Dr. Kapoor & Dr. Kao as his Neurology fellow in Season 1
Dr. Agnes Kao is a recurring character on NBC's medical drama, New Amsterdam between seasons 1-5. She was initially the neurology fellow of Dr. Vijay Kapoor, MD (Chair of Neurology, former). Eventually, after Dr. Kapoor's resignation, she takes over for him and is made Chair of Neurology.
Early Seasons[]
Ever since the first episode, Dr. Kao is seen as Dr. Kapoor's right hand person, as she was his neurology fellow.
She was a smaller character, but had only a couple main storylines in the early seasons.
Another small detail was during the first season when Dr. Camila Candelario, MD, FACS (Chair of Emergency Medicine, former) inforced her "night shift rules" while Dr. Lauren Bloom (Chair of Emergency Medicine, current) took personal leave to help with her addiction. These night shift rules included 10 minute consults, which were a problem for Dr. Kapoor, as his main part of patient care was to take time to listen to the patients. So, when Dr. Candelario told Dr. Kapoor that his time and more was up, Dr. Kao gave Dr. Kapoor her '10 minute consult' time.
During the snowstorm power outage during the first season, both the on-call neurosurgeon and neurologist were trapped in an elevator: Dr Kapoor and Dr. Clint Hartman, MD (Chair of Neurosurgery, former). A postpartum mother had a stroke, leaving Dr. Kao in charge of her care alone. Dr. Kao and the patient are brought outside of elevator, where Dr. Kapoor & Dr. Hartman instruct Dr. Kao on how to save the patient. She is succesful in this procedure.
Later Seasons[]
In the early episodes of season 3, Dr. Kao had completed her Neurology fellowship with Dr. Kapoor and taken her boards, for which she passed with flying colors. In Season 3 Episode 4, Dr. Max Goodwin, MD (Medical Director, former) decided to make Dr. Kao the Chair of Neurology, which she declined because she felt she was underqualified for the position. Dr. Goodwin then countered asking if she would accept the position of "Interim Chair of Neurology", which she still did not want, but wanting to continue Dr. Kapoor's legacy at New Amsterdam Medical Center, she decided that she would accept the position of Interim-Interim Chair of Neurology.
Dr. Lucio & Dr. Kao after Lucio is hired to Chair the Neurology Department.
Dr. Kao ran the neurology department as the Interim Chair, but she also interviewed candidates as she wanted to remain an attending neurologist and have someone else that shared Dr. Kapoor's patient care values run the department instead of her. During the interview process, she met Dr. Romy Lucio, MD (Attending Neurologist, current) who was actually one of her idols as a female neurologist. Without even getting a detailed history or understanding of Dr. Lucio, which then became an issue. Dr. Lucio met with the staff of the Neurology Department, where she told them that Dr. Kapoor had mismanaged the department for years and that she was going to do the opposite of how he had managed the department. Shocked by this, as Dr. Kao loved Dr. Kapoor, Dr. Kao immediately fired Dr. Lucio and realized that the only way that Dr. Kao could continue Dr. Kapoor's legacy would be to become the permanent Chair of Neurology, not the interim.
After her being the Interim Chair of Neurology, Dr. Kao gets help from Dr. Helen Sharpe, MD (Chair of Oncology & Hematology, former) on how to run a department. Dr. Kao did a good job and continued on Dr. Kapoor's legacy.
Issues began for for Dr. Kao when Dr. Goodwin left and Dr. Veronica Fuentes, MD, FACS (Medical Director, former). During a round of personal cuts, Dr. Kao was terminated by Dr. Fuentes along with Gladys Miller, LPN (Assistant of Behavioral Health), Casey Acosta, RN (Charge Nurse, Emergency Dept.), and Dr. Claude Baptiste, MD, FACS (Chair of Surgery). Eventually, they all went back and helped Dr. Goodwin to take down Dr. Fuentes, which in turn forced them to all work in different terms for Dr. Fuentes. Dr. Kao was still able to be Chair of Neurology, but Casey went to being a regular Emergency Dept. nurse and Dr. Baptiste went to being a general surgeon. Eventually, Dr. Goodwin was able to save them and give them all their original positions back.
In the end of the show, Dr. Kao is still holding the position of Chair of Neurology.
