Noah Wyle as Dr “Robby,” in “The Pitt” (Courtesy of Warrick Page, HBO/Max)
Alexia: Hi! I’m Alexia Bailey, a sophomore here at CU Boulder. While I may just be in my second year, I’m here to share everything I’ve picked up so far, which is a surprising amount of information. “What’s Eating at Alexia” is my unofficial and unfiltered guide to some of the things that being a CU Boulder Buff brings. Think of it as your guide to navigating everything that makes CU Boulder, well, CU Boulder. Whether you’re a freshman finding your footing or a senior with “no body, no crime” level grievances about finals week, I’m here to share my takes, tips and honest observations on everything from the sometimes-unpredictable Buff Bus system to navigating campus protests (or dodging them entirely). College is a wild, unforgettable ride, and “What’s eating at Alexia” is here to make sense of some of it, one opinion at a time.
As medical dramas continue to dominate streaming platforms and social media, their influence seems to be extending beyond entertainment. They’re shaping perceptions of what it means to work in medicine, and, in some instances, influencing young people to sign up for a version of the field that feels more cinematic than clinical.
HBO Max’s “The Pitt” is a perfect example of this influence. Unlike earlier medical dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “ER” that leaned heavily into romance and long-running character arcs, “The Pitt” markets itself as a grittier, more realistic portrayal of emergency medicine. The show unfolds in real time, hour by hour, immersing viewers in the chaos of an understaffed hospital, where doctors are forced to make split-second decisions with limited resources. It’s intense, fast-paced, and at times, deeply uncomfortable to watch.
This balance between authenticity and entertainment may be exactly what makes this show so influential. In fact, a 2021 study found that “medical dramas are very popular with health science students and are potentially useful as teaching tools for discussing issues related to bioethics and professionalism,” and with this wave of “realistic” medical shows, it might appeal even more to the prospective students. Malea Gonzalez, a third-year integrative physiology student at the University of Colorado Boulder, said she was drawn to “The Pitt” specifically because of its promise of realism and its popularity.
“I work at an urgent care, and a lot of the doctors I work with told me that they had to stop watching it (‘The Pitt’) because it reminds them of when they worked in the emergency room,” Gonzalez stated. “For that reason, I think it’s realistic.”
However, “The Pitt” is not without its faults. It’s often criticized for its overexplaining to audiences, its vilification of hospital administrators and the often-misinformation on how mandated reporting truly works in a hospital. It’s also condemned for being too intense, often using gore and nudity to drive home its realism. The main character, Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the senior emergency attending physician at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, is widely speculated to be suicidal, along with the night shift attending, Dr. Abbott, as they are both seen standing on the roof of the hospital building, almost at the edge.
However, even with these criticisms, the show’s impact doesn’t seem to diminish. The same elements that make “The Pitt” feel exaggerated to some viewers are what make it so gripping to others. By amplifying the most extreme, high-stakes moments of emergency medicine, the show reinforces the idea that the field is defined by constant urgency and adrenaline, rather than the quieter, more routine aspects that make up much of the job. That distinction matters, especially for students who are still forming their understanding of what a career in medicine actually looks like.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize that this isn’t the everyday of the ER. They definitely have a lot more chill days,” Gonzalez said. “Around this time of year, it’s just a lot of flu and sick visits; it’s not a waterslide collapse where everyone gets really hurt.”
When the most visible portrayals of the profession emphasize chaos over consistency, it can create a skewed perception of both the rewards and the realities of the field. The long hours, administrative burdens and emotional toll are present in “The Pitt,” but they are often framed in a way that still feels purposeful and almost heroic. The show does a wonderful job of framing the characters as flawed, yes, but it also illustrates their unwavering dedication to helping their patients, often at the doctor’s own expense. It’s shows like “The Pitt” that shape the way we imagine ourselves and the paths we might take.
For me, looking back, it’s hard to ignore how much the shows I watched growing up shaped the way I saw myself and my future. I mean, the CW’s “Supergirl” changed my life. Week after week, watching Kara Danvers navigate what it meant to be both powerful and compassionate, while still being a journalist, gave 9-year-old me a framework for understanding strength and, in a vague way, what it meant to be a journalist.
You see, seeing yourself represented in characters is often how we shape who we want to become.
I hope that “The Pitt” serves as both a catalyst and a warning to those consuming it. For students, it can spark a fascination with medicine and a desire to make a difference. However, it can also warp expectations by glorifying adrenaline-fueled heroics over the steady, often unglamorous reality of patient care. I also hope that Dr. Robby stands as a warning, showing the toll that constant pressure and emotional strain can take on even the most talented physicians.
So, to all of those aspiring medical students, I hope you know that “The Pitt” is a double-edged scalpel of inspiration and dramatization. But don’t worry, dearest readers, no matter how dramatic it gets, real ERs don’t come with a soundtrack.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Alexia Bailey at alexia.bailey@colorado.edu
