Have you ever wondered why Hollywood features so many medical shows on TV? Or why scenes in the operating room are common in film and television? It’s because hospitals have immense dramatic potential when the stakes are life and death for the patients. But that doesn’t mean storytellers haven’t used a lot of dramatic license along the way. Recently, Wired asked Annie Onishi, a general surgery resident at Columbia University, to provide her commentary on nearly 50 medical scenes from TV and film. The result was an illuminating video which offers a new perspective on several classic medical tropes.
And who were the biggest offenders in this video? Why, the doctors of Grey’s Anatomy, of course! ABC’s long-running medical drama is very popular, but not necessarily an accurate picture of the profession. Who knew it was highly unethical to take selfies in the operating room? Or that it was a bad idea to pretend to read The Atlantic while a patient is in distress? Actually, we suspect almost everyone knew.
Onishi also called out House‘s titular doctor for entering operating rooms in street clothes and without properly preparing for a sterile environment. However, some shows are so accurate to reality that they’re difficult to watch. Onishi had high praise for The Knick‘s depiction of surgical techniques that seem primitive by today’s standards. Additionally, she said it wasn’t uncommon for doctors to find very unusual things stuck in a patient’s anal cavity.
What did you think about this video? Let us know in the comment section below!
Images: Wired
Enjoy a few of our other favorite found videos:
- Visit Disney parks on Google Maps.
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- Rubik’s Cube robot is crazy-fast.
