Warning! SPOILERS about Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 5 ahead.

Schmitt’s story took center stage in Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s release, two major exits had already been confirmed, resulting in new intern Mika Yasuda and longtime resident Levi Schmitt both ending up away from Grey Sloan Memorial. While the arrival of Mika’s younger sister and her cancer hinted at Mika’s exit storyline including its fair share of drama, season 21, episode 5 seemingly showed Levi’s story will go in the opposite direction.

First introduced in Grey’s Anatomy season 14’s premiere, Levi Schmitt belonged to a group of interns that thrived studying from Grey Sloan’s doctors at a time Meredith Grey earned her Harper Avery but who also suffered the most as Grey Sloan lost its residency program. Between that and briefly leaving his residency after his not following the Webber method painstakingly killed his patient, Levi had a difficult path. Still, deciding on a specialty in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 seemingly put him back on track, before his ABSITE scores ended up being too low to be considered for a Peds fellowship.

Schmitt's Ofelia Case Proved He Was Right To Choose Peds In Grey's Anatomy Season 20

Schmitt Seemed To Choose Peds Out Of Convenience But It Actually Is His Calling

Schmitt’s insistent way of showing his interest in Peds to Monica Beltran in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 annoyed her into recommending him as a possible fellow. Schmitt putting the hours in Peds and having someone who backed him all but secured him a future in the specialty of his choice, but everything veered off the moment Schmitt’s ABSITE scores weren’t high enough for it. Nevertheless, how Schmitt handled Ofelia’s case in Grey’s Anatomy season 21, episode 5 proved his initial specialty choice right, having him look out for her wellbeing despite the death-defying circumstances he and Adams found themselves in.

That Schmitt overcame his terror of helicopters during a storm because his attention was focused on treating Ofelia confirms even more how his ABSITE scores mattered less than his natural inclination for Peds.

While Schmitt’s specialty choice in Grey’s Anatomy season 20 seemed wrong because it looked like he chose it out of convenience, the way Schmitt cared for Ofelia’s health and quality of life made it evident how Peds was his calling. Without his intuition, Ofelia would have likely lost her leg because of the storm delaying their arrival. That Schmitt overcame his terror of helicopters during a storm because his attention was focused on treating Ofelia confirms even more how his ABSITE scores mattered less than his natural inclination for Peds, making his losing the chance at that specialty more unjust.

How ing Beltran's Colleague In Texas Sets Up Schmitt's Best Future

An Alternative Path Toward A Peds Fellowship Can Give Schmitt What He Wants

How Schmitt saved Ofelia wasn’t lost on Beltran, who finally saw how Peds was Schmitt’s calling, going as far as to it how she had never been “more certain than a resident belongs in Peds.” Beltran’s proposal to send Schmitt to do research with her colleague in Texas before reapplying for a Peds fellowship thus charts Schmitt’s future away from Grey Sloan, but also closer to his dream specialty, making it the best possible exit storyline for him, as it would move him closer to his goal.

Schmitt’s budding relationship with Grey’s Anatomy season 21’s new chaplain James can also be factored in Schmitt’s potential move to Texas and happily ever after. Getting to know him already revealed how James loved traveling and had done so a lot. This would make Schmitt’s move to Texas an opportunity to have his professional and personal happily ever after. Indeed, moving away from Grey Sloan Memorial to pursue the specialty of his choice and not having to lose his precious connection to James would make Schmitt’s exit storyline in Grey’s Anatomy season 21 the best it could possibly be.

Grey’s Anatomy season 21 returns with a new episode on November 7, 2024, at 10pm on ABC.