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Noah Wyle may have shone a light on the medical field through ER, and most recently, The Pitt, but another fictional emergency department show has portrayed the risks and pressures of working in the medical field for 10 seasons. Hailing all the way from the Windy City is none other than Chicago Med, one of the many shows in the growing Chicago universe. Chicago Med follows the dedicated doctors and nurses of the fictional Gaffney Chicago Medical Center as they work nail and tooth in the facility’s emergency department.
Although the accuracy of Chicago Med may be debatable at times, just like The Pitt, the show also depicts the rising tensions of medical professionals as they tend to a never-ending stream of patients. If that’s not enough, doctors are forced to face moral dilemmas that could either save someone’s life or put their careers in jeopardy. Although Season 1 of The Pitt may be over, fans of the show can tune in to Chicago Med for their much-needed medical procedure fix. Without further ado, here are the 10 best Chicago Med episodes to watch after The Pitt.
The Pitt
- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
- Network
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Max
10
“Derailed”
Season 1, Episode 1
Season 1 of Chicago Med premieres with a literal bang. The emergency department’s grand opening is immediately sent into work mode by the chaos of an elevated train crash. From the get-go, medical staff are forced to treat mass casualties non-stop, similar to the bloody aftermath of Pittfest in The Pitt. It’s also when Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell) makes his debut as a trauma surgeon, immediately having to make fast choices in the ED on his first day.
Episode 1 introduces the ED’s staff crew, from the pregnant yet hardworking Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) to the empathetic Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt). It’s also an episode where doctors face ethical dilemmas when lives are at risk. From a surrogate with a traumatic brain injury to a young man with cystic fibrosis, the only way they’ll get treatment is if they actually agree to it.
9
“Monday Mourning”
Season 2, Episode 17
It’s a gloomy Morning at the emergency department. “Monday Mourning” opens with the tragic death of Dr. Jason Wheeler (Jurgen Hooper), putting the entire medical staff into shockwaves. Although he wasn’t a prominent character, he was consistently there in the background, and his loss left a void in the department. There’s an unspoken pain shared by the staff as they struggle to cope with his passing.
Under the shadow of his tragedy, Dr. Choi (Brian Tee) and Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) clash over a stroke patient’s treatment plan, while Natalie tries to help a young boy who nearly drowned. Oftentimes, medical staff aren’t afforded the luxury of sitting with grief. But “Monday Mourning” is one take on how medical professionals cope with trauma all while prioritizing patients on top of their well-being no matter what.
8
“Love Hurts”
Season 2, Episode 23
In the spirit of the episode’s title, “Love Hurts” features one of Chicago Med’s more emotionally charged storylines. Robin is readmitted for worsening psychotic symptoms, but Dr. Reese (Rachel DiPillo) refuses to accept a purely psychiatric explanation. Turns out, she’s required to have surgery, which is a success. But just as Robin and her father begin to make amends, Dr. Charles is gunned down by a former patient in a shocking final scene.
Amidst the tragedy, love is in the air. Will and Natale work together to treat a mysterious case involving a Syrian refugee, Marvan. The more time they work together, the stronger their romantic tension becomes, evolving into a quiet but telling moment at a graduation party. The same goes for April (Yaya DaCosta) and Ethan, who ultimately find themselves at a romantic crossroads.
7
“The Tipping Point”
Season 3, Episode 20
Tensions are on the rise, and the ED staff are put to the edge as they’re faced with life-or-death decisions. “The Tipping Point” provides a conclusion to the long-anticipated surgery to separate conjoined twins Dot and Lilly. Dr. Rhodes is torn between preserving his career, or putting his reputation on the line to save the girls, all while their mother painfully pleads, “Don’t let my babies die.”
The other doctors don’t make it easier. Meanwhile, Dr. Choi and April take to the streets to track down a hepatitis A outbreak. But what they encounter is something much more shocking: Ethan’s sister Emily is among the infected. As for Dr. Halstead, one of his patients, is suffering from carbon monoxide, only to realize that it’s a possible suicide attempt following his girlfriend’s death.
6
“With a Brave Heart”
Season 4, Episode 22
It takes guts to work in the ED, but it takes even more bravery to profess your love to someone. “With a Brave Hearts” follows Dr. Charles fell head over heels for CeCe and is ready to remarry her. Heck, he’s ready to surprise her with the Hawaiian honeymoon they’ve never had. But their daughter Robyn isn’t happy with the situation and thinks that CeCe’s only chasing one last happy moment because of her worsening symptoms.
Speaking of love, Manning’s current romance with Phillip (Ian Harding) clashes with feelings for Halstead, who reconsiders leaving town. Just as Manning decides to act on those feelings, a car slams into them. Elsewhere, Dr. Choi discovers April might be pregnant. It’s an episode that truly shows that these doctors are more than their professions – at the end of the day, they’re humans with only so much burden their hearts can bear.
5
“Never Going Back to Normal”
Season 5, Episode 1
Normally the ones on the front lines of emergencies, “Never Going Back to Normal” see the opposite. Instead of dealing with patients, the ED staff are the ones who need saving instead. The hospital reels from a traumatic car accident involving Dr. Halstead and Dr. Manning. Unfortunately, Natalie remains unconscious with liver damage. As for Will, he’s dealing with the emotional aftershocks.
Tragedy strikes when Maggie (Marlyne Barrett) receives a devastating cancer diagnosis. But with a majority of the staff not up to par due to their conditions, she chooses to keep working in secret. Dr. Charles ends his honeymoon early to help diagnose a young man with schizophrenia. Although it’s only Episode 1 of a new season, the storyline doesn’t hesitate to show one critical character leaving Chicago Med for good.
4
“I Will Come To Save You”
Season 6, Episode 16
Dr. Manning comes to the rescue of his mother Carol in “I Will Come To Save You”. Miraculously, a heart finally becomes available, giving Carol a second chance at life. Unfortunately, it turns out the previous organ came with a benign tumor that must be removed from the transplant. What’s even more complicated is that the heart is transported all the way from Los Angeles.
Ethics collide when Carol is discovered to have been consuming illegal experimental drugs. Although Dr. Manning was the one responsible for administering them, mainly out of desperation and to buy more time, another doctor willingly took the fall. Situations like these aren’t too far off from real life. Not everyone has the privilege of acquiring transplants, and whenever they do, there’s always a risk involved.
3
“And Now We Come to the End”
Season 7, Episode 22
The season finale hurts in “And Now We Come to the End.” Just like the continuous brunt of the ED in The Pitt, it’s tragedy after the next without rest. Will and Hannah butt heads over a kidney transplant case, while Crockett faces a moral dilemma in the OR. Meanwhile, Ethan and Archer treat the son of the hospital’s legal counsel. Milena, a.k.a. Jo, feels town after suspecting a dirty cop and hands over evidence to Scott, who gets sidetracked by a dying alcoholic patient.
From the return of Donna’s estranged daughter, and Goodwin delivering her grandson in a restaurant, nothing could prepare audiences for the end. In a fit of utter chaos, Jo is attacked, Halstead’s building is set on fire, and both he and Scott are trapped again, while Jo is nowhere to be found.
2
“This Is Now”
Season 3, Episode 18
Unfortunately, mass shootings are not an uncommon occurrence in real life. Just like The Pitt, Chicago Med shows the absolute carnage and panic that ensues in the ED in such situations. A mass shooting during a black party sends a flood of victims to Med, testing the limits of every doctor, nurse, and volunteer. The stakes are incredibly high — not just medically, but emotionally.
Suddenly, everyone is in commando mode. Dr. Choi rises to the occasion with his makeshift trauma plan, while Sharon Goodwin commands the front lines to ensure every victim is treated with full attention. More panic ensues when it’s suspected the shooter may be inside the hospital. Lives are saved, but sadly, lives are also lost.
1
“Malignant”
Season 1, Episode 5
The Chicago multiverse comes to life in this crossover episode with Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. Hermann from Fire is stabbed by Freddy, a troubled teen they tried to help. As Hermann fights for his life, the hospital staff, including Dr. Rhodes and April race to stabilize him, only for complications to push him into surgery.
Meanwhile, P.D.’s Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) works closely with his brother Dr. Will Halstead in an investigation involving Jessica Pope, the woman found in a fire with a bag over her head. Ruled out as a suicide attempt, Jay suspects that there’s another motive behind the act. Part murder mystery, part medical suspense, this Chicago crossover proves everyone knows everyone in the city.
