- Dr. Shaun Murphy: The day that the rain smelled like ice cream, my bunny went to heaven in front of my eyes. The day that the copper pipes in the old building smelled like burnt food, my brother went to heaven in front of my eyes. I couldn't save them. It's sad. Neither one had the chance to become an adult. They should have become adults. They should have had children of their own and loved those children and I want to make that possible for other people. And I want to make a lot of money so that I can have a television.
- Dr. Claire Browne: You're new to town, right?
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: Yes.
- Dr. Claire Browne: Well, I'm sure you have a lot of questions.
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: No.
- Dr. Claire Browne: Uh... you got to be curious about the place, about the people.
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: Dr. Glassman gave me a map of the hospital, and I got a map of San Jose online.
- Dr. Claire Browne: Okay. Great.
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: [she stands to leave] I do have one question.
- Dr. Claire Browne: Yeah?
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: Why were you rude to me when we first met, then nicer to me the second time we met, and now you want to be my friend? Which time was it that you were pretending?
- Dr. Neil Melendez: I remember my first. I kept thinking it doesn't get any better than this. But for you, I'm afraid, that's literally true. You're a nice a kid, and you're obviously very smart, but you don't belong here. So, as long as you're part of my team, this is all you're ever going to be doing, suction.
- Dr. Shaun Murphy: I saw a lot of surgeons in medical school. You're much better than them. I have a lot to learn from you. You're very arrogant. Do you think that helps you be a good surgeon? Does it hurt you as a person? Is it worth it?
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: Autism, a mental condition characterized by difficulty in communicating and using language and abstract concepts. That's the definition. Does it sound like I'm describing a surgeon?
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: He's not Rain Man. He's high-functioning. He's capable of living on his own, capable of managing his own affairs.
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: High-functioning. Is that our new hiring standard?
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: If it were, you wouldn't be here. I'm sorry, is this really necessary? Really? A special meeting of the Board of Directors - as much as I love you all - questioning one of my hiring decisions? Did you bother to look up the definition of "President" while you were skimming the dictionary?
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: The vote was clear. Why are we re-opening this? Is it really because of a piece of publicity?
- Jessica Preston: It's because the man just saved somebody's life.
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: And thank God for that, but it doesn't change a single thing we discussed.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: Give him six months. If he proves anything less than excellent...
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: Someone "less than excellent" means someone else dies.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: Well, I... I would love to make you happy, Doctor. I would love to hire someone who never, ever makes a mistake. Unfortunately, God already has a job.
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: I can accept that he will have insights that none of the rest of us will have. Can you accept that he will make mistakes none of the rest of us will make? You won't be the one who pays the price.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: If Shaun doesn't live up to everything I know he can do, he will be immediately released. And I will resign my position as president of this hospital.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: I vetted him like I would any other candidate.
- Allegra Aoki: And you genuinely thought that this Board wouldn't reasonably have any doubts about hiring a surgeon who's been diagnosed with autism? So justify your decision.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: I met Shaun Murphy when he was fourteen years old. I was living in Wyoming at the time. He was, and he still is, an extraordinary young man. Yes, he has autism, but he also has savant syndrome - genius-level skills in several areas. He has almost perfect recall. He has spatial intelligence. And he sees things and analyzes things in ways that... that are just remarkable. In ways that we can't even begin to understand. Those are assets. Undeniable assets for any doctor, particularly a surgeon.
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: A surgeon needs to communicate. Not just information, but sympathy, empathy. Can Dr. Murphy do that? He can't even reliably show up for a job interview. Are you gonna sit here and tell us that there were no equally qualified young surgeons, surgeons without this one's... issues?
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: No. Which is why - exactly why - we should hire Shaun. We should hire him because he is qualified and because he is different. How long ago was it that we wouldn't hire black doctors in this hospital? How m... how long ago was it that we wouldn't hire female doctors at this hospital?
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: So you're comparing being African-American or a woman with being autistic. Please, go on.
- Dr. Aaron Glassman: Okay. The rationalization is exactly the same. Words like "temperament" and "Oh, no! Ohh! How are the patients going to react?". Aren't we judged by how we treat people? I don't mean as doctors. I mean as people. Especially those who... who don't have the same advantages that we have. We hire Shaun, and we give hope to those people with limitations and that those limitations are not what they think they are, that they *do* have a shot! We hire Shaun, and we make this hospital better for it. We hire Shaun, and we are better people for it.
- Dr. Marcus Andrews: We'd be "better people", spending a lot more on malpractice insurance.