Sam Bennett

"My mother spent way more time with me than some kids who had a father and a stay-at-home-mom."

- Sam Bennett

Samuel "Sam" Bennett is a founding partner of the Oceanside Wellness Center, he has written a book and lives beside Addison Forbes Montgomery.

History
Sam lives on the beach in Malibu, where he regularly talks to—and cooks chicken for—his dog, Thurgood Marshall. Sam and Addison are also friends dating back to medical school. Sam, Naomi, Addison and Derek were all medical students at Columbia. Sam and Addison now live next door to each other.

Sam also has asthma, which was partially the focus of his stay at Seattle Grace, since he is allergic to corn-based propellants, and he was given an inhaler with a corn-based propellant, causing an asthma attack.

Naomi Bennett
Sam met Naomi in medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The two married and had a daughter, Maya. Although the couple attempt to present the image of an amicably divorced couple, the post-marital relationship has, at times, been strained. The reasons for their divorce are unclear. In The Other Side of This Life, Sam professes to Addison that he had "no good reason" for requesting the divorce. In In Which We Meet Addison, A Nice Girl From Somewhere Else Sam states that he was "unhappy" and wanted Naomi to fight for their relationship.

The couple may be headed toward reconciliation. Sam and Naomi rekindle their sexual relationship in In Which Sam Gets Taken for a Ride, after Sam survives a hostage situation. Although Sam and Naomi called the conference-room sex a "slip up," the couple sleep together again in In Which Cooper Finds a Port in His Storm.

It appears that Sam and Naomi share joint custody of Maya, although her primary residence may be with Naomi. In In Which Addison Finds the Magic, Naomi states that Maya had asked to spend the entire week at Sam's home.

Sam and Naomi begin to repair their relationship after asking Naomi to leave her post as director at the Oceanside Wellness Center and Sam begins dating Sonya Nichols, a doctor working for the County Health Department and whom he met after a measles outbreak at the practice. Their relationship develops, and Maya also likes her. The first time they spend the night, Sam's asthma flares up and Sonya has to call an ambulance. Later on, they finally have sex, but not long into the relationship, Sam calls Sonya by the name of Naomi, signalling he is not over her, as Addison hinted to while they were at Seattle Grace.

Addison Forbes Montgomery
Sam and Addison were friends since Med school. In med school, he had asked her out but she turned him down due to Naomi liking him. When Addison moved to L.A., she learned that they lived next door.

Career
Dr. Sam Bennett, or "Doctor Feelgood" as he's known to patients across the globe, is another founding partner of the Oceanside Wellness Group and the practice's internist. He is the author of the best-selling non-fiction book, Body Language: The Mind-Body Connection. Oceanside Wellness Group, with its co-operative and whole-body approach to medicine, is illustrative of the views advocated in the book.

With Addison, Sam relieved Naomi of her administrative duties at Oceaside Wellness on learning the practice is going bankrupt. He took over, and introduced a "Board of Shame" (as Violet called it).

Eventually, all members of staff had enough of Sam's methods of increasing business at the practice, prompting a vote between Sam and Naomi, which, to the surprise of both Sam and Naomi, Addison won.

It is revealed when Miranda Bailey visits LA that Sam has completed a cardiothoracic surgical residency. Reasons as to why Sam became an internist instead of a cardiothoracic surgeon remained unknown until he was confronted with Dell's murderer and the man who hit Maya with his car. He let a pedophile die on the table by doing nothing to resuscitate him, causing him to feel guilty. He occasionally practices his cardiothoracic specialty at the hospital.

Notes and Trivia

 * Sam can't ride a bike.
 * Sam, along with Cooper Freedman, is the only character that appeared in every single episode of Private Practice.
 * Sam is the only cardiothoracic surgeon on both shows who completed a cardiothoracic surgery residency rather than complete a surgical residency followed by a cardio fellowship.
 * Although incorrect, Sam refers to himself as a cardiologist in 5x09.

Notable Episodes
These episodes are Sam-centric or otherwise very informative about his life.
 * The Next Episode