'The Pitt' Is Everyone's New Favorite Medical Drama — But Is It Based on a Real Hospital?

Since its debut in January 2025, the Max original medical drama The Pitt has quickly gained a massive following. The show, which has already been renewed for a second season, spans a single 15-hour emergency department shift at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, with each of the 15 episodes covering one hour of that shift.

That sounds like a pretty awesome concept, right? We think so, too!

Now, speaking of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, some fans have a few questions. For one, Is it based on a real-life hospital? Here's what you need to know!

If you were hoping that The Pitt’s fictional hospital is based on a real-life facility, we're afraid we've got some bad news — it's not. However, the creators did draw inspiration from an actual hospital, and that's where the connection to Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) comes into play.

In fact, a February 2025 report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed that Noah Wyle, who stars in, writes for, and executive produces the series, made sure to consult with real healthcare professionals while developing the show.

This included meeting with Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, the EMS medical director at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, who provided valuable insights to the writers.

Noah also visited Allegheny General Hospital, which the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette referred to as "the inspiration for the show's fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center." During his visits, he got the chance to meet with the emergency staff and learn more about the day-to-day realities of working in a hospital like AGH.

Even though much of the show's filming took place on a set designed to resemble Allegheny General at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, Calif., the production team made sure to include some authentic Pittsburgh touches.

According to CBS News, the show's crew spent three days filming in Pittsburgh, capturing stunning drone footage over the Allegheny General Hospital and around the city.

Some of the scenes even took place on the hospital's helipad, adding to the show's sense of authenticity. How cool is that?!

Now, have you've been curious about what real-life emergency medical professionals think of The Pitt? If so, we think you'll be happy to hear that several staff members from Allegheny General Hospital have given the show their stamp of approval!

Kathy Sikora, a registered nurse and the director of emergency services at AGH, told Pittsburgh Magazine in January 2025 that it's "the most realistic medical show I've seen."

Dr. Bobby Kapur, chair of the AHN Emergency Medicine Institute and a seasoned physician with 20 years of experience, agreed with Kathy Sikora.

He shared, "Unfortunately or fortunately, it really shows what's going on," adding that the variety of cases featured in the popular streaming series is exactly what he encounters on a typical day at the hospital.

Catch new episodes of The Pitt on Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST, only on Max.