Medical dramas are strangely addictive. At least that’s what I experienced sitting in front of the TV at 3 a.m. waiting for Dr. House to announce his third and final diagnosis.
They offer us a sneaky glimpse into the chaotic lives of doctors, depicting mysterious and seemingly unrealistic stories that have us hooked from the very first episode. But are the things that happen in these hospitals far from those in real life?
The answer is: not really. At least it seems that way when you read the insane stories people have shared in this popular Reddit thread. From intestines tumbling out to eyes dangling from their sockets, these patients and workers have probably seen more things in their lifetime than a regular person should ever experience.
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It seems that even the medical shows that are largely exaggerated may get many details right, as healthcare workers believe these series are becoming more and more accurate. Some things that most of them get right are the aching work of long shifts and the compassion between healthcare workers and their patients.
Dr. Karen North agrees that they’re somewhat realistic. “But they take character traits, including character flaws, and amplify them because it allows them to write an interesting character drama." And if you’re wondering, no, love triangles amongst hospital workers aren’t as common as they portray them to be.
In addition, many professionals in the field agree that these series are very beneficial for their profession as they increase public interest and inform people about how healthcare works.
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To improve the accuracy of these shows, many of them hire medical consultants and advisers. Their responsibility is to collect stories from various sources, such as medical journals or friends (but never their patients). Afterward, they pitch their ideas to the screenplay writers, and if they get picked, they get aired.
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Some organizations also work to correct medical misinformation in the media, like “Hollywood, Health, and Society," a research center that connects shows and movies with scientific experts. They prioritize what’s most important, like information on heart diseases, as the episodes usually have a few minutes of medical scenes and the rest is dedicated to interpersonal drama.
Overall, the purpose of these shows isn’t to teach people how to be doctors—you have to go to school for that—but rather to give people a taste of it and make it as real as possible.
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