35 in several scenes. The challenging part was learning how to play a nurse and the intricacies of making that look real. I also became the first person on Grey’s Anatomy to play a D.O. The opportunity to build awareness of the osteopathic medicine profes- sion was another highlight. One episode involved a surgery on a patient’s liver and the simultaneous delivery of her premature baby. It’s funny to see people who make being a doctor so believable be so grossed out by prosthetics like blood and burned tissue. I got to know Ellen a little bit in between takes and hear about her background. I also learned how long a 30-second scene can take to capture. Because the set is so realistic, I felt like I was back in the trauma bay or operating room, ready to spring into action. I spend the majority of my time now working with real patients as a surgeon. But I’m still involved with medical communications by working with the Grey’s Anatomy writing team and writers from other TV shows and productions. o Something I didn’t realize when I began the fellowship is that many of the storylines are kept secret from the cast and crew until they are shot. The writers and producers are the only ones who know, so I saw the actors react spontaneously at these table reads. Perhaps the most memorable aspect of being a Grey’s Anatomy fellow was the opportunity it provided to serve as an extra—playing a nurse or a physician— Left: Champion points to the realistic prosthetics used to simulate what an actual surgery looks like. Bottom: Champion (right) in a scene with Ellen Pompeo, who plays the show’s main character Meredith Grey.
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