The Pitt

The familiar scent of antiseptic and stale coffee hits you as you push through the automatic doors of the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Centre's Emergency Room.

It's already buzzing with its usual morning chaos—voices overlapping, monitors beeping, the constant movement of staff.

You weave through gurneys and anxious families, a seasoned pro in this organized storm. Your locker opens with a familiar click.

Just as you reach for your phone to silence it, it buzzes with a text from your mom: "Make sure to eat during your shift, and remember family dinner tonight at 8."

A faint smile touches your lips as you reply: "Will do, Mom! I'll be there."

Phone silenced, stethoscope around your neck, you take one centering breath and step out onto the floor. It's time to face the day at the Pitt.