It is July 4th and Carter Dr. Carter returns back to work as a Surgical intern under the supervision of Dr. Benton.  Their are several other interns including Dennis Gant and Dale Edson.  Dr. Melvoin tells all of the new interns about their instructor, Dr. Benton: "You are wedges. The wedge is the most primitive tool known to man. That is you. You think you know what you're doing, believe me, you don't. Breakfast with your Senior Surgical Resident Dr. Benton will begin in 15 minutes. Dr. Benton is an intern's worst nightmare. He's smarter than you, he never eats, he never sleeps and he reads every medical journal no matter how obscure. He is the Antichrist. Beelzebub. Lucifer. A devourer of wedges. You will go to sleep at night wishing plague and pestilence on his unborn children and you will wake up every morning praying for his approval. You won't get it. Welcome to hell, ladies and gentlemen."  Jeanie tells Peter that her results came back and that she is HIV positive.  Peter has still not been tested.  Peter quizzes his new interns and seems to like Edson.  The nurses read an article that County Hospital may be closing down.  Kerry has a lot of new ideas for the ER.  One is with the way the patient board is handled.  No one, but Bento can seem to figure it out.  Carter is assigned to the ER and has to work the late shift.  He doesn't do too good of a job.  He is very rusty on the procedures.  Susan is planning a trip.  Jeanie goes upstairs for treatment and a patient has a talk with her.  He tells her that she should go to another hospital for her treatment.  He tells her that she will end up with trouble at work if they find out.  This scares her enough to lie to Kerry about her results.  She tells Peter that she doesn't want anyone there to know her private business.  Peter gets tested and he is okay.  Peter goes to Jackie and Walt's for a BBQ.  He sees Carla there and they flirt around.  The ER staff, all but Kerry, Haleh and Carter, go to a softball game where they are playing against the paramedics.  Carol sees Shep there with his new girl friend.  Doug asks Carol if she is okay, and she seems to be.  Haleh keeps Carter busy all night.  She wakes him up every 10 minutes and constantly beeps him.  This is payback for the snooty way he has been acting toward the nurses.  He makes it up after Kerry warns him about having the nurses against him.  He buys doughnuts.  Randi is upset because someone calls every other minute for Doug.  It is his current girl friend Gretchen that he seems to be keeping secret from every one.  He breaks their date, because he probably wants Carol now that she is not with Shep any more.  Carter feels bad about his first day as a surgical intern, but Mark tells him that he thinks he is going to make it.   

Reviewed by Tony Conner on 09-11-2000