Chicago Med's Jessy Schram Believes Hannah's Past Makes Her A Better Doctor
Devoted "Chicago Med" viewers are fully aware of Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and her tragic backstory and how she continually battles to leave her drug-abusing past in the rearview mirror. First gloving up in Season 5 of the series, ob-gyn specialist Dr. Asher arrives at Gaffney Chicago Med with a hidden heroin addiction that she seems unable to shake. Later in that season, Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) becomes her partner in more ways than one, first as a romantic interest, later as the person determined to help her kick her illicit drug use. Will's efforts succeed in helping her at first, but she later falls back into her old ways again in Season 6, and after breaking up with Will, she ends up leaving the hospital. Then, following rehab, Asher finally returns to work in the E.D. in Season 7.
In a moving Season 8 episode, Asher is caring for Liza Martin (Raquel Dominguez), a drug-abusing mother who overdoses shortly after giving birth. Even then, Asher advocates for the woman and refuses to let her vanish into an uncaring social services system. And as Jessy Schram told CinemaBlend, she feels her character's past experience with addiction makes her more sensitive to women like Liza and other ob-gyn patients, saying, "Especially lately! I've been seeing so many things on TikTok or different videos where all these women are coming on and being like, 'Doctors, listen! Listen to us when we tell you something's up with our body.'"
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Jessy Schram feels Asher's former life attunes her to her patients' needs
In the same CinemaBlend interview, Jessy Schram said that Hannah Asher's past experiences mean she can relate in a unique way to female patients who may often feel like they're not being heard by the busy E.D. doctors treating them. In this regard, she feels her character's own personal struggles cause her to be especially receptive in this situation, saying, "I'm always thinking, 'Hannah Asher would listen to you! She wouldn't dismiss you!'"
Schram explained that this powerful kind of compassion can also be a double-edged sword, saying, "Because she has a soft spot sometimes for different scenarios, it can sideswipe her sometimes and get her in a little bit of trouble." But while it may occasionally be a disadvantage, Schram believes her character's deep empathy for her patients is more often a strength for her as a doctor because it provides her with a new and valuable perspective as a caregiver. "She doesn't judge people," Schram said, "It allows her to see them in different ways."