but there needs to be some consistency with the newer faces. Nellie confirmed to Goodwin that she’d be staying at the hospital, hopefully building her up as a main face in Chicago Med’s future.
Thanks to Dr. Charles, Chicago Med’s early strength was its psychiatry lens. He was able to have a great partner in Dr. Reese, but after her exit, he was left to hold down the team on his own. With the addition of Dr. Cuevas, Daniel finally has someone he can discuss cases with again. Nellie has already proven her skills and valuable insight as a psychiatrist fellow, and Chicago Med will benefit significantly from investing in her future on the show.
