Zoe Hart is the protagonist. She is a girl with a plan. That plan is focused around her dedication to become a doctor - more specifically, a cardiothoracic surgeon like her father, Mr. Hart. As she told Dr. Harley Wilkes, who sought her out at her graduation from medical school to offer her a position in his medical practice, "Our last name is Hart so it's pre-destined" (Pilot) . She thinks her life is perfect - until four years later, it all comes crashing down.