Amelia Shepherd
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Amelia Frances Shepherd,
M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...
,
F.A.C.S. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a professional medical association for surgeons and surgical team members, founded in 1913. It claims more than 90,000 members in 144 countries. History The ACS was founded in 1913 as an outgrowth of ...
is a fictional character from the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
American television
medical drama A medical drama is a Television film, television movie or film in which events center upon a hospital, clinic, doctor's office, a paramedic, or any other medical topic or environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic progra ...
''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
''and the series '' Private Practice'', portrayed by
Caterina Scorsone Caterina Scorsone is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as neurosurgeon Dr. Amelia Shepherd on the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2010–present) and its spin-offs '' Private Practice'' (2010–2013) and ''Station 19'' (2020– ...
. Amelia was introduced in
Season 3 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of ''Private Practice'', visiting her former sister-in-law,
Addison Montgomery Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, F.A.C.S., American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, F.A.C.O.G., previously known as Shepherd, is a fictional character who first ap ...
, and later became a partner at the Oceanside Wellness Group. In July 2010, it was announced that Scorsone was promoted to a series regular for season 4 of ''Private Practice'' after her guest appearance in the final five episodes of season 3. She remained on the show until its final episode in 2013. Amelia's crossover to ''Grey's Anatomy'' began as a special guest in one episode of both the seventh (2010–11) and eighth (2011–12) seasons, which ran concurrently with the fourth (2010–11) and fifth (2011–12) seasons of ''Private Practice''. After ''Private Practice'' ended its six-season run in January 2013, Scorsone returned to ''Grey's Anatomy'', making recurring appearances in the final four episodes of
Season 10 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
(2014). Following this, she was promoted to a series regular in Season 11 (2014–15) and has continued to be a central character through all subsequent seasons, including Season 21, which began airing in September 2024. Amelia is the youngest sibling in the Shepherd family, and the character is marked by her struggles with addiction, ambition, and emotional trauma. She is a recovering
drug addict Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
whose storylines across both ''Grey's Anatomy'' and ''Private Practice'' revolve around her battle for sobriety, recklessness, and her career as a talented yet troubled neurosurgeon. Over the course of her arc, Amelia faces numerous personal and professional challenges, all while trying to establish herself beyond the shadow of her late brother,
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
(
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
). Scorsone's performance as Amelia has been praised by both critics and fans for portraying complex emotional depth and resilience. Scorsone herself has described Amelia's "hero" journey as showing the "full phoenix-ing of a woman who was so broken and traumatized by loss and addiction", emphasizing the character's growth and redemption from her darker past. Amelia has also appeared as a guest star on the second ''Grey's Anatomy'' spin-off, ''
Station 19 ''Station 19'' is an American action and procedural drama television series created by Stacy McKee that premiered on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on March 22, 2018. It is the second spin-off of ''Grey's Anatomy'' (after '' Private Pr ...
'', further establishing her presence in the ''Grey's Anatomy'' universe.


Development


Casting and creation

On March 2, 2010,
Caterina Scorsone Caterina Scorsone is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as neurosurgeon Dr. Amelia Shepherd on the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2010–present) and its spin-offs '' Private Practice'' (2010–2013) and ''Station 19'' (2020– ...
was recruited to join the cast of
Shonda Rhimes Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television producer and screenwriter, and founder of the production company Shondaland. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Rhimes became known ...
' medical drama series ''Private Practice'' in the recurring role of Amelia Shepherd, the younger sister of Derek Shepherd from the parent show, ''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
''.
Eric Stoltz Eric Cameron Stoltz (born September 30, 1961) is an American actor, director and producer. He played Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film ''Mask'' (1985), which earned him the nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting ...
, who directed Scorsone's debut episode, “Eyes Wide Open”, recommended her for the role after recalling her talent from their previous work together in '' My Horrible Year!'' (2001). Stoltz pointed out Scorsone's acting skills and her resemblance to
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
, who portrays
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
, which caught Rhimes' attention. Despite the recommendation, Scorsone still had to go through the regular audition process to secure the role. She ended up appearing in five episodes of ''Private Practice's'' third season. As of July 2010, Scorsone was promoted to a series regular for ''Private Practice'', following the strong reception of her character. Scorsone has shared that her sister was a big fan of ''Grey's Anatomy'', and she herself was inspired by the show in an unexpected way. While finishing her
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
, Scorsone binge-watched the first season of ''Grey's Anatomy'' to unwind after exams. She recalled, "I was under the misapprehension that I wanted to become a doctor. So I went to this medical faculty lecture series and by the end, I said, ‘I don't want to be a doctor. In fact, I just want to be on ''Grey's Anatomy.''’" This passion for the show eventually came full circle when she became part of the ''Grey's Anatomy'' universe.


Characterization and development

In an interview with ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'', Scorsone discussed Amelia's past as a recovering addict, which is revealed in ''Grey's Anatomy'''s Season 11 episode, "Could We Start Again, Please?". She elaborated on the emotional depth of the storyline, saying, "There's the shock and sadness of seeing that all of the work that she's done to build this new life in Seattle is being destroyed, as everybody is finding out about her past in a way that she's not in control of. It's not as though she decided that she's comfortable with revealing her history and was able to tell the story sensitively; it was taken from her and exposed in a way that she wasn't in control of and that she wouldn't have chosen. It's a pretty exposing and disempowering experience for her." Scorsone also highlighted the intensity required to portray Amelia, saying the character demands "lots of emotional energy to play" and explaining how she manages to distance herself from the role after filming: “To kind of shake it out and get back to my real personality, it helps to kind of go away and explore new things and see the world a little bit.” In reflecting on Amelia's journey during the fifth season of ''Private Practice'', Scorsone commented in 2011 about her character's struggles: "Yes, at this point she suffers emotionally and chemically. She had her surgical privileges revoked because she fell off the wagon. So I explore depression, grief, and substance abuse. I think—speaking of wanting to help people—I do get to articulate and illustrate for people what a struggle with substance abuse and mental health looks like." : "Gosh. Everything we did in season 5 of Private Practice felt so intense and fresh. I do think we really dug into the addiction story in a way that educated so many people and made it clear that addiction is an illness and not a moral failing. The whole journey Amelia got to play that year was so rich and deep." The loss of Amelia's newborn son, Christopher, during ''Private Practice'' profoundly affects her storyline in ''Grey's Anatomy''. In Season 13 (2016–17), Amelia faces a significant rift with her newly wedded husband,
Owen Hunt Major (Ret.) Owen Hunt, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) i ...
(
Kevin McKidd Kevin McKidd (born 9 August 1973) is a Scottish actor and television director best known as Dr. Owen Hunt in ''Grey's Anatomy'' and Tommy Mackenzie in Danny Boyle's '' Trainspotting'' (1996). McKidd played Colin in the 2008 film Made of Hono ...
), over the prospect of having children. Scorsone explained the complexity of Amelia's fears regarding parenthood, which stem from the trauma of losing her firstborn. She stated, “...he's been very accepting but this is a very core trauma for Amelia and there's something about trauma that goes beyond logic. When someone has undergone serious trauma... there's something like trauma itself that makes whatever it was that traumatized the person almost unsayable. I think that's what she's experiencing: even to speak it is to re-traumatize herself in some ways." Amelia's deep fear of re-experiencing the loss paralyzes her, causing tension between her and Owen. She continued, "She loves him so much and she is also totally paralyzed by the fear and trauma she went through in Los Angeles.” Though Owen and Amelia ultimately break up due to their differences regarding having children, the two form a bond through co-parenting Betty and her son Leo, whom Owen later adopts. In
Season 16 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
(2019–20), Amelia finds out she is pregnant again, this time with Link's child. Scorsone felt that Amelia was now more prepared for motherhood, having co-parented Leo and supported Betty, as well as processing the loss of Christopher aloud for the first time. The season presents Amelia in a much healthier and happier place, where she has grown into her “authentic self”, with her career, community, and support of sisters Meredith and Maggie Pierce ( Kelly McCreary). Scorsone elaborated, saying, “She doesn't want or need to lose herself in anything or anyone anymore,” emphasizing that Amelia's sense of identity and motherhood is not contingent on her relationship with Atticus "Link" Lincoln (
Chris Carmack Chris Carmack (born December 22, 1980) is an American actor, singer, and former fashion model. He is known for his roles in three popular television shows—the teen drama series '' The O.C.'' (2003–2004) as Luke Ward, the country music drama ...
). While Scorsone expressed uncertainty about whether Amelia's feelings for Link were entirely genuine or influenced by pregnancy hormones, she noted that Amelia admired Link's commitment to being a father, regardless of their romantic relationship.


''Private Practice'' storyline

Amelia's backstory, particularly the trauma of witnessing her father's murder at the age of 5, is a central aspect of her character development, as she explains in the ''Grey's Anatomy'' episode "In the Name of Love". Amelia first appears in ''Private Practice'' during the
Season 3 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
episode "Eyes Wide Open", as part of a team of neurosurgeons visiting
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
for a consult. Despite knowing she would run into her former sister-in-law,
Addison Montgomery Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, F.A.C.S., American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, F.A.C.O.G., previously known as Shepherd, is a fictional character who first ap ...
( Kate Walsh), Amelia joins the team. However, she is soon fired after offering a patient's family hope by suggesting an experimental surgery, which her boss, Dr. Geraldine Ginsberg (
Nora Dunn Nora Dunn (born April 29, 1952) is an American actress and comedian. She first garnered popularity during her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1985 to 1990. Following her departure from ''SNL'' ...
), and her brother,
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
(
Patrick Dempsey Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and racing driver best known for playing neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–15; 2020–21). He is also known for his leading man romantic film roles, such ...
), disagree with. The patient's husband insists that Amelia perform the surgery, despite its risks, leading to tension and conflict over her decision to defy her superiors. Seeking stability, Amelia requests a position at Oceanside Wellness as the primary
neurosurgeon Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment or rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, ...
. In the Season 3 finale, Amelia performs surgery on Maya Bennett, Sam and Naomi's pregnant daughter. Immediately after the surgery, she rushes to treat Dell Parker ( Chris Lowell), a beloved colleague who has suffered brain bleeds, but he tragically dies on the operating table. Amelia is devastated by Dell's death, and the emotional weight of her job starts to take its toll. Shortly after, a friend from college visits Amelia, whose mother had died from
Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
. Amelia encourages her friend to get tested for the gene, and when the results come back positive, her friend pleads with her to assist in suicide, unwilling to face the same fate as her mother. Amelia refuses to help, and her friend eventually takes her own life, adding to Amelia's mounting grief. Amelia's emotional pain leads her to
relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or r ...
on drugs. During her struggle with addiction, she meets a man named Ryan, and the two fall in love, bonding over their shared addiction. Ryan proposes to Amelia, and she gifts him her father's watch, a deeply meaningful item tied to her father's murder. The watch symbolizes the love between her parents, and her decision to give it to Ryan shows how much he meant to her. Together, they decide to quit drugs and start a family, but tragically, they decide to have "one last high" before quitting, which results in Ryan overdosing and dying. Amelia wakes up next to Ryan's body, a devastating blow that pushes her deeper into grief. Shortly after Ryan's death, Amelia discovers she is pregnant with his child. However, during her pregnancy, she learns that the baby, Christopher, has no frontal lobe and will not survive after birth. Amelia carries the pregnancy to term and holds Christopher in her arms as he passes away shortly after birth. In a final act of love and to give meaning to Christopher's short life, Amelia donates all of his organs, ensuring that his death was not in vain.


''Grey's Anatomy'' storyline


Guest appearances

After the conclusion of ''Private Practice'' in January 2013, Amelia was officially integrated into ''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...
'' as a regular character. In ''Grey's Anatomy'''s
Season 10 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, Amelia appeared in the final four episodes, visiting her brother
Derek Shepherd Derek Christopher Shepherd, often referred to as "McDreamy" for his "attractiveness", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey. He made his first appearance in the series' pilot ep ...
and his wife
Meredith Grey Meredith Grey M.D., F.A.C.S., (born 1977 or 1978) is a fictional and titular character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was c ...
in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
. She assisted them in caring for their children and became more involved in the storyline. Prior to this, Amelia had only made brief guest appearances on ''Grey's Anatomy'' during cross-over events between the two shows, such as in seasons 7 and 8. In the third episode of season 7 of ''Grey's Anatomy'', Amelia and Derek began to reconcile their strained relationship after years of emotional distance. Later, in the fifteenth episode of season 8, she worked alongside
Lexie Grey Alexandra Caroline "Lexie" Grey, M.D. is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by Shonda Rhimes and is portrayed by Chyler Leigh. She was first mentioned in Season 2 befo ...
(
Chyler Leigh Chyler Leigh West (pronounced ; ''née'' Potts; born April 10, 1982), known professionally as Chyler Leigh, is an American actress, singer and model. She is best known for her roles as Janey Briggs in the comedy film '' Not Another Teen Movie' ...
) on a neuro case involving a patient with a brain tumor. This episode reignited her dispute with Derek over surgical methods, highlighting their different approaches to medicine and their ongoing sibling tension.


As regular cast member

On June 23, 2014, Scorsone and her character, Amelia, were promoted to the regular cast of ''Grey's Anatomy'' for season eleven, which premiered in September 2014. In Season 11, Amelia ended her engagement with James and began a secret romantic relationship with
Owen Hunt Major (Ret.) Owen Hunt, Doctor of Medicine, M.D., Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, F.A.C.S., is a fictional character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) i ...
(
Kevin McKidd Kevin McKidd (born 9 August 1973) is a Scottish actor and television director best known as Dr. Owen Hunt in ''Grey's Anatomy'' and Tommy Mackenzie in Danny Boyle's '' Trainspotting'' (1996). McKidd played Colin in the 2008 film Made of Hono ...
). She later confided in her brother Derek about the relationship. However, Derek's death deeply affected Amelia, and she grieved his loss alongside Owen. After Derek's passing, Owen temporarily left for the army but returned later in the season, leading to a deeper connection between them as they bonded over their grief. In
Season 12 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, Amelia and Owen's romance grew, but Amelia also struggled with anger towards Meredith Grey for unplugging Derek from life support without giving her a chance to say goodbye. Additionally, she harbored resentment towards
Miranda Bailey Miranda Bailey, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the long-running medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', created by Shonda Rhimes and portrayed by Chandra Wilson since the series' debut in 2005. Bailey has appeared in 387 episodes across ...
(
Chandra Wilson Chandra Danette Wilson (born August 27, 1969) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Dr. Miranda Bailey in ''Grey's Anatomy'' since 2005, for which she has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Su ...
) for hiring Penny Blake ( Samantha Sloyan), one of the doctors involved in Derek's care on the day he died. Despite these conflicts, Amelia and Owen got married by the end of the season, though she had doubts and second thoughts leading up to the wedding. Season 13 presented challenges for Amelia and Owen's marriage, especially regarding the topic of having children. Amelia's trauma from losing her firstborn son, Christopher, resurfaced, leading to marital strain. In Season 14, their relationship further deteriorated, and after Amelia had a
brain tumor A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the Human brain, brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign ...
removed, they amicably divorced, attributing some of her erratic behavior to the tumor. Later in the season, Amelia became involved in helping a teenage addict named Betty, who had a six-month-old son, Leo. Owen eventually adopted Leo, while Betty returned to her parents for stability. Though Owen and Amelia rekindled their romantic relationship, it became complicated when Owen discovered his former love,
Teddy Altman Theodora Grace "Teddy" Altman, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy''. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and is portrayed by Kim Raver. She was introduced as a recurring cha ...
(
Kim Raver Kimberly Jayne Raver (born March 15, 1969) is an American actress. She is known for television roles such as Dr. Teddy Altman on American Broadcasting Company, ABC's medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', Kim Zambrano on ''Third Watch'', and Audrey R ...
), was pregnant with his child. In
Season 15 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
, Amelia began a relationship with Atticus "Link" Lincoln (
Chris Carmack Chris Carmack (born December 22, 1980) is an American actor, singer, and former fashion model. He is known for his roles in three popular television shows—the teen drama series '' The O.C.'' (2003–2004) as Luke Ward, the country music drama ...
) and soon discovered she was pregnant. Initially uncertain about the baby's paternity, as it could have been Owen's, she found reassurance in Link's unconditional love and support, regardless of whether he was the father. Amelia gave birth to their son in the
Season 16 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
finale, and they later named him Scout Derek Shepherd Lincoln in the Season 17 premiere. However, towards the end of
Season 17 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, Link proposed to Amelia, but she turned him down, causing a rift in their relationship. In
Season 18 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
, Amelia became involved in a storyline with
Meredith Grey Meredith Grey M.D., F.A.C.S., (born 1977 or 1978) is a fictional and titular character from the medical drama television series ''Grey's Anatomy'', which airs on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States. The character was c ...
(
Ellen Pompeo Ellen Kathleen Pompeo (; born November 10, 1969) is an American actress. One of the world's highest-paid actors since 2017, she has made multiple appearances on ''Forbes'' year-end lists. Her accolades include a Screen Actors Guild Award and a ...
) focused on
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
research. They traveled to
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
to collaborate on finding a cure for the disease, funded by Dr. David Hamilton (
Peter Gallagher Peter Killian Gallagher (born August 19, 1955) is an American actor. Since 1980, he has played roles in numerous Hollywood films. He is best known for starring as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series '' The O.C.'' from 2003 to 2007, and ...
), who has Parkinson's. During this time, Amelia met Dr. Kai Bartley (
E. R. Fightmaster Emmett Rogers Fightmaster (born 8 June 1992), known professionally as E. R. Fightmaster, is an American non-binary actor, producer, and writer. Fightmaster is known for their work on ''Grey's Anatomy'' as Dr. Kai and through their solo music pr ...
), a non-binary neuroscientist and Hopkins alumni. In the mid-season finale, Kai traveled to Seattle with Dr. Hamilton for his surgery, and Amelia and Kai's connection deepened, culminating in them sharing a kiss outside Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. They break up in
Season 19 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and polar ...
.


Reception

Tanner Stransky from ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' felt that Scorsone's appearance in the ''Grey's Anatomy'' Season 8 crossover episode, "Have You Seen Me Lately?", was one of the weaker crossover episodes for the parent show. However, he praised the "dramatic" nature of its ''Private Practice'' portion. Stransky evaluated that "for characters I don't really care about that much, I did care... a little bit." He also noted that Amelia "proved her strength," despite the many "demons in her life," which added depth to her character arc.


References


Further reading


''Grey's Anatomy'': Amelia's ''Private Practice'' Past Is (Finally) Resurfacing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepherd, Amelia Television characters introduced in 2010 Private Practice (TV series) characters Grey's Anatomy characters Fictional characters from New York City Fictional characters from New York (state) Fictional drug addicts Fictional bisexual women Fictional neurosurgeons Fictional female doctors American female characters in television Fictional opioid users