From its inception, broadcast television has been full of dramas and comedies centered on hospitals, doctors, and nurses. A recent article by graduating medical students Jesse Handler and Julia M. Agee examined The Resident, a program that focuses on the melodramatic goings-on at a hospital in Atlanta. Handler and Agee warned that the show is so blatantly unrealistic and so supportive of unethical practices that it has the potential to cause genuine harm. This article and a follow-up poll generated a spirited discussion from medical professionals.
Many tried to soothe the alarmed students. A primary care physician commented, "It's a TV show. It's just entertainment."
Another professional questioned the article writers' use of the very limited free hours in a medical student's day:
So with the minimal time you have for recreation and recuperation, you chose to watch TV and were so offended by what you watched, you wrote an article about it...pick your battles, young doctor, there are many more to come.
An internist also did not see a problem: "It's Hollywood. Give the show a break; it's not a documentary."
But another healthcare professional shot back: "How many viewers know the difference [between fact and fiction]?"
A medical administrator lamented the debasement of the profession:
