the end of an ERa

I didn't watch the final episode of ER last night in lieu of studying for my microbiology exam (which turned out to be a good decision, partly because I learned that running over a rabbit with a lawnmower puts you at risk for Tularemia... a fact that did turn up on the test).

So I just watched it on nbc.com. I think they could have done anything in the last episode and I would have cried. And it did draw my tears, as predicted. When I saw the opening credits, I teared up, because they used the original montage with the iconic theme song (which is my ringtone for my EMT friends). Dr. Greene's daughter interviewing for med school there was a nice touch. And Noah Wyle/Dr. Carter always makes me smile. The ending scene had a mass casualty (big surprise) and ambulances continuing to pull up with all the doctors and nurses outside, and the theme song starts to fade in and the camera pans out... and it was lovely. I'm satisfied.

I didn't grow up with ER, but I feel like I did. I started watching it because it was on after Charmed on TNT in the summer that I did my internship at Morristown's ER. I thought it would put me in the mood, or give me a leg-up, or something. Oh yeah, now I remember- after I found out that bloody things bothered me, I watched it to force myself to get used to it (and it actually worked!). Who knew it would start me on a path that led me here. Oh man, I just basically said that a tv show helped me make my career choice... kind of pathetic... but it was a good show! And I will miss it. I wonder how many other people learned how to be doctors because of ER...