The Pitt: Medical Drama and Clinical Reality

Date: Monday, February 8, 2027 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Location: Mayer Auditorium

Type: Conversation

Genre: Cinematic Arts, Medical Dramas

ADMISSION: 
Admission is free and open to everyone. Reservations required. RSVP beginning Monday, January 4, at 10 a.m. 

DESCRIPTION: 
One of television’s most talked-about medical dramas, The Pitt has captivated audiences with its striking realism and unflinching portrayal of life inside a hospital emergency room. Join writers and actors from the series alongside health care professionals and media experts for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the show’s impact on medical education and clinical care, with a particular emphasis on representations of clinical team relationships, burnout, and health justice. 

The conversation will feature special guests from The PittErica Rosenthal from the USC Norman Lear Center, and Stuart Swadron from the Keck School of USC Department of Emergency Medicine. 

This Is One Part of a Series! 
This conversation is part of “As Seen on TV”: Medical Education, Entertainment, and the Reality of Healthcare, a Medical Humanities, Arts, and Ethics event series exploring how medical shows have captivated audiences and shaped our understanding of health care, illness, and the people who provide care. 

Related Event: 
Seeing Patients: Empathy in TV Medical Dramas 
Tuesday, February 9, at 7 p.m. 
Ginsburg Hall 
More info and RSVP 

Bios: 
Erica L. Rosenthal is Director of Research at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center and the Media Impact Project. A social psychologist with more than 20 years of experience, she studies how media narratives influence audiences’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Her research has explored topics including health equity, immigration, reproductive rights, and gender-based violence. Rosenthal holds a PhD from Claremont Graduate University and regularly speaks and writes about the social impact of storytelling and media.

Stuart P. Swadron, MD, FACEP, is Adjunct Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine and Medical Education at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Editor-in-Chief of CorePendium, an online reference for emergency and acute care medicine. After beginning his career as a general practitioner in underserved communities in British Columbia, he completed specialty training in emergency medicine and joined USC, where he served in leadership roles including residency program director, vice chair for education, and assistant dean.

Presented by USC Visions and Voices. Organized by Erika Wright (Medical Education and English) and Adam Scott Weissman (School of Cinematic Arts). Co-sponsored by the HEAL (Humanities, Ethics, Art, and the Law) Program.  


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