Entertainment · TV & Streaming · 3 hrs ago
Chicago Med Reveals How Its Graphic Medical Props Are Made
Chicago Med’s props team creates realistic medical effects for the NBC drama, which is set at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
The props include leech effects shown in a recent episode and a bruised prosthetic pregnant belly and a badly damaged arm.
The two new props are planned for season 12 episodes 4 and 12, titled “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” and “Last Christmas … I Gave You My Heart.”
Showrunner Allen MacDonald and actors Steven Weber and Jessy Schram praised the team’s detailed, researched work.
They said the props help make injuries feel human and can add history and emotional meaning to characters.
The effects will appear in upcoming episodes, though no further details about those scenes were given.
Chicago Med’s props department creates realistic injuries and illnesses for the NBC medical drama.
Screen Rant shared behind-the-scenes images of props, including leeches, a bruised pregnant belly and a mangled arm.
The leeches appeared in the episode “Third Rails,” while the other two props are planned for season 12 episodes.
Showrunner Allen MacDonald and actors Steven Weber and Jessy Schram praised the props team.
- Who
- Chicago Med’s props department, including Crystal Portillo and her team.
- What
- Screen Rant revealed behind-the-scenes images of realistic medical props made for the show.
- When
- The article was published on October 21, 2026. Two props are planned for season 12 episodes 4 and 12.
- Where
- Chicago Med, set at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
- Why
- The props help create realistic medical effects and support the show’s stories and characters.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Leeches were used for a patient in the episode “Third Rails.
A prosthetic pregnant belly bruised after a crash is planned to appear in “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.
A mangled, torn-apart arm is planned to appear in “Last Christmas … I Gave You My Heart.
Screen Rant published its behind-the-scenes feature on the props.
- Show
- Chicago Med
- Outlet
- Screen Rant
- Showrunner
- Allen MacDonald
- Leeches
- Featured in “Third Rails
- Upcoming props
- Bruised prosthetic pregnant belly; mangled, torn-apart arm
- Upcoming episodes
- Season 12, episodes 4 and 12
What people are saying
I may have worked on CSI for 8 seasons, but I can tell you that I have never seen better prosthetic, make-up, and practical special effects work than Crystal Portillo and her incredible team (Justine Losoya, Libby Knapp).
The props department researches the characters as much as—if not occasionally more than!—the actors, and the imagination they employ when filling out the characters’ lists of personal belongings are often crucial to creating a fuller character than what’s on the page; also, they know the perfect amount of money used to bribe actors to say nice things about them.
props are essential