Eric Foreman becomes House’s boss after Lisa Cuddy leaves Princeton-Plainsboro in House M.D. Foreman serves as Dean of Medicine during the show’s eighth season.
Foreman’s promotion follows a long progression from House’s original diagnostic fellow to an experienced neurologist and hospital leader. His familiarity with House gives the arrangement unusual tension: Foreman understands House’s abilities, but he also knows the risks created by House’s impulsive behavior and disregard for authority.
Foreman is sometimes confused with James Wilson because both hold senior positions and supervise House at different points. Wilson is an oncologist and House’s closest friend, while Foreman is a neurologist who becomes an administrator. Cuddy’s departure occurs at the end of season 7, making Foreman’s appointment part of the institutional reset that opens the final season.