Larger than Life
Primetime Medical Dramas
By Richard Kim
On any given Thursday night at nine, millions of people across the U.S. gather around the television to tune into the wildly popular "Grey's Anatomy." Other medical dramas, like "House M.D." and "E.R.," are among the most widely watched shows on television. Audiences enjoy these programs because they can watch life-and-death situations without a trip to the emergency room. Viewing figures don't lie -- according to Nielsen ratings, each of these shows consistently draws in at least two million viewers per episode. But as these shows skyrocket in popularity, a question arises: Is Hollywood distorting viewers' perceptions of healthcare by depicting medical miracles on a weekly basis?
The studios producing these medical dramas contend that they spare no expense in making the show as accurate, entertaining, and socially responsible as possible. The writers, producers, cast, and crew of the leading television medical dramas pour countless hours into the concepts and dialogue. Although only one or two writers actually pen an episode, the entire writing staff meets to discuss the content. The portions of the script with medical dialogue are reviewed or even written by physicians, including experts from the Center for Disease Control, the National Institute of Health, and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The completed script is then the basis for production meetings -- over three hundred people in total work on each episode. For medical accuracy, an additional physician prepares notes based on the script that detail all of the medical equipment and special effects required for the episode. This doctor will be present on the set to further ensure each scene?s medical accuracy. Thus, a given show's physicians seem to strive to bring accurate, realistic medical drama to every episode. Why, then, are countless young medical students pointing out errors in these shows? And do the implications of such inaccuracies and dramatizations extend beyond the television screen?
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