alem ▁University ▁Hospital . ▁Kate ▁be fri ends ▁main ▁character ▁Dr ▁Bill ▁H orton , ▁and ▁they ▁fall ▁for ▁each ▁other . ▁ ▁Bill ▁roman ces ▁Kate , ▁but ▁she ▁res ists ▁his ▁adv ances . ▁Kate ▁dep arts ▁S alem ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁returns ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁when ▁she ▁has ▁a ▁sexual ▁affair ▁with ▁Dr ▁Neil ▁Curt is . ▁ ▁Kate ▁and ▁Bill ' s ▁friendship ▁begins ▁when ▁Bill , ▁an ▁accomplished ▁sur geon , ▁retra ins ▁in ▁An est h esi ology ▁after ▁losing ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁do ▁surg ery , ▁thanks ▁to ▁a ▁gun shot ▁injury ▁to ▁his ▁arm ▁which ▁causes ▁n erve ▁damage ▁and ▁imp airs ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁his ▁right ▁hand . ▁Bill ▁retra ins ▁as ▁an ▁an est h esi ologist ▁so ▁he ▁can ▁carry ▁on ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁Oper ating ▁room , ▁and ▁Kate ▁super vis es ▁his ▁re - training . ▁ ▁Bill ▁cl ash es ▁with ▁new ▁Chief ▁of ▁S urg ery , ▁Dr ▁Walter ▁Griff in , ▁because ▁Bill ▁thinks ▁Griff in ▁does ▁unnecessary ▁sur ger ies ▁on ▁patients ▁and ▁is ▁" kn ife - h appy ". ▁Bill ▁is ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁night ▁shift ▁by ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁Greg ▁Peters , ▁to ▁avoid ▁cl ash es ▁with ▁Griff in . ▁This ▁puts ▁stra in ▁on ▁Bill ' s ▁marriage ▁with ▁Dr ▁Laura ▁H orton . ▁Kate ▁speak s ▁up ▁for ▁Bill , ▁saying ▁the ▁other ▁tra ine es ▁value ▁him ,