How Real Doctors Brought ‘The Pitt’ To Life

We go inside the scientifically accurate ER world created for the TV show with one of its medical consultants.

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A group of actors playing doctors on a TV show.
From left to right: Actors Shabana Azeez, Noah Wyle, and Supriya Ganesh in “The Pitt.” Photograph by Warrick Page/Max

What is it actually like to work in an emergency room? To deal with overcrowded waiting rooms, a shortage of hospital beds, and a constant flow of life-and-death health conditions—while trying to maintain your sanity at the same time?

That’s the focus of “The Pitt,” a new medical drama on Max from the creators of “ER,” starring one of that show’s key actors, all grown up: Noah Wyle. The first season takes place over a single shift, and each episode is one hour of that shift in real time. And medical professionals are praising the show for its accuracy.

Joining Host Ira Flatow to talk about the accuracy of the show is one of its medical consultants, Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah,  associate professor of pediatrics and emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.


Universe of Art is hosted and produced by Dee Peterschmidt, who also wrote the music. Our show art is illustrated by Abelle Hayford. And support for Science Friday’s science and arts coverage comes from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Do you have science-inspired art you’d like to share with us for a future episode? Send us an email or a voice memo to universe@sciencefriday.com.

Meet the Writer

About Dee Peterschmidt

Dee Peterschmidt is a producer, host of the podcast Universe of Art, and composes music for Science Friday’s podcasts. Their D&D character is a clumsy bard named Chip Chap Chopman.

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