tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post1458423556876831733..comments2024-02-18T13:53:30.168-08:00Comments on Surgeonsblog: Anatomy LessonSid Schwabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14182853083503404098noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-15723522857235760262007-10-03T17:57:00.000-07:002007-10-03T17:57:00.000-07:00It's kind of stupid (not to mention a waste of tim...It's kind of stupid (not to mention a waste of time) to keep analizing medical TV shows by their commitment with the truth. They are made for entertainment and even if it seems like an important part of these shows, Medicine is only a (luxury) supporting elemen.<BR/><BR/>Yes, House is made of a formula. But what makes it AMAZING is the writting: the dialogues are well-built, smart and touching. If you are a doctor and never questioned something about your thoughts after seeing an episode of House, then you're a flat and narrow-minded person.<BR/><BR/>About Grey's Anatomy, it's almost a soap opera and Medicine is really secondary, although it's good for the metaphores. The show is about relationships not a guide on how to make a surgery. Imagine how boring it would be to watch a single intern (instead of a group) that almost never goes to the OR, just to keep it real. Real sucks sometimes...<BR/><BR/>So, don't be so pragmatic. It's just TV...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06234156431226100107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-18706619666404700732006-12-20T20:21:00.000-08:002006-12-20T20:21:00.000-08:00I can't stand House. It barely qualifies as a medi...I can't stand House. It barely qualifies as a medical show. All anybody has to do is look up an obscure disease in Harrison's or whatever, and then construct a screenplay around it, working backwards. But such canned writing is not the biggest sin--that lies with the fact that not a single character has any redeeming qualities whatsoever. I couldn't care less if any of them contracted Ebola and bled out on the show. In fact, I think that would get me to tune in.<br /><br />Scrubs is great because as others have said, it doesn't take itself seriously and really does involve lots of facets of hospital life, not just the 20-something angst of a group of shallow interns (now PGY2s, I suppose) a la Grey's Anatomy. That being said, at least GA's characters, while shallow and not exactly complex, at least resemble real people in real situations (in life, not in hospital) and display a full spectrum of emotions, unlike the House crew, who I feel are ready to knife each other at a moment's notice when the other isn't looking. Just like well-trained pre-med students.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-63054423387929930682006-12-15T11:27:00.000-08:002006-12-15T11:27:00.000-08:00And have you noticed there are never any anaesthet...And have you noticed there are never any anaesthetists on Grey's? Humph.<br /><br />I think we all like Scrubs because it's not about medicine at all - it's about really normal people. And JD really is hilarious. And I'm sure the X-Ray is backwards on purpose.Karen Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10446187228064686202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-46342927279467147862006-12-15T10:40:00.000-08:002006-12-15T10:40:00.000-08:00I am a big fan of Scrubs and House, not so much of...I am a big fan of Scrubs and House, not so much of ER or Grey's Anatomy. I don't think it's fair to ask a television show to accurately portray surgery, but I can see how those errors would irk someone whose job it is to do it correctly.<br /><br />The formulaic approach that House, MD takes would usually not hold up a show. If it weren't for Hugh Laurie's incredible skill and wit, and that of the supporting cast, I don't think the show would be popular at all. Also, in response to your question, House's primary specialty, IIRC, is nephrology. I believe they have referred to him as the nation's top diagnostician on the show - not sure if that qualifies as an actual specialty outside of TV land, though....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-23699048078907049122006-12-05T14:28:00.000-08:002006-12-05T14:28:00.000-08:00Dr. Cox and the janitor - my two favorites!Dr. Cox and the janitor - my two favorites!SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-62507329102284106932006-12-04T20:17:00.000-08:002006-12-04T20:17:00.000-08:00You know, I used to NEVER miss an episode of ER, t...You know, I used to NEVER miss an episode of ER, that is, until I got into medical school. I've heard of "ER clubs" in various med schools, but I don't know how anyone has the time for that. Once I broke my ER habit, I lost interest in the medical dramas. Guess I got enough of that at work.<br /><br />I'm beginning to come around now, though. I recently started watching "Scrubs"--what a hoot! I just love that Dr. Cox!!! He reminds me a great deal of one of my attendings.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-54340275018696979242006-12-03T16:57:00.000-08:002006-12-03T16:57:00.000-08:00McDreamy Eyes! And of course the med stuff is int...McDreamy Eyes! And of course the med stuff is interesting, even if not realistically carried out. Also, with this week's siames twin story - I never thought about siamese twins physically/verbally fighting with each other. <br /><br />On last weeks ER, I noticed that after "gloved" Dr. Pratt put the container of body fluid on Jerry's (ward clerk) desk that he didn't put gloves on before picking it up to take to the lab. Infection control? OSHA?SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-81559567956354699542006-12-03T11:16:00.000-08:002006-12-03T11:16:00.000-08:00I like the medical stuff in these shows but hate t...I like the medical stuff in these shows but hate the soap opera aspects. I stopped watching ER because it started to seem like everyone on the show was sleeping with everyone else. I tried Grey's Anatomy once but it appeared to be about 90% soap so I gave up on it. (The acting was alao pretty bad.) <br /><br />House is fun because Hugh Laurie is so good and all the cases are obscure. With House you should think "unicorn" when you hear those hoofbeats, not "zebra" or "horse". It's fun to see if you can beat them to the dianosis. That said, sometimes the cases are painfully obvious: Who can see bats in an alley and not think "rabies" and even if House was so addled by withdrawl to diagnose necrotizing fasciitis in multiple limbs, don't any of the other docs have brains?<br /><br />Unfortunately House appears to be heading down soap opera lane as well with each season having a new backstory involving some bad guy out to get House. The cases aren't as interesting as they used to be either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-41682387723354765672006-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:002006-12-03T07:46:00.000-08:00There's also 'Nip/Tuck', the show about plastic su...There's also 'Nip/Tuck', the show about plastic surgeons in Miami Beach. The show's more about the surgeons' personal lives; it's more like a soap opera with a little bit of plastic surgery procedures added on.<br /><br />Some of it seems odd. They showed one of the surgeons getting liposuction (even though he looks mighty trim). He was completely awake during the procedure. I was under the impression you had to be asleep for this.<br /><br />One eye-catching part of the show are the sex scenes, featuring various positions and a decent amount of male nudity. These scenes are just shy of softcore porn; the only thing missing is the cheesy porn music.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-92039296712612293282006-12-02T20:11:00.000-08:002006-12-02T20:11:00.000-08:00Anonymous 3.58pm: as unusual as it may sound, some...Anonymous 3.58pm: as unusual as it may sound, sometimes doctors just can't figure out what's going on. We're only human; there are actually patients whose conditions have us stymied. <br /><br />And yep, Hugh Laurie is brilliant and is one of my inspirations. Black Adder is a classic here in England, as is Jeeves & Wooster. Laurie started off in my university, where he was already a hit. Glad House has given him an international stage :)The Angry Medichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00533320347050548304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-5721920615479471262006-12-02T19:42:00.000-08:002006-12-02T19:42:00.000-08:00Cathy - George Clooney....sigh! Miss him! I vague...Cathy - George Clooney....sigh! Miss him! I vaguely remember Dr. Kildare - another curtain call for the song tho - take another bow. :)SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-87780409920620472062006-12-02T15:58:00.000-08:002006-12-02T15:58:00.000-08:00I like House because I like Hugh Laurie. As Anon ...I like House because I like Hugh Laurie. As Anon 2:18 said, it's amazing how Laurie can carry this off - obviously a very accomplished actor. (If you want to see him in a very different show - watch Black Adder III. This is a Brit comedy with Roman Atkinson, where Laurie plays a stuffy prince.)<br /><br />You have to suspend reality a bit to watch these shows. Otherwise you will go crazy.<br /><br />Maybe you docs think all these shows are unrealistic, but it's not clear to me that docs are often not guessing when they diagnose patients. I was ill last year for about 8 weeks, and just went from one specialist to another with no definitive diagnosis. I started getting better, and the diagnosis was "some kind of virus".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-91006306049458527412006-12-02T14:18:00.000-08:002006-12-02T14:18:00.000-08:00There's a new medical melodrama (I think on CBS) c...There's a new medical melodrama (I think on CBS) called '3 lbs'. It's about two neurosurgeons, one older and cynical, the other young and earnest. There's also a fetching neurologist thrown in for good measure.<br /><br />I couldn't make it through one episode, and I'm just a patient. One of the subplots involved the younger surgeon going to bed with a patient's sexy lawyer (NO!!!! Doctors hate lawyers.) The lawyer uses her wiles to weasel out information from the surgeon. She then drops him like a hot potato (Ha Ha). He's devastated (so sad). <br /><br />For me, the only redeeming feature is the older surgeon is played by Stanley Tucci, a fine actor who brings some subtlety to his character. <br /><br />I've watched House a couple of times. The plots look far-fetched. I am, however, amazed at how well Hugh Laurie, a British actor, can speak with an American accent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-52938095175134898672006-12-02T14:15:00.000-08:002006-12-02T14:15:00.000-08:00God, ya'll must be young..Give me Dr. Kildare. Noo...God, ya'll must be young..Give me Dr. Kildare. Noone played it better than Richard Chamberlain.<br /><br />I have never watched these shows you are talking of, other than ER. But, even that, I haven't watched since George Clooney left, many seasons ago.<br /><br />When I was, (cough) young, there use to be a song about Dr. Kildare, based on the baseball song. Want me to sing it for ya?<br /><br />To late if you say NO because I'm already singing it!<br /><br />~~~Take me out to the hospital, wheel me up to my room, stick me with needles, for I don't care, I'm in looooove with Dr. Kildare. And it's boo boo boo for Ben Casey, Rah Rah Rah for Kildare, and it's one, two, three shots your out at the old hos....pital....pital...pital...pital...cha...cha...cha!~~~<br /><br />Taking my bow....Thank you very much!Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13540096932312929506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-69078803360481973522006-12-02T14:03:00.000-08:002006-12-02T14:03:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13540096932312929506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-52127062122243316012006-12-01T23:35:00.000-08:002006-12-01T23:35:00.000-08:00I enjoy Scrubs too and I forgot about Mash. I lov...I enjoy Scrubs too and I forgot about Mash. I loved that show! My joke has always been that working with the emergency staff was like Mash because when it was crazy you worked really hard and when it wasn't, we were crazy! You have to have a sense of humor! <br />I think there could be a lot of material with a private practice show. Remember Marcus Welby MD? (I wanted to be Consuela - helping people) I think there could be both humor and drama - every profession has some stories!SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-27363362003909182972006-12-01T20:48:00.000-08:002006-12-01T20:48:00.000-08:00Argh I meant 1-1/2 years later. October of cc4 th...Argh I meant 1-1/2 years later. October of cc4 then June of R1. Nobody cares, it's just been bugging me.<br /><br />;)<br /><br />drnccAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-90961064814446677182006-12-01T20:19:00.000-08:002006-12-01T20:19:00.000-08:001. I really like Scrubs too. The juxtaposition o...1. I really like Scrubs too. The juxtaposition of silliness with *abject fear* resonates.<br /><br />I think it grabbed me in one of the very first eps when JD was standing in a patient's room, bad news, and took a delivery of "Ton of bricks for Dr. Dorian?"<br /><br />I like all these medical dramas, back to M*A*S*H*, Quincy ME and St Elsewhere.<br /><br />Jozi-H is a Canada-South Africa co-production; it *doesn't so much take place in Chicago.* Still kind of soapy (that's TV for you) but different um, suds?<br /><br />2. As a cc4 I just assumed the CXR was backwards b/c they were interns. And felt *very* clever pointing that out to non-medical friends and family.<br /><br />TV has its pluses.<br /><br />3. Then there was the night a year later, as an R1 in emerg, during SARS. Husband end-stage CAD/MI, wife says: "It's not as exciting as it is on TV." All of us and hubby stare at her. "Well, there's no music or anything." For us (and hubby I'm sure) it was exciting enough without the music.<br /><br />4. A show about family practice would really suck. Even with music and suds.<br /><br />:)<br /><br />drnccfpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-72792017998788579322006-12-01T17:50:00.000-08:002006-12-01T17:50:00.000-08:00***Re: SCRUBS***
It WAS done intentionally.***Re: SCRUBS***<br /><br />It WAS done intentionally.Dr. Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06340730498047128203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-20183481953838957032006-12-01T06:23:00.000-08:002006-12-01T06:23:00.000-08:00Hmmmm, as addicted to medblogs as I am, the only o...Hmmmm, as addicted to medblogs as I am, the only one of these shows that I have actually watched is ER, and I have only seen a few episodes. If they bother you so much, why do you continue to watch? I'm sure you have better things to do . . .593https://www.blogger.com/profile/10779372326387642100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-87034944520579645302006-12-01T06:06:00.000-08:002006-12-01T06:06:00.000-08:00I personally have been in the ER for many hours wh...I personally have been in the ER for many hours when I had the misfortune to be low on the triage pole behind two head on car crashes. But the rest of it is just pure intertainment. What fun would it be if they were total strangers and not sleeping with each other? Actually the discovery channel does reality medical shows, but you really have to be a nerd to watch them. And you forgot to mention Dr. 90210. Dr. Reyes is a real pig and he doesn't even have to make stuff up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-44929817397267103802006-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:002006-12-01T05:40:00.000-08:00Hear hear for Scrubs. Although Scrubs is a vehicle...Hear hear for Scrubs. Although Scrubs is a vehicle for comedy rather than drama, and doesn't pretend to take itself as seriously as those other shows..I concur with 'dk' that it's probably the closest to reality, and has far greater depth.<br /><br />As per SusanRN, I agree it also has far greater breadth of characterisation of the hospital environment...and doctors are in reality but a fraction of the staff involved in patient care.<br /><br />Another example - the 'alpha male' is the janitor...Dr Dorkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00038767903911860667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-65270520696170845722006-12-01T00:38:00.000-08:002006-12-01T00:38:00.000-08:00I confess to being part of the Grey's Anatomy cult...I confess to being part of the Grey's Anatomy cult. What would really happen to someone if they cut a patient's LVAD wire? Would they lose their career as a surgeon?<br /><br />I worked in ED registration for the last 20 years until recently and have thoroughly enjoyed working with the staff and patients. There is always something interesting going on in a hospital. :) I have worked around a lot of surgeons and heard their interesting stories, etc., but until Grey's Anatomy - never really thought much about all the training they have had and what they had to go thru to get to where they are now. <br /><br />I recently purchased your book, which I am enjoying and also recently read your Oct.7th post called "Taking Trust". I was so moved by that post,in awe really. It was eloquently written and you are truly a gifted writer.<br /><br /> At that time, I was thinking I was going to have surgery, but thanks to my skilled and dedicated urologist it turns out that everything he did has worked and I won't have to go thru it after all. <br /><br />I was profoundly affected by that post (Taking Trust) and even reassured that a surgery could mean so much to a doctor, affecting him or her to the very core of their being, so much so, that it would even feel sacred. Thank you for writing that post.SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-46158307517721549492006-11-30T21:10:00.000-08:002006-11-30T21:10:00.000-08:00You know, scrubs is actually based on the residenc...You know, scrubs is actually based on the residency of the medical consultant. (There is an interview with him and his wife in the bonus material of the season 1 DVD set). <br /><br />Before I started nursing school a (nurse) friend of mine told me that she thought Scrubs was the most realistic of all medical shows. Not so much becase of the medicine but the interactions. <br /><br />Funny thing tho, there is a guy who reminds me of "The Todd" in my nursing class. Werid...DKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00001264740386513007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30499448.post-8756167618002900192006-11-30T20:45:00.000-08:002006-11-30T20:45:00.000-08:00Food for thought on movies and the depiction of op...Food for thought on movies and the depiction of operating. Compare and contrast William Hurt in The Doctor (a bombastic CT surgeon who gets 'throat cancer' and learns how to be a patient) with Meg Ryan in City of Angels (a single female CT surgeon who bike rides through the gettos of LA to get to the hospital before she meets the angel Nicholas Cage).<br /><br />In The Doctor, William Hurt is seen just as described in a catastrophic 'aortic dissection', fumbling with the needle driver and loading and reloading the needle up by the light handles. In City of Angels, Meg Ryan actually was shown in arms in body posture, wearing loops, rhytmically using an appropriate sized castro-viehjo with a reasonable appearence of fluid efficiency.<br /><br />Rarely, Hollywood can come close.<br /><br />btw - I do not watch those TV shows as my BP cannot tolerate them!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com