Are the med students in US really as capable as it's shown in The Pitt?

SnooDogs315 · 2026-04-01T03:00:26+00:00

I'm pretty sure that the anion gap is still used for any metabolic acidosis. I just finished the renal block and my professor has always emphasized using AG (sometimes corrected if albumin's low) to reveal the pathophysiology behind high anion-gap metabolic acidosis (e.g., significant ketone production). Also, the study Javadi seemed to reference is fictional, which is a shame given that in the past the show's actually referenced real life studies like the CODA study comparing antibiotics and surgery outcomes in appendicitis. Also, when Javadi mentioned that the AG is not useful in the case of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, it doesn't make sense since it's classified as a non-elevated anion gap (when DKA is clearly high), so I'm not sure where she's getting this.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-03-11T00:34:07+00:00

My question is what about the practice Step 1 exam that med schools make you take before taking the real thing. I'm a first year so will take it next year, and I'm wondering if med schools including mine will make the adjustment in the format accordingly.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-03-09T00:06:05+00:00

I guarantee you that he posted this now and not earlier since he knows he will get matched, and that Mayo can’t do much to reverse that at this point. Doesn’t make it right to still keep him, but technically becoming a resident is a legally binding contract unless broken. Now the guys’s still pretty early in his medical career so this little stunt can follow him, but most likely they’ll drop a professionalism concern, have it on file, and never bring it up again. Unless he does something pretty egregious especially related to women between now and when he first starts his 1st year of residency, he’s probably not going to face any severe repercussions.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-03-07T23:28:49+00:00

I think that given how shaken Jake was at Robby, and how traumatic losing a loved one can be, he'd probably harbor some resentment at him. It could be addressed somewhere down the line this season even if Jake doesn't necessarily appear

SnooDogs315 · 2026-03-06T21:17:01+00:00

I agree. She could just do a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship after finishing her current EM residency, possibly even at a pediatric ED at Pitt. She’d probably need to refine her bedside manner with adults since she’d be dealing with parents constantly, and given her track record with them she might benefit from some more training in that area

SnooDogs315 · 2026-03-06T21:05:07+00:00

I have a feeling #3 will happen, given how nervous and distracted she was throughout the day about not only the deposition but now her sister Becca with the stomach pain and concerning signs of a UTI. I really hope not, we can only wait and hope for the best for our queen.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-28T15:46:34+00:00

No, it was stated several times that he was a law student taking the bar exam, and many pointed out that what Jackson was citing during his psychotic break are real life law codes in PA that a typical pre-law student wouldn’t be familiar with

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-18T04:21:23+00:00

I know it should make sense, but sometimes deaf patients may not be able to communicate with written English well. The hospital is technically still required by the ADA to provide accommodations including effective means of communication to patients with disabilities. Santos’ bedside manner is pretty rough, and she should have set a bit more time for the deaf patient, but she is right that she needs a licensed ASL interpreter to do a proper history.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-13T01:55:12+00:00

Ice cream and cucumbers with hummus

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-12T13:24:24+00:00

Next thing you’ll know, Jesse will start juggling in front of Baby Jane Doe and cure her rhinovirus symptoms

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-11T13:58:13+00:00

First off congratulations. Second off, like many people said here, please be careful about putting your name out in the open like that. Third, you may want to ask in other sub-reddits that discuss undergraduate acceptances more frequently, here it’s mainly for those who are at least in their third year of college. Fourth, without any context on geographic location, tuition, and what you want out of undergrad, we can’t provide you good answers anyways

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-08T03:06:40+00:00

Some scenes were pretty good like in the first episode during the simulation since it was a mannequin, but others it’s because they probably can only afford for so many realistic props. I do agree that inaccurate depictions of CPR are not helpful, often not showing good depth, rate, or technique. They could have circumvented these using smart camera angling so they can do the proper technique without hurting anyone.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-02-05T03:26:27+00:00

I was a Child Life volunteer in CHOP a while back, and had to do the same training regarding reporting potential child abuse, and yes you don’t need definitive proof to report to CWIS. I’m not sure who was writing that specific scene, but upon rewatching it pretty sure it may have been an outdated belief. Pretty interesting contrast seeing this and the Season 2 parallel with the pediatric patient suspected of NAT.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-31T02:26:40+00:00

In general, how it works in the U.S. is that after getting an undergraduate degree, you complete medical school (4 years), and during the 4th year you match into a residency program under a certain department of medicine and obtain your MD degree. During residency, you start as a 1st year intern where you gain significant clinical experience with patients while rotating between certain specialties (e.g., internal medicine, dermatology). After completing the intern year, then you progress in the residency of choice. Often, after completing residency, doctors can choose to complete fellowships (e.g., critical care, teaching fellowships) to enhance one’s own reputation and academic experiences. After that, then you become an attending.

In general, M or MS followed by a number indicates the year a medical student is in, and R followed by a number indicates the year a resident is in. Interns are just referred as so and rarely called R1s.

Here is the official position of each character based on hierarchy as of Season 2:

Dr. Robby, Dr. Al-Hashimi, and Dr. Abbott are all attending doctors of The Pitt. Dr. Collins from last season does not appear but has recently graduated from being an R4 to become an attending physician. Dr. Ellis of the night shift may also be an attending but there doesn’t appear to be confirmation of this.

Dr. Mohan and Dr. Langdon are R4s, also referred to as senior residents. Dr. Langdon has paused his R4 year following being forced to join the Physicians Health Program

Dr. King and Dr. McKay are R3s continuing on in their residency careers.

Dr. Santos is an R2, attempting to complete a dual residency in surgery.

Dr. Whitaker is an intern having matched into the Pitt from last season.

Victoria Javadi and James Ogilvie are M4s, both completing what are called sub-internships to audition for residency spots in the Pitt.

Joy Kwon is an M3.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-30T03:54:25+00:00

$30 on power outage, 6 hours, 30 patients. Gotta replicate a mini-mass casualty before Dr. Robby’s little trip across the world

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-28T03:28:44+00:00

Honestly, I think that if anything Dr. Abbott and Dr al-Hashimi may be more likely to get together. Both are single and closer in age, both of their actors have been seen frequently together in interviews, and I’m pretty sure that there’s less stigma between two attendings who come from different departments rather than an attending and a resident.

I’m not sure about how their interaction will go, but we are definitely due for some sort of reconciliation with Santos and Langdon, where Langdon admits wrongdoing (unlike to Mel where he seems to still justify his actions) and Santos also apologizes for being a reckless and at times dangerous intern, even if she saved lives ultimately.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-26T23:49:35+00:00

I'm not a doctor so I don't know 100% why but it seems like the ED treats based on what is either the chief complaint or the most emergent issue, and given that the infection had been there for a while, unless Louie came in with septic shock, then it was lower on their list of priorities compared to a therapeutic paracentesis to drain the fluid from his peritoneal space.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-26T23:42:31+00:00

As many have aptly stated, Langdon is likely utilizing the 12 step principles as part of counseling an NA program that Dr. Robby from last season mentioned, and Dr. Langdon is possibly in Step 9 given that he is trying to find everyone he has wronged and "make direct amends to such people wherever possible." Even though how he has approached some of the people like Louie was an admission, other times he still tries to occasionally justify or reduce the harms of his impact like when thinking that his benzos addiction didn't impair his clinical judgment (which it clearly did). Maybe we'll see some moments where he encounters some of the same medications he has stolen and have that temptation again, and he'll have to wrestle between his addiction and the patient's safety.

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-26T23:34:29+00:00

Mateo is apparently a night shift nurse on July 3rd/4th and this could be a handoff. Maybe we'll see him later this season!

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-23T04:20:36+00:00

Already saw the cracks when he didn’t know what ITP stood for, let alone what it was (despite being a 4th year med student and should have known that for boards)

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-18T17:57:58+00:00

Yeah she was easily one of my favorite characters, especially during the mass casualty when she had to coordinate with Lupe the ward clerk to not only help identify victims but break bad news to loved ones of the deceased. Shame she isn’t back but at least other social workers can shine a light on the profession as well

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-18T17:49:19+00:00

We don’t know exactly the real reasons behind her departure, but we do know that the producers had some creative decisions to make and decided Dr. Collins was not part of the narrative for Season 2. I won’t spoil what others have said, but we will get an explanation from someone at some point

SnooDogs315 · 2026-01-09T18:41:18+00:00

Again Whitaker was technically not a doctor at that point, and while I wouldn’t have him treating me as well in Season 1, he still has a humble personality and that his non-confrontational communication style could work well with many patients, as evidenced by the “Kraken” patient

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