Medical dramas have drawn complaints for years over their outlandish plots and their emphasis on sex and controversy. So it should come as no surprise that researchers decided to put a season of two popular programs — Fox’s House and ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy — under the microscope for a closer look.
Their detailed study concluded that the physicians in these fictional dramas followed guidelines for informed consent in 43% of medical cases. Moreover, when patients refused treatment, the doctors respected their decision in about half the cases. Here’s the real catch, though: The study found that interpersonal relationships, both among the doctors and with their patients, were ‘exemplary’ a mere 5% of the time.
It’s clear that real doctors should almost never emulate the actors who play them on TV. Nor should medical and nursing students, of whom more than 80% watch medical dramas, according to a survey. As a reminder, here are a few egregious examples of doctors behaving badly from this TV-watching pre-med’s personal favorite, Grey’s Anatomy.
Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) cuts the wire to a device maintaining the heart function of a dying patient, Denny Duquette (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Don’t worry, it’s in the name of love: The two are romantically involved, and Stevens knows the risky move will put Denny first in line for an available heart transplant. (Skip to 2:10)
Dr. Preston Burke returns to surgery, even after an injury left him experiencing tremors in his right hand. Bruke’s girlfriend, Dr. Cristina Yang, helps to cover up for him, but eventually she can’t handle the secrecy and fears for a patient’s life.
In a case of shady intentions, the Seattle Grace doctors argue over helping a convict. If he survives his spinal injury, but is left paralyzed, the convict might be able to avoid Death Row, so Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) plans to do his best so that the murderer can finally be punished.
The same convict, still alive an episode later, believes he might be able to donate his organs to a dying child, if he dies in the hospital, rather than in prison. Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) considers assisting him in suicide for the sake of the child.
Dr. Stevens, suffering from a brain tumor, goes into cardiac arrest after signing a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) form. However, her husband Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), can’t let go, and with the blessing of the chief of surgery, the staff ignores the DNR to save Stevens’ life. (Skip to 3:00)
What’s the most off-the-mark example of ‘medicine’ you’ve seen on TV? Let us know in the comments.