Dr. Levi Schmitt was the last of his Residents class at Grey Sloan Memorial and was made Chief Resident in Grey’s Anatomy season 19. Many interns have been introduced throughout the years, but other than the original interns and the new interns of Grey’s Anatomy season 19, not many have stuck around or got much screen time. The focus has been on Meredith Grey, her class and the attendings. Lexie Grey was the only main intern in her class, mostly because she was Meredith’s sister. Stephanie Edwards and Jo Wilson were also interns that got their own storylines. But Stephanie also dated Jackson Avery, and Jo married Alex Karev.
Schmitt was introduced in Grey’s Anatomy season 14, episode 1. He was a fourth-year medical student visiting Grey Sloan Memorial as a potential intern. He, of course, got a spot in the residency program. But on his first day as a sub-intern, his glasses fell in the surgical field when he was looking at what the surgeons were doing. This earned him the nickname “Glasses.” But since that day, he’s matured a lot. And in Grey’s Anatomy season 19, he oversees all the new interns.
Schmitt Became A Fan Favorite Intern
In season 16, Jake Borelli became a season regular. In his first two seasons, he was only a recurring character. According to the then showrunner Krista Vernoff, he had become a fan favorite (via Deadline). It’s not hard to see how fans fell in love with Schmitt. He was the cute dorky guy. It was like he became the new George of the show—a sweet but shy guy. Meredith even compared him to George after Jo slept with him.
Schmitt is an awkward character, which is part of what makes him so endearing. It isn’t completely his fault. There are times when his colleagues are not completely clear about what they are asking. Schmitt may never have been a character that Grey’s was setting up to be a great surgeon as the way it did with Meredith or Cristina Yang. He was comedic relief. It wasn’t until his relationship with Nico that he got a serious storyline. But it’s that awkwardness that helped fans fall in love with him.
Grey’s Anatomy Gave Schmitt Many Focused Storylines
Not all of the interns have gotten solo storylines. Even before Borelli became a series regular, he and Taryn Helm were the primary focuses of his intern group. Once he was a regular, he got a major storyline where he lost a patient because of the Webber method. He quit the program, broke up with his boyfriend and played video games in his mother’s basement. Webber tried to bring him back, but he took this very hard, just like other doctors who had lost patients and reacted similarly. This was a huge moment in the character’s arc. Even season 19 referenced this storyline with Schmitt saying he never wants to make a mistake again.
Schmitt was an intern that stood out a lot. When Meredith needed blood for her patient, he had the right blood type, so he gave blood during surgery. He was also the only intern that wasn’t hurt when a car ran into Joe’s bar. He was able to step up and help his friends. In more recent seasons he’s spoken out about causes, like when he argued to Bailey that gay people should be able to donate blood regardless of the last time they had sex. Borelli has had many times to shine in his six seasons on the show. While he was there for important moments, he wasn’t one of the Grey’s Anatomy interns that liked to break the rules.
Schmitt Was Part Of Grey’s First Same-Sex Relationship With Two Males
In the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, Callie Torres explored her sexuality and dated a few women. She and Arizona Robins became a fan favorite ship. But until Schmitt and Nico Kim, no same-sex relationships existed between two males on Grey’s Anatomy. In addition to being a first, this was a great relationship for Schmitt’s character. He gained so much confidence. This is a big part of what helped him mature. It wasn’t easy for him. Nico and Schmitt have different love languages, making their relationship difficult. But Schmitt learned about himself, which helped him as a doctor too.
The hookups have been a big thing in Grey’s Anatomy since day one when Meredith hooked up with Derek. Schmitt and Nico found a new place for a sexy hookup: an ambulance during a storm. Of course, Alex found them, but there was no judgment. He just told him that’s what on-call rooms are for. It was nice to mix it up a bit, and getting caught is also a pastime in Grey’s. So Schmitt and Nico have earned their place in great Grey’s Anatomy ships.
Schmitt’s Friendship With Jo Kept Him At Grey Sloan Memorial
Jo was once one of the strays taken into Meredith’s house. She paid it forward when she invited Schmitt to live with her in the loft. This was when their friendship started. They were there for each other after Alex left Jo, and Schmitt and Nico had broken up. Schmitt also helped Jo when she was depressed during the pandemic. Jo confided in him when she wanted to switch to OB. This friendship has provided many memorable moments of them supporting each other.
Schmitt may have never had still been at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital if Jo and he were not friends. All the residents had found other residencies when the hospital’s program was disbanded. Schmitt ended up working with Jo as an OB. He was in the right place at the right time when the interns needed a chief resident.
Schmitt Deserves Grey’s Chief Resident Role
Schmitt has been the person attendings have come to in the past. Miranda Bailey enlisted Schmitt to help with her prototype for the contest. Any resident that gets under Bailey’s wing is going to go far. He also helped Arizona with her birth cart. While he organized it wrong, he helped save another woman from hemorrhaging later. He also intubated Owen Hunt when Owen was accidentally given a sedative during surgery. All of these experiences helped create the doctor Schmitt is today.
Schmitt always cared deeply, which was part of what would make him a good surgeon. He may be one of the most improved interns of Grey’s Anatomy. He hasn’t had a complete transformation like Alex did, but his skills have certainly improved. Meredith would always be the great surgeon she is today, but Schmitt became what he is because fans wanted more of him. He’s grown into this role, but of course, he still has more growing to do. Callie wasn’t great at Chief Resident, but she was an excellent ortho surgeon. Even Bailey needed some time adjusting to being Chief of Surgery. Luckily, this is only the next chapter in Schmitt’s character journey.