Chalke, speaking about her character, has noted how much Elliot changed through the run of "Scrubs". At the start of the series, Elliot was a competitive and independent person until she realized that she needed the help and support of her co-workers. Chalke said that Elliot's transformation in the episode "My Own American Girl" did not really help her life, and that Elliot was still "on a never-ending journey to find respect Season 4, and now she's a lot more confident and together."