On Grey’s AnatomyDuring , several talented surgeons rose to the prestigious position of Chief of Surgery, but only one can be considered the best. The Chief of Surgery at Grey-Sloan Memorial is not only considered the best surgeon, but also has several managerial responsibilities and serves as chief of staff for all other surgeons. As a result, the Chief of Surgery always has a greater narrative role in the Grey’s Anatomy during his tenure in office.
Decisions made by the Chief of Surgery directly impact all attending surgeons and residentsas the position also puts them in charge of the hospital. A large part of the role involves delegating funding to different programs and making administrative decisions that can make life difficult for your colleagues. As several Grey’s Anatomy the characters realized, the position is not for the light-hearted, as it is considered one of the most stressful jobs at Grey-Sloan Memorial. Although the job is highly sought after, it is not for everyone.
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Dr.
Acting Chief of Surgery in Season 2
Preston’s time as acting chief in Grey’s Anatomy season two wasn’t entirely bad. However, it’s not a memorable moment from the show that puts Preston at the bottom of the series’ boss list. Burke takes over after Richard has brain surgery and is expected to replace Richard upon his retirementbut that never happens. Ultimately, personal stories about Preston remain much more prevalent in the minds of Grey’s Anatomy fans.
Preston is an excellent surgeon and performed risky surgery on a favorite during his tenure, which shows his valuable skills. However, the difference between his example and Richard’s is too noticeable to ignore, which ends up working against him and causing him to lose the position he once sought. He only stays in the position for two episodes, but his impact is negligible.
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Dr.
Chief of surgery in season 6
Although Derek has only been the boss for one season, his tenure in the role is considered one of the worst examples of someone in the position. Derek becomes Chief of Surgery after Richard steps down to receive treatment for alcoholism, but Derek’s heart isn’t in it. He wanted the position for its prestige, but didn’t enjoy the role once he won it. The position involves significantly more administrative work than surgical work, which leads Derek to feel dissatisfied with his work.
Derek is also one of the worst Chiefs of Surgery for the way he handles his promotion. When he discovers that Richard has been drinking on the job, Derek goes to him to tell the hospital board about Richard’s addiction, despite Meredith’s pleas not to do so. Although he was right to do so, this betrayal proved that Derek was interested in defending Richard for his own interests and not for the good of the hospital.
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Dr. Mark Sloan
Acting Chief of Surgery in Season 8
Eric Dane’s Mark Sloan isn’t necessarily one of the worst Chiefs of Surgery either, but his short tenure didn’t give him much room to become the best. Mark becomes acting Chief of Surgery for a day in Season 8 when Owen takes the day off. Mark’s short tenure makes him one of the most entertaining Chiefs of Surgery, but he also has several problems that have prevented him from becoming the best.
Mark’s charisma, genuine care for his patients, and his ability to encourage Derek to do his best gave him the potential to be one of the best Chiefs of Surgery. However, Mark didn’t have the experience to understand what it meant to be a good Chief of Surgery. When Mark oversteps his role to stop Richard’s planned transplant surgery, Richard quickly tells him to stand down and that what seems perfect is not always the best choice for the patient. Despite Mark’s mistakes, he had great potential to become a great leader if given more time.
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Dr. Miranda Bailey
Chief of Surgery from Seasons 12 to 18
Bailey is vital to Grey’s Anatomy and the Gray Sloan Memorial role, which also makes her a memorable boss. Although she makes some surprising decisions as a boss throughout her reign between seasons 12 and 18, her character also goes through significant changes and stresses that affect her work ethic. Bailey was a great boss, but she often seemed to let the stress of work get to her and discounted his services as a result.
Although Bailey is one of the hardest working doctors at Gray Sloan, she also hated the job and viewed it more for prestige than what was best for the hospital.
Her first day is particularly bad, as she criticizes her team for not being able to complete a difficult surgery plan in time, after they have already worked a long shift and are at their wits end. Although Bailey is one of the hardest working doctors at Gray Sloan, she also hated the job and viewed it more for prestige than what was best for the hospital. His dislike of the job and the stress it brought are representative of his performance as a boss.
However, it is notable to mention that Bailey is a tough leader and does her best to right mistakesespecially when they happen under your guidance. Although she can be tough at times, she always gets the job done. She’s been boss for a few Grey’s AnatomyShe is able to keep the hospital running despite everything, which makes her a notable Chief of Surgery, although not one of the best.
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Dr Alex Karev
Interim Chief of Surgery in Season 15
As one of the only surgeons who actually seems to enjoy being the boss, Alex Karev, as acting chief, is one of the best Grey’s Anatomy stories. Alex’s appreciation for the role has made him one of the most beloved Chiefs of Surgery. A strong advocate for his patients, Alex learned to use work to his advantage and implement the changes he wanted to see at the hospital based on what would be best for his patients, not the hospital’s administrative policies.
A strong advocate for his patients, Alex learned to use work to his advantage and implement the changes he wanted to see at the hospital.
Only two things bring him down compared to his peers. One of your first decisions as interim boss is to accidentally spend your entire first quarter budget on your first day on the job. Although it was a learning error, it was a significant problem for the hospital. Furthermore, his time in office is short; since Alex is just a temporary replacement for Bailey while she is on leaveHis potential to be an excellent boss had a defined limit from the beginning.
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Dr. Meredith Gray
Chief of Surgery for Season 18-19
As the titular character of Grey’s AnatomyMeredith Grey’s promotion to Chief of Surgery in Season 18 is a true recognition of everything she has invested in Gray Sloan. His decision to rebuild the residency program after its closure shows his passion for wanting to improve the hospital’s efficiency to better serve patients. She also hires Nick Marsh to direct the residency program, which turns out to be one of Meredith’s best decisions. Although her time as Chief of Surgery lasted little more than a season, the decisions she made as Chief are still felt positively.
Meredith is a fair boss and clearly cares about her colleagues and patients. Meredith Grey’s Anatomy career also flourishes after becoming a boss. She works longer hours and acquires the skills needed to perfect more difficult surgeries. Although his role as chief was not the most memorable, his management put the hospital on the right path and benefited everyone.
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Dr. Richard Webber
Chief of surgery on and off since season one
Richard is the longest serving Chief of Surgery in Grey’s Anatomyhaving been boss on and off since the first season. He is also an excellent mentor and is commonly considered the true boss of Gray Sloan. Richard commands respect and will always have a special place at Gray Sloan. However, his flaws are too great to ignore – although he has made a significant impact throughout his tenure as chief, he is not perfect.
In season 5, Richard’s alcoholism begins to affect his work. Instead of stepping aside, he continues his duties as Chief, putting several people at risk. All over Grey’s AnatomyRichard also acts very tolerant towards Meredith whenever she makes a mistake. that someone else would be fired. His mistakes had the potential to have serious consequences, so while he is considered an amazing boss who everyone respects, he also has some fatal flaws.
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Dr.
Chief of surgery from season 19 to present
After Richard, Teddy has had the most comings and goings as Chief of Surgery, but her experience in the role solidifies her as one of the best. Teddy has been the boss since season 19but she is briefly demoted in Grey’s Anatomy season 20, after going behind Catherine’s back to fund Meredith’s Alzheimer’s research. Fortunately, it returns to first position in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 along with its remarkable brilliance.
Teddy is consistently a strong advocate for her patients and interns, who are often ignored or dismissed by the Chief of Surgery in Grey’s Anatomy history. She also believes in doing the right thing rather than doing what’s best for the hospital. While these morals make her unpopular with administrators like Catherine Fox, her time as Chief has shown her to be an incredible leader who truly cares.
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Dr.
Chief of Surgery from Seasons 8 to 11
Owen’s flaws as a character were made up for during his reign as Chief of Surgery in seasons 8 through 11. He is mostly sensible and fair and makes seriously considered decisions based on their benefits to the hospital, the staff, and his patients. His only big mistake was booking a cheap airline, which led to the horrific plane crash episode in season 8, which also nearly bankrupted the hospital. Owen’s decision could be considered a genuine human error, and his brilliance as Chief of Surgery should not be overlooked.
Despite the guilt Owen feels, he manages to maintain his position as Chief of Surgery and pull the hospital out of one of its darkest periods. Owen’s military experience likely helped him manage the stress of his position as boss and the hospital manages to recover after devastating losses. Although Owen has significant character flaws, his ingenuity and no-nonsense attitude as Chief of Surgery at the Grey’s Anatomy let him rise above his peers, among several great contenders.