Jordan Ellis
Chicago Med is a popular medical drama series set in the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, a fictional hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. The show follows the lives of the hospital's elite doctors and nurses as they navigate medical emergencies and complicated workplace relationships. While the hospital itself is not real, the show's creators strive for authenticity by drawing inspiration from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center and consulting with real medical professionals. The series boasts rigorous medical training for its stars and realistic sets modelled after interior locations in the Rush Hospital, contributing to its reputation as one of the most medically accurate dramas on television.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Chicago Med based on a true story? | No, it is not based on a true story. |
| Is Gaffney Chicago Medical Center a real hospital? | No, it is a fictional hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. |
| Is the show filmed in a real hospital? | The show is primarily shot on the Cinespace lot in Chicago, but some scenes are filmed at Rush University Medical Center, a real hospital in Chicago. |
| Are the medical cases realistic? | Some patient scenarios are rooted in realistic medical case details, but the show takes creative liberties. |
| Are the doctors and nurses real? | The show tries to bring in real medical professionals. It also provides its actors with rigorous training on realistically navigating an emergency department. |
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What You'll Learn
The show is filmed in Chicago
The show "Chicago Med" is primarily filmed on the Cinespace lot in Chicago, with some external scenes also being shot in the city. The show's production design takes heavy inspiration from a real-life hospital in Chicago: Rush University Medical Center. The exterior hospital set is McCormick Place.
The show's crew visits various Chicago hospitals to maintain believability, and they also have on-set consultants to ensure everything is as realistic as possible. For example, the idea for the bunk room in Season 9 was adapted from a visit to a hospital. The crew also prepares the lighting in an ER room for a scene during Chicago Med Season 1 Episode 11.
The show's interior shots, such as the inside of the E.D. where most of the show takes place, are filmed at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, where realistic sets are modeled after interior locations in the real Rush Hospital. The roof scenes, for example, are filmed on Rush University Medical Center’s roof.
The show also features some real-life locations that Chicagoans might recognize, such as a cemetery and a bar, although these are not used as frequently on the show. The show's crew enjoys shooting on location, and in one season, they shot several scenes downtown by the Chicago River and followed it up by shooting a car crash in a neighborhood in Logan Square.
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Gaffney Chicago Medical Center is fictional
The Gaffney Chicago Medical Center is a fictional hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. It is the primary location of most scenes in the TV show "Chicago Med", which is a medical drama that follows the hospital's elite doctors as they fight to save the lives of Chicago's residents. Although the hospital is fictional, the show is filmed in Chicago and draws inspiration from one of the city's hospitals—the Rush University Medical Center. The show's production design is heavily inspired by Rush University Medical Center, with some scenes even being filmed there, such as exterior shots and roof scenes. The interior of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, on the other hand, is primarily shot on a set at Cinespace Studios in Chicago, where realistic sets are modelled after interior locations in the real Rush Hospital.
The show's creators strive to create a realistic hospital experience, consulting with real medical professionals and even putting out casting calls for real nurses to appear on the show. The cast of "Chicago Med" also receives rigorous training on realistically navigating an emergency department, including proper medical pronunciations and correctly holding utensils. This attention to detail helps to suspend disbelief and make the show more believable for viewers.
While the patient scenarios in "Chicago Med" are often rooted in realistic medical case details, the show takes creative liberties with what goes on inside Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. The endless rotation of patients and the chaotic nature of the emergency department provide a constant stream of drama and action. The show also explores the personal lives of the staff, including workplace romances and the complications that arise from working in close proximity to one another.
Overall, while Gaffney Chicago Medical Center is a fictional hospital, the show "Chicago Med" goes to great lengths to create a realistic portrayal of a busy Chicago hospital, drawing inspiration from real-life locations and medical professionals. The combination of thrilling medical cases and behind-the-scenes details helps to cement the series in believability and has made it one of the most medically accurate medical dramas on television.
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Inspired by Rush University Medical Center
Chicago Med is a fictional medical drama series set in Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, a fictional hospital located in Chicago, Illinois. The show is not based on a true story, but it does take inspiration from the Windy City doctors and nurses who tirelessly serve the city's residents. The show's creators are committed to creating a realistic hospital experience, and they do so by consulting real medical professionals and filming in actual hospitals in Chicago.
The show's production design is heavily inspired by Rush University Medical Center, a top-ranked hospital in Chicago. The crew occasionally shoots exteriors and roof scenes at Rush, and the interior sets of Gaffney Chicago are modelled after the inside of Rush University Medical Center. The show's producers shared that they have permanent medical sets for the ICU, the surgical floor, and the nurses' station, which are inspired by their visits to real hospitals.
To maintain the show's believability, the cast receives rigorous training on medical pronunciations and procedures, and they shadow real trauma surgeons at Cook County Hospital to understand what it's like to work in a busy emergency room. The show also features real medical professionals, with some episodes incorporating real nurses.
The show's filming locations are not limited to hospitals, as they also feature external scenes by the Chicago River and in neighbourhoods like Logan Square. Chicago Med is primarily filmed at Cinespace Studios, and the show's creators have built a stage set at the studio to replicate the unique charm of certain Chicago locations, such as Lottie's Pub in Bucktown.
While Chicago Med is not a real hospital, the show's creators go to great lengths to ensure that the medical cases, procedures, and hospital setting are as realistic as possible, drawing inspiration from Chicago's very own Rush University Medical Center.
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Real medical professionals are cast
The creators of Chicago Med aim to bring viewers inside the chaotic world of a hospital, and they do not disappoint. The show is not based on a true story, but it does have roots in reality. The Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, where the show is primarily set, is a fictional hospital. However, the show's production design takes heavy inspiration from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, a top-ranking hospital in multiple specialties, including nursing excellence. The show films exterior shots at Rush and models its interior sets after the hospital's interior locations.
The show's creators value creating a real hospital experience, so they bring in real medical professionals as cast members and consultants. The show put out a casting call for real nurses to film a day on the show. The cast has also received rigorous training on realistically navigating an emergency department, including proper medical pronunciations and correctly holding utensils. The show has on-set consultants and trauma surgeon advisors who work at Cook County Hospital, and many cast members have shadowed the surgeons to understand what it is like to work in a busy emergency room.
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Realistic medical cases
Chicago Med is a fictional medical drama series set in Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, which is not a real hospital. The show is inspired by Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, where some exterior shots are filmed. While the series is not based on a true story, it features realistic medical cases and patient scenarios. The show's creators aim to provide a genuine hospital experience, and they engage medical professionals and advisors to ensure accuracy in medical procedures and terminology.
Case 1: Internal Decapitation
A 22-month-old child is brought to the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident. The child is calm and does not attempt to move around. Upon examination, it is discovered that the child has suffered an occipitocervical dissociation, also known as internal decapitation. This rare condition occurs when the ligaments and other soft tissues connecting the head and neck are severed, resulting in the head remaining attached to the body only by the spinal cord.
Case 2: Parasitic Worm Infection
A 43-year-old man presents with a month-long history of haematuria (blood in the urine) and dysuria (painful urination). He is diagnosed with a Schistosoma infection, transmitted by freshwater snails. This infection has led to eggshell calcification in his bladder, a condition known as "calcified bladder." The patient's immune system responded to the parasite's eggs by forming calcium deposits on the bladder wall. This case is unusual, as it typically takes years for such extensive calcification to develop.
Case 3: Sudoku Seizures
A young man is an avid solver of Sudoku puzzles, but after being trapped in an avalanche during a ski trip and experiencing hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), he begins to have seizures. He is prescribed anti-epileptic medications, but the seizures in his left arm recur a few weeks later.
Case 4: Dermatological Diagnosis
A dermatologist encounters a rare case of necrobiosis lipoidica, a condition that can lead to ulceration. The patient is advised to undergo a biopsy of the non-ulcerated area and maintain excellent wound care to avoid any trauma to the lesion.
Case 5: Emergency Department Conundrum
A 6-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his mother due to an acute rash. The medical team must work swiftly to identify the cause of the rash and provide appropriate treatment to alleviate the child's discomfort.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center is a fictional hospital located in Chicago, Illinois.
Chicago Med is primarily shot on the Cinespace lot in Chicago. The show's production design is inspired by a real-life hospital: Chicago's Rush University Medical Center.
No, Chicago Med is not based on a true story. However, the series takes strong inspiration from the doctors and nurses in Chicago. While some patient scenarios are rooted in realistic medical case details, the show takes creative liberties with what goes on inside the Gaffney Medical Center.
Yes, the show tries to bring in real medical professionals. In January 2019, the show put out a casting notice for real nurses to film a day on the show.
Yes, Chicago Med is a spin-off series of Chicago PD and Chicago Fire.
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