The surgical staff tries to be optimistic as a young woman clings to life after a brutal attack. Meanwhile Meredith puts her career on the line to save a newborn in the hospital nursery, and the other interns learn that it takes more than just medical knowledge to be good at their jobs.

When the annual bicycle messenger race takes place in Seattle, the hospital emergency room fills with an assortment of injuries, causing the interns to compete for the most severe cases. Meanwhile, Derek and Burke compete for the chief resident position, and while Derek continues to pursue Meredith romantically, a patient flirts with George.

Cristina’s encounter with a former nurse, now a patient at Seattle Grace, changes her forever; Derek and Meredith treat a construction worker who has miraculously survived an injury but is now faced with tough decisions about his future; and a patient recognizes Izzie from a lingerie ad, which makes her the subject of hospital gossip.

An exhausted Meredith thinks she may have made a mistake during surgery, which could jeopardize her career. Meanwhile Izzie’s plan to throw a party for her new boyfriend goes completely awry, and Alex deals with a patient who is addicted to painkillers.