Warning: This article contains spoilers forThe Pitt.
At the start of 2025, Max began airing its new medical drama,The Pitt, which has garnered increasingly good reviews because of its almost total accuracy to real-life emergency rooms. Created by R. Scott Gemmill,The Pittis set at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital over the course of a single 15-hour shiftin the emergency department. Centering on seasoned attendings, sassy nurses, and nervous interns,The Pittshowsthe incredible highs of saving lives, while also exploring the darkest parts of the American healthcare system.
On its own,The Pittis a brilliant TV series. It is fast-paced, entertaining, and full of moving themes that any audience member can relate to. It definitely feels reminiscent of the iconic 1990s medical drama,ER,which Gemmill worked on for several years, alongsideThe Pitt’slead actor, Noah Wyle. Yet, what really makesThe Pittstand out is its attention to detail. According toThe New York Times,countless medical professionals have felt seen by the series, almost to a worrying degree. Truthfully,The Pittdelves into some of the worst elements of American emergency departments.
11The Nationwide Nursing Shortage
What Is Causing The U.S.’s Nursing Shortage
One of the earliest issuesThe Pitttackles when it comes to emergency departments is the nationwide nursing shortage. In the very first episode,Dr. Robby is confronted by medical director Gloria, who warns that the emergency department needs to get their patient satisfaction scores up. When Robby argues that having more nurses would help solve this problem, Gloria counters by pointing outthere’s a nationwide shortage of nurses. As it turns out, this is not just a dramatic device created by the show, but is a serious problem in the United States.
According to theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be an average of 193,000 job openings for nurses per year until 2032. However, only 177,000 nurses are expected to take on these jobs within that very same timeframe. Generally,the nursing shortage has to do with the Baby Boomer generation needing more health careat the same time as older nurses are entering retirement age. Ultimately, there are not enough new nurses to take their places or to cover this rising demand in care, (American Association of Colleges of Nursing.)
10Long Waiting Room Times
The Pitt Shows The Risk Of Long Wait Times
A troubling side effect of the nursing shortage thatThe Pittalso explores heavily is long waiting room times.Throughout the entire first season ofThe Pitt,audiences see the ER’s waiting roomalmost always at full capacity. Sick people are forced to wait for hours to be seen, with many growing more and more frustrated. Although the staff attempt to keep their soon-to-be patients calm, explaining that they see people based on the severity of their illness, that does not prevent people from getting angry, or worse, violent.
10 Best Movies & TV Shows Like The Pitt
HBO Max’s new medical drama, The Pitt, has become an instant hit among viewers, and fortunately, there are countless other similar projects.
Once again, long waiting room times are not just a dramatic set piece, but are a real problem for Americans. Data fromBecker’s Hospital Reviewstates that the longest average ER wait times in the U.S. include 314 minutes (Washington, D.C.), 250 minutes (Maryland), 218 minutes (Rhode Island), and 216 minutes (Massachusetts.) Ultimately,The Pittshows how detrimental these wait times can be, not only for the hospital but for patients as well. As doctors earn decreased patient satisfaction scores, patients run the risk of getting worse or losing out on a day of work.
9The Constant Shortage Of Beds
The ER Is Not Necessarily Conducive To Healing
One more issue that interweaves with emergency departments' lack of nurses and long wait times is a lack of beds. In yet another heated conversation with Gloria,Dr. Robby makes it clear that there need to be more beds within the ERand up in the ICU. Patients that need intensive care are forced to remain in the ER because there aren’t enough beds upstairs, which only extends the wait time for patients who haven’t even been seen by emergency doctors yet. Ultimately, this is the third part of a cruel cycle within American hospitals, whichThe Pittportrays perfectly.
Patients that need intensive care are forced to remain in the ER because there aren’t enough beds upstairs, which only extends the wait time for patients who haven’t even been seen by emergency doctors yet.
Interestingly, the hospital bed shortage has been more of a recent issue for hospitals. After the COVID-19 pandemic,average hospital occupancy rose from 64% to 75%, (UCLA Health.) In the face of the nursing shortage, this increased demand is worrying, and researchers fear the lack of beds will only get worse. AsThe Pittproves, a decrease in hospital beds means more and more patients being forced to remain in bright lights and chaotic noise while they should be resting and healing.
8Hospitals Being Too Focused On Cost Effectiveness & Efficiency
The Pitt Proves There’s No Perfect Way To Run A Hospital
Of course, all of the above problems fall into one overarching issue: hospitals putting money and efficiency over patients. To be fair,The Pittdefinitely dramatizes its administrators, specifically Gloria. According to a doctor interviewed byVulture,administrators are not likely to come down to the ER to argue about these issues mid-shift. However, the struggle to keep hospitals running efficiently while also maintaining the highest patient care is a big issue that hospitals all over the country are facing.
The Pittseason 2 is slated to have 15 episodes in total.
The best part ofThe Pittexploring this problem is that it doesn’t try to offer one simple solution, because in real life, solving hospital efficiency is not an easy fix. For example, Dr. Robby chides Dr. Mohan for taking too long with patients, making the waiting room line even longer. However,Dr. Mohan argues that she only takes so long because she cares about connecting with her patients, which ultimately leads to better patient satisfaction scores. This scenario showcases how there are countless details to consider when trying to run a good hospital.
7Healthcare Workers Experiencing Post-Covid Trauma & Burnout
Why Dr. Robby’s Story Is So Valuable
Speaking of the pandemic,The Pittdoes a good job at subtly weaving in the effects of COVID-19 on hospital workers. Through flashbacks, audiences have seen Dr. Robby’s traumatic experience caring for his mentor, who ultimately died in the hospital from COVID-19 complications. While Dr. Robby was clearly devastated by the loss of his friend and colleague, the series shows how the pandemic only amplified these feelings of despair. Stuck behind a plastic mask and working for hours on end,Dr. Robby’s story pulls back the curtain on a huge part of recent American history.
The Pitthas offered up a number of really significant topics over the course of its first season, but the pandemic may be one of the most interesting - and valuable. Considering that the pandemic was only five years ago, it is rare for movies and TV to openly discuss the event. For many audiences, it feels too soon. However,The Pittcarefully and skillfully shows a pandemic story that viewers might actually want to know about.Dr. Robby’s experienceis just one of millions faced by real medical staff, and audiences should know more about these tragic circumstances.
6Violence Against Hospital Staff
The Pitt Does Not Overdramatize, Even Its Worst Moments
Aside from administrative issues,The Pittincludes more intense problems that real-life hospital staff also struggle with, including violence. As previously mentioned, annoyances like long wait times can cause frustration on the part of patients, causing some to resort to violence. In one episode, a male patient who has grown increasingly irate approaches Dana in front of the hospital and punches her in the face. Though shocking and sickening, this is behavior that isn’t uncommon in hospitals, and in fact, has proven to be much worse in some circumstances.
The Pitt’sdepictions of violence against hospital staff are scarily accurate.
A recent article by theAmerican College of Surgeonsreveals that healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than other professions. Worse than that,healthcare workers make up 73% of nonfatal workplace injuriesand illnesses caused by said injuries. Unfortunately, violence against hospital staff seems to be on the rise, and stories like Dana’s are not only true, but are not overly dramatized in the least.The Pitt’sdepictions of violence against hospital staff are scarily accurate.
5Prejudice Faced By Patients & Hospital Workers
How Hospital Prejudice Can Turn Fatal
In the same vein,The Pittoften shows how racism plays a role in hospitals for both patients and staff. For example, the same patient who hits Dana makes a racist remark to Mateo earlier in the season. Unable to defend himself without causing more trouble, Mateo’s only response is that he will keep an eye on the patient. On the other hand,another episode sees Dr. Mohan ushering in an African American patient who EMTs believe is seeking drugs, but is actuallysuffering from Sickle Cell Disease.
The Pitt Episode 3’s Worst Decision Feels Like A Dark Disaster In The Making
The Pitt has one storyline that could become a massive disaster, and Dr. Robby made a decision in episode 3 that might have made it even worse.
Regardless of who is facing prejudice inThe Pitt,it is clear that these situations can have grave consequences. In the case of Mateo, his racist patient went on to enact violence against a hospital worker. However, his racist remark may not have been taken seriously if it had been reported. Even more dangerous is the scenario of Dr. Mohan’s patient.If Mohan had not believed her patient’s diagnosis of Sickle Cell, she would have gone through horrific pain, and her condition could have even worsened.
4The Long Hours & Fast Pace Of The ER
The Pitt’s Format Is Integral For Its Accuracy
As opposed to other medical dramas,The Pittstands out for its unique format, and as it turns out, this format helps make the show feel more realistic. Thus far,The Pitthas taken place over the course of a single daywith every episode being a single hour in a 15-hour shift. In this way, the season has followed the stories of certain patients over several installments, while also jumping between different doctors and their personal issues. Not only has this proven to be a fascinating storytelling strategy, but it helps audiences feel the intensity of the ER setting.
The Pitt’sformat parallelz how actual ER doctors work. For one thing, the staff at the Pitt are on the job for 15 hours straight, and the show doesn’t easily forget that, showing them eating, taking breaks, and using the bathroom just like any real employee would. Furthermore,The Pitthas no time to linger on petty drama or personal issues. The show treats its characters as real doctors who must leave their baggage at the door to treat their most dire cases. This may be one ofThe Pitt’smost impressive feats.
3How A Teaching Hospital Operates
The Pitt’s Interns Offer Great Perspective
Despite being one of the more minor details of the series, one thingThe Pittnails is how a teaching hospital operates. In real life, not every hospital introduces students into the medical environment in such a hands-on way, yetThe Pitt’sPittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital does. That is why there are a number of new recruits in the show, including Dr. Santos, Dr. King, Whitaker, and Javadi. In hisVultureinterview, Dr. Lukas Ramcharran explains thatDr. Robby’s teaching method is incredibly accurate. His constant fluctuation between helping, giving space, and offering moral support is perfect.
The Pitt Season 2: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Max’s gripping new medical drama series The Pitt offers an unflinching and real look inside a hospital, and now it has scored a season 2 renewal.
In some ways,The Pitt’sinterns are some of the most educational partsof the series, at least from an emotional perspective. Audiences are able to see how vulnerable and terrifying it is to be responsible for other peoples' health. Sometimes, egos can get in the way like in the case of Dr. Santos. On the other hand, personal issues can help or hinder a new doctor, like Dr. King. Ultimately,this part ofThe Pittis small, but helps make the show so much more authentic.
2The Moral Dilemmas Faced By ER Workers
The Pitt Showcases The Real Lows Of Illness & Injury
At the end of the day,the most incredible element ofThe Pittis its ability to respectfully yet truthfully show the hardest moments of peoples' lives.As ER staff, the cast ofThe Pittare often put into impossible situations which they must handle with grace and care. Dr. Robby is one of the most skilled doctors in this regard, giving the Bradleys plenty of time to grieve their son after his brain death. While medical dramas can be entertaining for their strange cases or steamy drama,The Pitt’sbiggest strength is its emotional depth.
The Pitt’sraw portrayals of loss, trauma, and healing are one of the most realistic aspects of the series.The show almost never flinches away from reality, and that is a good thing. It is more entertaining, sure, but it also allows audiences to relate to the show on a deeper level. Some day, everyone will be faced with a hard decision or a devastating loss, andThe Pittis here to show how medical staff try their hardest to make these situations just a little bit easier.
