Miranda Bailey in the popular ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy is a formidable woman, the current Chief of Surgery at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, and one of the most powerful characters in the show.
Miranda is one of those people who kept an eye on things and ensured they ran smoothly at the hospital, even when she wasn't necessarily required to do so. She has a profound bond with her mentor Richard Webber and copes with the stress of being a surgeon and administrator as well as a mother. There are several things she has done that would make her very proud, but a few that wouldn't.
Ashamed: Inviting Eliza Minick Into The Hospital
One of the most hated supporting characters in the history of Grey's Anatomy was Eliza Minnick, the consultant hired by Bailey and Catherine Fox to flush out any problems with the hospital's surgical residency program.
Eliza was widely hated, by the other characters and fans alike, and exited the show after just one season. However, in that brief time, she had caused enough damage already. Richard had to step down from his position as Director of the program which led to a massive tiff between him and Bailey.
Eliza was also the reason that Stephanie ended up being severely injured in the season 13 finale after she refused to break her own protocols, which led to Bailey, herself, firing her in the end. However, a lot of heartaches could have been saved had she not arrived at all. Her presence was definitely something Bailey should be ashamed of.
Proud: Being A Mentor To Great Surgeons
Bailey has mentioned some excellent surgeons over the years, from Harper Avery winner Meredith Grey to Cristina Yang, Alex Karev, and even April Kepner. Needless to say, the original bunch of interns who were under Bailey's supervision didn't make it easy to mentor them--they were a mess most of the time--but Bailey did a terrific job nonetheless.
While Bailey was nicknamed "the Nazi" for her strict disciplinarian ways, fans can't disagree with her methods as her mentorship worked wonders for a whole generation of doctors.
Ashamed: Fighting Richard When He Tried To Help Her
Just as Bailey mentored so many doctors, she herself had been mentored by Richard Webber, who had believed in her always. However, Bailey's relationship with Webber, although very close, wasn't always smooth.
Bailey snapped at Richard when the latter tried to help her through the difficult phase when she was dealing with the revelation that she had infected a number of patients due to an infection she was carrying. Webber had tried to be there for her, but the latter snubbed his gestures, reminding him that he had been an alcoholic and that he should have been grateful to her for covering for him for years. This hurt Richard who was, after all, only concerned for his friend and mentee.
Proud: Becoming Chief Of Surgery
Bailey had overcome a lot to become the strong, empowered woman that she is. In season 6 and 14, fans had seen how she had fought hard to get where she was, to fulfill her dream of becoming a renowned surgeon.
The fact that she went on to become, through sheer hard work and excellence, the first female Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace/Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital was an accomplishment worthy of being proud indeed.
Ashamed: Put Callie Down At Every Turn
Bailey had expected to be made Chief Resident while she was still doing her residency at Seattle Grace. However, Webber ended up selecting Callie Torres for the position and unfortunately, Bailey didn't take it too well.
She was clearly jealous of Callie and tried to put her down at every turn. She made herself Callie's back up and although she did take on some of the responsibilities that were meant to be Callie's, that didn't stop her from being rather petty about the whole affair. In the end, Callie was removed from the post, and Bailey was made Chief Resident. Sure, a bit of competition is healthy, but this wasn't Bailey's proudest moment.
Proud: Fighting For Her Health
Bailey had a heart attack in season 14, an episode that delved into the crucial subject of women's heart health. It showed Bailey diagnosing her own heart attack and then being dismissed as a "hysterical woman" at another hospital because they believed that she was making it up.
Bailey managed to survive the attack and get past it after fighting her case and demanding Maggie come and save her. She also began to take care of herself more and managed to find a balance between her work and personal life. Throughout this storyline, fans were extremely proud of her
Ashamed: Firing Alex & Richard
Alex Karev and Webber had both stuck up for Meredith when the latter got involved in an insurance fraud which she had committed to help a patient.
Unfortunately, Bailey wasn't having any of it and ended up firing both doctors for supporting Meredith. Bailey was, no doubt, entitled to taking steps as she pleased during such a crisis, where one of her main attendings was implicated. But to fire two other major surgeons simply for showing solidarity with a friend made little sense. Bailey did go overboard with this one.
Proud: Accepting Help For Her OCD
Back in season 10, Bailey was diagnosed with OCD after the hospital believed she was responsible for inadvertently infecting several of their patients. At first, her symptoms were very subtle as Bailey was seen to be concerned with the smell coming from her son's bedroom. However, as the show went on, her behaviors became more apparent.
She was seen to lock herself in her lab and spent hours testing herself for staph. She was seen to be organizing her tools and washing her hands to calm her anxiety. Her rituals even placed a patient in jeopardy because of her obsessive thoughts. While Bailey struggled to accept her diagnosis at first, she eventually decided to seek professional help. It was such a big step that everyone was extremely proud of her.
Ashamed: Being A Stickler For Rules When It Came To Meredith
Miranda was a great mentor to the likes of Meredith Grey but when it came to rules, she was always a bit of a stickler. On the other hand, Meredith never had much use for rules.
Meredith broke a lot of hospital regulations and even medical ethics during her career. From tampering with Derek Shepherd's Alzheimer's trial to helping Izzie with the L-VAD wire and committing insurance fraud to help a patient, Meredith has done it all. But there is no denying that she is a great surgeon who ends up saving lives all the same. Bailey, though, it seems, never sees that. Now, this is thin ice of course, for Miranda is justified in her own way. But where Meredith Grey is concerned, fans would want Bailey to cut her some slack. Especially since she has broken the rules herself from time to time.
Proud: Her Heroics In The Hospital Shooting
Miranda Bailey was a hero during the hospital shooting of season 6. At the time of the attack, Bailey had been with a patient, Mary, and the surgical resident Charles Percy. She warned the others about the shooter and her quick-thinking saved her own as well as her patients' lives.
She also did her best to save Charles, who had been shot and would have hopefully saved his life had the hospital not gone into total lockdown. For her heroic efforts that day, Miranda should be infinitely proud.