Doctor

We see doctors on screen all the time, whether it is a television show, movie, or documentary. Many fictional doctors have become a major part of popular culture, even though every line coming from their mouth has been scripted, along with every situation they are put in. An interesting trend has started in the past few years where real doctors are also reaching this celebrity status as well. They make television appearances regularly and have embraced their fame to educate the general public about their health. Here are a few doctors that have made the leap from the hospital to the public eye.

1. Doctor Oz – After making frequent appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show for a number of years, viewers liked Doctor Mehmet Oz so much that he was recently given his own talk show. Doctor Oz uses his show to raise awareness about several health issues, since he himself is a cardiothoracic surgeon, but also brings other doctors of different specialties to deal with other issues. He has also been featured on television programs such as Larry King Live, and has had a show of his own previously on the Discovery Health channel. Doctor Mehmet Oz is of Turkish descent, and has both Turkish and American citizenship.

2. Doctor Phil – Another Oprah Winfrey Show alum, Phil McGraw has a PhD in clinical psychology. Doctor Phil appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to help audience members and viewers with any problems they had and gained a large following. Soon, Doctor Phil was also given his own talk show where he offers his advice to guests and the audience. Throughout his career, he has sold weight loss products, been a part of several spin-off shows, and his fair share of controversies. Many fellow doctors and medical therapists have been critical of Mcgraw’s approach to therapy, and the main criticisms have been that it is simplistic and ineffective. He believes that he is not like other doctors and that he has a very unique style.

3. Doctor Drew – David Drew Pinsky has been on a number of television and radio shows throughout his career. He is a board certified internist and a specialist in the field of addiction medicine. Doctor Drew has hosted shows such as Loveline, Celebrity Rehab, and Sex…With Mom and Dad. He began his career while still in medical school answering questions about medicine on the radio. Doctor Drew has been helping teenagers and adults alike by honestly answering questions about sex in radio and television shows like Loveline, and also general health questions in Strictly Dr. Drew. Unlike with the other two doctors on this list, Doctor Drew has not elicited condemnation or criticism from other doctors.

All of the medical professionals listed here have had some positive effects on society, whether other people in the medical field feel the same way or not. It is always a good thing when awareness of health issues is increased.

Doctors

Television programs featuring doctors and hospitals are often the most interesting ones available. There is a considerable amount of drama and the doctors deal with life and death so often that they are viewed almost like superheroes. A doctor has a lot to handle on a daily basis, and some of the television programs do a very good job in depicting this. The ups and downs, the stress, the grief, when the emotions that a doctor goes through is captured, an entertaining thirty to sixty minutes is created. Here are some television programs that feature doctors prominently.

1. House M.D. – This show is about Doctor Gregory House. He is the head of a Diagnostics department at a hospital and is visited by patients all over the world that need his expertise when they need a diagnosis. The way that he handles his cases seems almost superhuman and he rarely fails. What makes the program even more interesting to watch, besides the unique illnesses, is Doctor House’s demeanor. He knows that he is one of the best doctors in the world, and his arrogance lets everyone else know that as well. He often insults patients, accuses them of lying, and many other doctor faux pas.

2. Scrubs – This is a comedy series featuring Doctor John Dorian and several of his friends that are either doctors or nurses themselves. While this show is mainly a comedy that focuses on the doctors and the trouble they get in, and there can be several silly moments each episode, there is still a decent amount of information that can be learned through watching this show. It is a very good mix of both drama and comedy, and while it is not as medically relevant as House M.D., it is still a program worth watching.

3. Grey’s Anatomy – This is a medical drama on the ABC network. While this show can be informational from time to time, it mainly focuses on the doctors that inhabit the hospital, and their relationships. This became a popular doctor television program in around 2005, and is still getting pretty good ratings now. If you are looking for an interesting show with plenty of medical knowledge being thrown around, that has doctors as consultants for the show, then you probably should not be watching this. You would be better off watching Doctor House yelling at some patients and saving the day.

There are other television programs out there that feature doctors out there, but these are probably the most popular at this time. Doctors have always been interesting to watch, and there have been shows since the 1970’s detailing the profession. Watching a doctor in the hospital setting and seeing them help the sick from week to week can bring us into a different world. We end up rooting for the doctor to succeed, and at times we even wish we could be one ourselves. For many of us, watching from our couch will be the closest we will get.