In this episode, each of the main doctors, J.D., Elliot, and Dr. Cox each take on their own interns: Denise, Katie and Ed respectively.

J.D. and Denise have a patient, Mr. Fremont who's dying of lung cancer and has an 8 year old son and a wife unwilling to give him up.  J.D. is brought to tears over this while Denise is completely unphased.  J.D. attempts to get Denise to feel compassion by "throwing her in the deep end" by having her ask the wife to get the "Do Not Recessitate" order.  When J.D. starts talking to the wife, Denise has no problem hopping in and being very insensitive towards the wife and asking.

Turk, meanwhile, has a research paper he needs one of the medical interns to assist him on.  When Turk picks Ed to help him (because of his cool pen!), Elliot's intern, Katie, claims it was because surgery is a boys' club.  Elliot becomes enraged at Turk and gets Carla to withhold sex from Turk until he gives the paper to Katie.  When Ed gives up the position, Turk reluctantly gives it to Katie but tells Elliot that she got played.  Katie later admits she has Elliot wrapped around her finger.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cox is trying to figure out all episode why he hates his intern Ed.  He tries to go to Carla and the Janitor to help him figure out why he hates Ed so much.  It turns out it's because Ed settles with being only one of the better interns and doesn't push himself hard enough.

Also, the episode begins with J.D. and Turk watching sesame street with Izzie and the rest of the episode J.D. fantasizes about the muppets.