Rob Lowe's first day of filming for CBS' Code Black had him, of all things, jumping out of a helicopter -- and ET was right there with him on set!

"This is my first day, first scene, first rescue," Lowe told ET. "There's jet engines blowing fans. There are two bodies on the beach. There are 30 extras ... It's overwhelming."

WATCH: Rob Lowe Is a Quick Study on the Set of 'Code Black'

The West Wing alum makes his debut on the medical drama as military doctor Ethan Willis, whose first mission is saving a shark attack victim.

While this isn't Lowe's first time playing a doctor (he had an unforgettable turn as Liberace's plastic surgeon in Behind the Candelabra), the intensity of his new role called for some intensive training.

"There was a class," Lowe said, sporting a crew cut for the part. "They had four or five different trauma cases set up and we would all rotate through them. There were sutures -- that would be one. Another would be how to incubate someone, or how to put in a chest line."

PICS: Rob Lowe Scrubs in for His First Day on 'Code Black'

Lowe noted that his newfound skills could become useful in real life.

"I got your back if you need a Heimlich," Lowe joked.

Lowe dons scrubs alongside co-stars Marcia Gay Harden and Luis Guzman for Code Black's season two premiere airing Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.