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Everyone is dealing with something. We just have to love other people for who they are and hope they love us, too.
― Claire Browne[src]

Dr. Claire Browne is a former surgical resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital and a main character in the first four seasons of the show. At the end of the fourth season, Claire decided to remain in Guatemala in order to continue helping provide much needed medical care to the less fortunate. She was seen near the end of Season 5 as a guest star, informing her friends she had been offered the job of Chief of Surgery in Guatemala. In The Lea Show, she was revealed to have accepted it.

After her mother died in a drunk driving accident in "Claire", Claire started to have trouble processing her grief, even getting frustrated at a woman's faith in her husband in "First Case, Second Base". She stops believing in people, believing that hope killed her mother and that no one can change. However, she eventually resumes displaying more compassion towards her patients over time and eventually starts seeing a psychiatrist, as seen in "Friends and Family."

History[]

Early life[]

Claire had an especially difficult early life; her father, Miles, left her and her mother, Breeze, when Claire was supposedly very young and Breeze emotionally abused her. She was a drug addict who attempted to kill Claire multiple times. When Claire was in high school, she volunteered at a shelter for runaway teens. Whilst attempting to save money for a laptop through babysitting, Claire's mother took that money only to waste it, on top of leaving Claire alone for several days at a time. After leaving her abusive mother when she turned 18, Claire worked two jobs whilst living with multiple roommates at a time until she finally became a surgical resident.

Claire became a surgical resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital under Dr. Neil Melendez, who was overconfident and to whom she attempted to impress, all the while having a strictly sexual relationship with fellow resident Jared Kalu. During their first overnight at the hospital, the Shura song Touch played and the two had their first kiss during it.

Season 1[]

While Claire was working on the bypass surgery of Callum Reilly (all the while continuing her sex life with Jared), Claire helped in bringing in Adam, a young boy who had shards of glass in him. She then met Shaun Murphy, whom she initially took to be some weird guy that had helped bring in Adam and disregarded his attempts to get them to do an echocardiogram. However, Adam's condition worsened and Claire got Neil to hear Shaun out and she and Shaun were able to diagnosis the problem together.

Claire got into trouble with Neil after she promised a worried patient awaiting a risky surgery that she was going to be okay, considering they were possibly giving her false hope if she died. Shaun soon offered an idea to help the woman, only for Jared to take the credit for it which annoyed Claire. However, she in return got called out for her almost false promise to their patient whom Claire was ready to allow to die (though she lived). She soon learnt how to communicate with Shaun when they were trying to deliver an organ to Chuck (her first patient, who unfortunately didn't get it).

While working the graveyard shift, a mass casualty was directed to St. Bonaventure following a bus crash for a wedding. Noomi (Claire's patient) tried to ask about her wife Jenna's condition, only for Claire to realize Jenna was ejected from the bus and never brought to the hospital. Claire located Jenna and tried to help her, but she soon died at the hospital when Claire accidentally failed to intubate her properly. Dr. Glassman reassured her it was an honest mistake, but gave her strict instructions not to speak to anyone outside the hospital, or Noomi, about what happened.

Glassman soon had Claire speak with the hospital's grief counselor, who eventually told her to talk to someone about her feelings. She did so with Jared, who related as having a patient who just died earlier. When a shooter who tried to rob a store Shaun was at and a young woman he shot were sent to the hospital, Claire and Dr. Lim dealt with the shooter. Unfortunately, Claire found that the man (Nash Dixon) was racist and took things personally when she tried to put the victim over him. This led to Lim forcing Claire to watch over Nash, to her dismay. He kept antagonizing Claire while she was trying to help him, believing that she was punishing him for his attitudes and even worked out about Breeze's drug addiction. Although Claire thought that Lim was being unfair to her, Lim told her off for insubordination while Claire had to save Nash when his neck swell up when she left him. Claire soon apologized to Lim, who replied by stating how well Claire had done but that it was a shame that Nash was a Nazi.

Claire taught Shaun how to flirt after he mistook Lea doing so as her not liking him, all the while shocked when Shaun pointed out that it appeared that Claire liked Neil. However, the lab misplaced the specimen stating whether Claire's patient Elisabeth had cancer and had to work with lab worker Carly Lever to find it. When it appeared that they were unable to, Claire realized that it must've ended up in a mislabeled container. She was proven right and Elisabeth was cancer free but decided to sue the hospital so that something like that didn't happen again.

Claire ran into an uncomfortable situation with a new doctor, Matt Coyle, who seemed far too friendly. However, Jared thought that she was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. When Dr. Coyle made unwanted sexual advances toward her, Claire refused and later yelled at Jared for not supporting her and downplaying the issue. While she considered not telling anyone if the blame got shifted onto her, she found that Jared got fired for assaulting Coyle while confronting him.

Neil and Claire ended up working on a couple of conjoined twins, Katie and Jenny, concerning a transplant surgery, though they encountered some issues during the transplant of the twins. Katie at one point considered not having the surgery, so Claire was elected to talk to them to have it. She also confronted Coyle herself and threatened to bring together all the other residents he had harassed as well. While Claire was working with Shaun, she asked him about a road trip he had been on with Lea while realizing that he had intents on transferring to Pennsylvania. She also found that Glassman was angry with Shaun and so convinced Glassman to sign a letter of recommendation to show that Glassman believes in him. Unfortunately, Jenny died during the surgeries. Claire also worked out that Shaun wanted to be with Lea and said that she would miss him if he went and he ultimately didn't leave.

Claire was assisting in a surgery on a stroke patient, Cole Carpenter, who had an aneurysm with Dr. Lim who informed her that Coyle got a new job and a raise. Although Claire was furious, Director Aoki stated that she had no other choice as Coyle wouldn't admit to what he'd done and Claire didn't have evidence of it. While realizing that Cole was abusive to his wife Tessa who wanted him dead while their son also knew the truth, Claire all the same got Tessa to allow them to do the surgery Cole needed but she and their son were soon gone. Claire also met with a fellow victim of Coyle.

Coyle's residents - Morgan Reznick and Alex Park - soon ended up working with them, though Claire ended up in competition with Morgan who had a competitive attitude while treating Howard Shaw (a teacher who had fainted). Claire also had to help a young boy, Eric, who needed a liver transplant and the only person compatible with him was Boris Tirayan, a convict incarcerated for murder. Although Eric was uncomfortable with having a killer's liver, Tirayan ended up committing suicide while Claire saw that he did it to help Eric. Claire and Jared also attended a gala at the hospital together, only for Claire to not recognize the song Touch when it played which made Jared see that Claire never loved him and he broke up with her.

Claire soon saw Breeze again when she visited the hospital to apparently make amends, only for Claire to be disappointed when Breeze had not changed. She and Morgan also treated a patient named Lucy, who had a post-op infection. After receiving a prescription, she fled the ER, but Claire soon heard she apparently returned. It was revealed the woman they treated was not really Lucy, but an imposter who stole her identity. The real Lucy showed up at St. Bonaventure complaining of shingles and asked for pain medicine, only to be revealed to be a pain meds addict. When the imposter (real name Beatrice) returned, she went into septic shock and soon died, with Morgan and Claire ultimately electing not to try and revive her, feeling there was "nothing left to save."

Claire was part of a surgery on college student Caden Hauley, only for him to be revealed to be suffering from complications due to bleeding. She soon had to defend Shaun from Morgan claiming that he was the cause of it, which was the truth as Shaun was distracted since he was upset at how Dr. Glassman was apparently dying of an inoperable cancer. Claire then got annoyed with Morgan who kept pushing for the issue to be reported to Dr. Andrews, claiming to be thinking of the protocol, as Shaun could've been at threat of being fired if they did (which would've rid Morgan of some of the competition) while the rest of them would've simply been let off with a warning. Ultimately, they were able to help Caden through an idea Shaun had while Neil treated them all with drinks.

Season 2[]

In "Quarantine" and "Quarantine: Part Two," Claire works with Melendez to treat a patient whose bone marrow donor is trapped in a viral quarantine in the ER. After the patient codes, Claire reluctantly helps Melendez to revive him in spite of the man's DNR. With the help of Andrews, they come up with a plan to successfully perform the transplant.

In "Aftermath," Claire is blackmailed by Morgan into spending the day with her. Though Claire tries to abandon Morgan to help her mother, Morgan eventually admits that she's still struggling with the death of an EMT named Tyler during the quarantine who Morgan was close to and doesn't want to be alone, causing Claire to relent. After learning that Claire's mother apparently has an abusive boyfriend, the two doctors confront him, only to learn that her mother was having cold feet over a possible engagement. The experience gives Claire new insight into and respect for Morgan.

After Shaun is transferred to pathology in "Risk and Reward" by new Chief of Surgery Dr. Jackson Han, Claire fights for her friend to get his job back without success. In "Breakdown," after Shaun is called in to consult on a complicated surgery, Claire helps him come up with a way to successfully complete it. After Shaun is fired by Han, Claire finds him having an emotional breakdown in the locker room and sits beside Shaun, unsure of how to help him.

In "Trampoline," Claire is surprised when Shaun returns to the hospital with Zack Cordell, a man who collapsed in a bar after assaulting Shaun. Though Shaun lies about the circumstances behind finding Zack, Claire quickly figures it out for herself. Claire comforts Shaun over losing his job as best she can and coaches Shaun through asking someone out which later allows Shaun to ask out Dr. Carly Lever successfully. Following Shaun's collapse from his injuries, Claire learns from Zack that Shaun was acting weird before claiming that Zack had been misdiagnosed and collapsing. Recognizing the signs of Shaun figuring a patient's condition out in his head, Claire alerts Lim who is dubious until Zack begins crashing. Unable to wake Shaun up without endangering his life, Claire attempts to replicate his thought processes by replicating the conditions Shaun figured it out under, including getting a stool to stand on due to their height difference. Claire succeeds in figuring it out and saves Zack's life. When Shaun wakes up, Claire reassures him that Zack is fine thanks him.

At a board meeting about rehiring Shaun, Glassman brings up Claire's actions as proof that Shaun deserves his job back. Glassman tells the board that Shaun made Claire a better doctor because she looked at a problem through Shaun's eyes and saved a life, something that is extraordinary and proof that though Shaun may not communicate as others do, he does communicate and he inspires others. Though Han disagrees, Andrews unexpectedly agrees with Glassman and chooses to fire Han so that Shaun can be rehired.

Season 3[]

In "Disaster," Lim, as the new Chief of Surgery, announces that third-year residents can now lead their own surgeries, pleasing Shaun, Claire, Morgan and Park. Claire works with Shaun and Melendez on treating a newlywed bride who is discovered to have extensive cancer. At the same time, Claire avoids phone calls from her mother, not sure if she wants her mother in her life given their past. Claire asks Shaun for advice, admitting that she looks up to him on certain things and Shaun tells her that he doesn't really think about his past. Shaun, after Melendez forces him to give the patient the news, suggests a radical surgery to save her life with the alternative being almost certain death from cancer. When the bride hesitates to make a decision, Claire takes a softer approach than Shaun whose blunt honesty to the couple causes them to face their fears and agree to the surgery. Though it's a success, Claire has to deliver the news that the bride will now require an ileostomy bag for the rest of her life as a result of complications and gets to witness the husband promise to support his wife no matter what.

Throughout the episode, Claire listens to Shaun's story of his eventful first date with Carly Lever and is sympathetic when Shaun reveals that he believes it to be a disaster as he was overwhelmed by the unpredictability he experienced. As the two couples the team treated leave the hospital, Claire gives Shaun a speech about how it is all worth it to find someone who will love you and be there for you no matter what, but Shaun remains uncertain. After everything that she witnessed, Claire finally answers the phone when her mother calls her again.

In "Debts," Claire's mother has moved in with her after getting evicted. With her mother clearly off her medication and drinking again, Claire gives her a week to find a new place before Claire kicks her out and remains inflexible on the matter. At the same time, she works with Shaun and Andrews to treat a young man who had the side of his face destroyed after saving a total stranger from a groping on the subway. Though they are supposed to wire the patient's mouth shut permanently due to the extent of the damage, Andrews refuses to give up on the patient and Shaun devises an experimental surgery to save his face and speech. After the patient accepts despite the immense risks, Andrews, Claire and Shaun perform the surgery together. The patient begins crashing, but the three manage to save him and successfully complete the procedure. Lim later decides that Claire will be the first resident to lead her own surgery and inspired by the case, Claire agrees to let her mother stay longer with the conditions that she not drink, continues to take her meds, and see her doctor. Claire also continues giving Shaun advice on his relationship with Carly, leading Shaun to take inspiration from Claire's description of a more relaxed and informal date to continue his relationship with Carly.

Season 4[]

In "Vamos," Claire finds her calling helping patients in Guatemala and is offered a permanent job working at the hospital there. With Lim's encouragement, Claire accepts the job offer. Saying goodbye to her friends, Claire congratulates Park and Morgan on their new romantic relationship, stating that she'd seen it coming and she even shares a hug with Shaun for the first time ever. After the others leave, Claire's first patient proves to be a man who desperately needs a surgery to live, but whom they'd earlier had to pass over due to him getting ill.

Season 5[]

In "The Shaun Show," Claire makes a surprise appearance at Shaun and Lea's party to sing for them. The staff is overjoyed to see her again with Shaun even giving Claire two hugs despite his usual aversion to them.

In "The Lea Show", Claire announces that she has been offered the job of Chief of Surgery back in Guatemala. Everyone congratulates her, but she seems to be wary of Dr. Lim's opinion. The latter later admits thinking it might be difficult for Claire to be Chief of Surgery because she can get strongly emotionally involved with her patients and that can make her take questionable decissions or risks.

Personality[]

Claire's emotional intelligence (shown through her kindness and unmatched caring for her patients) and quick thinking earned her recognition and respect from the team working under Neil (whom she was implied to be attracted to). These traits allow her to communicate the most effectively with patients and especially with Shaun who, due to his autism, has a difficulty learning professional social cues. But regardless of her caring and warm nature, Claire keeps intimate relationships she has at a distance which can be seen in her strictly sexual relationship. This may be due to her upbringing with her abusive mother. However, even with all her emotional and physical trauma, Claire continues to demonstrate that the past does not define who anyone will be in the future.

Appearances[]

Ep. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7

Gallery[]

Promotional Photos[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Episode Stills[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Season 3[]

Trivia[]

  • She likes rocky road and salted caramel ice cream flavours
  • She plays the guitar taught by her mother , Breeze Browne.
  • She used to do morning runs with Neil Melendez , she stopped after his death in " I Love You,".
  • She was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) after the COVID-19 pandemic
  • She and Dr. Audrey Lim grew closer because of COVID-19 and the earthquake which killed Dr. Neil Melendez.
  • She develops many special friendships, like her and Shaun Murphy where they share their personal lives and give advice to each other. While her and Morgan Reznick are more competitive frenemies.
  • Her first surgery where she was a lead surgeon was a Open Cholecystectomy.
  • She drives a red SUV
  • She uses many types of headbands for work
  • Her work hairstyles are a ponytail , side braid , bun and half up half down bun.
  • Her work outfits are mostly a patterned botton-down top or a no sleeve solid colour top with unique designs and blouses.

References[]

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