WORCESTER, Mass. - A Worcester principal is savoring her time in the spotlight after trading the classroom for the operating room, appearing as an extra on the NBC medical drama "Chicago Med." 

Heard Street Discovery Academy’s own Cindy Vail had the brush with stardom while spending some time in Chicago during February break, and the episode aired Wednesday night. It all started because she decided to catch up with her childhood friend Rick Clark, who happens to be a director on the long-running series. 

“I was never thinking I was going to be on the show, never even thought I would be so close to the production and seeing the actual taping of it,” Vail said. 

While she initially watched from behind the scenes, when filming paused for awhile, it became clear the higher-ups had a bit more in store for her. 

“Next thing you know, I was being taken to wardrobe to become a nurse,” Vail said. “Like, ‘What am I going to do? Can I do this?”

She said it was eye-opening to see how many takes are required to shoot a scene, and how every little detail is so important. Vail was also struck by how kind everyone was on set. 

Extras aren’t usually supposed to talk to the big stars, but being friends with a director has its perks. While filming an elevator scene, she had plenty of time between takes to talk to Luigi Sottile, who plays a character named Sean Archer. 

“We would stop and talk, and come to find out he was telling me his mom is a principal,” Vail said. “He was more asking me questions about what it’s like to be a principal of an elementary school and how he’s always been fascinated by his mom’s job. I was like, ‘No, tell me about your day-to-day!”

As a longtime fan of the show, it was an experience she’ll never forget, and while her surprise appearance sparked a newfound appreciation for acting, Vail has no plans to leave the principal’s office anytime soon. 

“I would joke about it saying ‘I could do this,’ and then when you’re really put in that position, it’s more like, ‘Wow, this is really involved and not what I do day-to-day,” Vail said. “Very different.”