What Happened to Sarah Rafferty's Character Dr. Pamela Blake on Chicago Med?

Rafferty's Dr. Pamela Blake first made her way to Gaffney's corridors in Season 7, Episode 5 ("Change Is a Tough Pill to Swallow") as the new head of the transplant department.

She quickly brushed shoulders with Gaffney's Head of Neurosurgery Dr. Sam Abrams (Brennan Brown) and Crockett, a top member of the surgical team. It took no time at all for her to take the latter under her wing.

Blake soon established herself as one of the most talented surgeons the hospital had seen, weighing in on several cases and assisting in many surgeries. She ran a tight ship within her professional life as a no-nonsense Surgery Chief, but her personal life could get messy.

Viewers learned Blake had a daughter, Avery Quinn (Johanna Braddy), after the young woman was admitted to the hospital in Season 7, Episode 5 ("Change Is a Tough Pill to Swallow").

Blake initially insisted on operating, but Crockett was keen to point out that this wouldn't fly and stepped in to perform the surgery, connecting with the young woman during her treatment.

During her time in the hospital, Avery frequently dropped hints to Crockett, eventually asking him out on a date after being discharged. While the pair got drinks and struck up a nice conversation, Crockett turned her down when she asked him if he wanted to go to her place for a nightcap.

They ultimately went their separate ways, but it wasn't the last we saw of Avery — who Blake ultimately revealed she'd used a surrogate to give birth to.

Avery's interest in Crockett got complicated after his flirtatious chemistry with her mother escalated. The two doctors' dynamic that came to a head in the Season 7 midseason finale ("Secret Santa Has a Gift For You") when Dr. Blake and Crockett shared a few drinks and kissed under the mistletoe.

Despite their claims that their kiss was just a bit of fun, Crockett was soon head over heels and Dr. Blake was also smitten, leading the pair to start dating.

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Of course, Dr. Blake had no idea Crockett had gone on a date with her daughter when their romance began. As their relationship heated up, Avery walked in on the two kissing in Season 7, Episode 13 ("Reality Leaves a Lot to the Imagination"). Avery was heartbroken by the discovery, asking Crockett if that was why he ended things with her.

Dr. Blake was equally gobsmacked by the realization, but after touching base with Crockett about his lack of connection with Avery, their relationship continued.

In a 2022 interview with Meet Us At Molly's, the Chicago Med writers revealed that Dr. Blake's character was initially written as an adversary of Crockett's. But, after witnessing their effortless chemistry, producers pivoted.

"We got this really great actress, Sarah Rafferty," Jeff Drayer explained. "It was just wonderful and was very good alongside Crockett, and it just ended up turning into more of a story where they ended up having a relationship."

Crockett and Blake continued to date throughout Season 7, and he also thrived as a surgeon under her mentorship.

But towards the end of the season, Blake began noticing numbness in her hands and asked Dr. Abrams to give her a check-up, which revealed she needed extensive surgery. A top-level surgeon needs their hands to practice, so she nervously agreed to go into surgery to address the problem.

Before the procedure, Blake gave Crockett the power of attorney in case of an emergency during the operation, given the then-status of her relationship with Avery.

Blake went into surgery in the Season 7 finale ("And Now We Come to the End") and almost instantly experienced complications. Abrams to ask Crockett to choose between saving her life or preserving the nerve endings in her hands, and he chose to prioritize her life. When she awoke from surgery and discovered her sense of touch was worse than before she went under, she was shattered.

Crockett attempted to comfort the heartbroken Blake, but she refused to hear him out. She held him responsible for the end of her surgical career, even going as far as to insinuate Crockett did it on purpose to steal her spotlight.

In the Season 8 premiere ("How Do You Begin to Count the Losses"), Crockett visited Blake ahead of her discharge and revealed that he had been promoted to be the new head of Transplant Surgery, thanking Blake for her role in his success.

She gave him the cold shoulder, explaining that if and when she returned to Gaffney, she'd never work with him.

In Season 8, Episode 4 ("The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Teacher"), Crockett discovered Blake's locker completely cleared out and learned that she had fully recovered and accepted a surgical position at a Boston hospital. He was floored, and tried calling her several times. After getting no answer, he visited Blake's apartment only to find Avery locking up.

Irritated, Avery explained that Blake had already moved and had no interest in ever speaking to Crockett again. He admitted to her that he'd acted selfishly during the surgery in hopes of spending more time with Blake, and hadn't considered how the decision would impact her day-to-day life.

Crockett encouraged Avery to tell her mom that he knew he was in the wrong, but neither he nor viewers ever saw her again.