Hi, my name is Pip and I am an A2 media student from Somerset. For my final exam I have to do independent research called Critical Research. I was wondering if anyone could help me with my hypothesis; 'Are hospital dramas an accurate representation of the NHS?' My exam is on Thursday - I know I have left it late I have only just found this website! Thanks in anticipation Pip
I'm not from the U.K., but we do have several members who are. Which shows are you specifically referring to? If we have some solid examples and/or what you have so far, you may get faster help. Good luck.
P.S. Pip is one of my fave names.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12874 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
Sorry for my short reply but I am well acquainted with US medical dramas and their accuracy. They are inaccurate. My father and mother both work at the hospital and I was watching Scrubs with my dad and he just laughed because they were mispronouncing everything and what they were saying did not make any sense.
The medical drama is chiefly a drama to draw viewers in, not to bore them with what the actual medical profession does. Being a doctor is hard and it can be boring. Hospital surgeons see some pretty hard core stuff but they also see lots of really routine stuff.
Grey's Anatomy is inaccurate because residents work their ass off. They don't have time to chat about life and have 15 love triangles. Residents have 80 hour weeks. When they're not working they're sleeping.
House is silly. A doctor can't be that much of an asshole without getting his ass sued.
ER is fairly accurate, just without all those relationships. Sure there is a relationship every now and again but not to that degree.
An accurate medical drama would detail how difficult the life of a physician is, from pre med in college, medical school, residency, fellowship, employee of a practice to actual partner in a practice then retirement. Physicians deal with other physicians they don't agree with, deal with ethical issues, deal with malpractice suits (i'm sure that this isn't as bad as it is in the US as in the UK. John Edwards, presidential candidate made his fortune by suing doctors) and have to balance work and family. Doctors hours are killer. I don't see this in American medical dramas.
I know this is a US assessment and I'm sorry for that but I do know a little about it and so I wanted to let you know. I think their lifestyles are still the same.
Posts: 456 | Location: On the Road | Registered: 20 January 2007
worked in various hospital positions for twelve years. ER is fairly close, maybe the best of the lot. THe shows are for entertainment not for education.
I don't know. I saw ER a few times in it's earliest years, and I thought it was laughable. The fact is that much of what docs do in the US is boring and mundane. It's roughly 90% tedium and 10% panic. I don't think my life would make for very exciting television.
--------------- I wonder if you're mythologizing me, like I do you
Posts: 1426 | Location: State of Disarray | Registered: 10 January 2007
I do like Hugh Laurie's performance of House. He does a great job. And I agree he is a very good character as an anti hero. I just have trouble believing House would survive being that much of an asshole to the patients. Maybe I'm wrong. Idk.
Posts: 456 | Location: On the Road | Registered: 20 January 2007
Originally posted by The Friar: I just have trouble believing House would survive being that much of an asshole to the patients. Maybe I'm wrong. Idk.
It depends on how good you are. I once worked a job & was very good at it, but I wasn't particularly nice to people. If I wasn't as valuable to the company as I was, I probably woulda been fired quick as a flash for telling a customer to shut up. BUT my boss knew that if they managed to piss me off that much, they deserved it! As for our rude doctor, it seems to me, he's the only one who knows what's going on (as long as he has plenty of Vicoden). If they let him go, there would be a whole lotta dead bodies lying around. They even addressed this in an episode where he was rude to the wrong guy & almost went to prison because of it. To get back on topic, Here's a report on the "reality" of the show.
"I can't live the buttoned down life like all of you! I want it all: the terrifying lows, the dizzying highs, the creamy middles! Sure, I might offend a few of the blue-noses with my cocky stride and musky odor - oh, I'll never be the darling of the so-called 'City Fathers' who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about what's to be done with this Monkey_Boy?!"
Posts: 2433 | Location: Springfield, Oh! Hi ya, Maude! | Registered: 01 January 2007
Ok, I'll admit it, I don't watch House that much and you are dead right Monkey. But personally, he should be nice to people. Its better that way. But I guess he wouldn't be House, then.
But damn that guy in the vid is fucking awesome. He loved the show so much he went around the world proving it "true". Extreme dedication.
Posts: 456 | Location: On the Road | Registered: 20 January 2007
Metacritic Forums 
