After a long day, I love to come home, turn on Netflix, and watch Grey’s Anatomy for the hundredth time. I’ve laughed, cried, mourned (@Derek), and wondered, “Why Shonda, WHY?” However, I can’t help but wonder if what I’m watching is medically accurate, can it be applied to our lives? So I looked into how accurate my favorite medical show actually is, and what I found shocked me.
Save Me, McDreamy
The producers of the show actually consult real doctors, medical professors, and students in order to make sure the terms used on the show are accurate. So, when you hear Dr. Hunt and Dr. Kepner bark orders in the ER, what they’re saying are medical terms. So if you ever rush a friend to the ER (or sadly end up there yourself), you’ll likely recognize a few terms.
There’s a Twist
Although there is some accuracy, the show strays from the truth just as often. Especially, when it comes to the way a hospital operates on a day-to-day basis. If a real doctor cut an LVAD wire, they’d be thrown in prison, not just suspended. Also, an intern would never be able to perform a surgery the way our OG cast does in season 1. Cristina Yang is very talented, but even she would never get her hands on a beating heart.
As sad as it may be, we can’t trust everything we learn from watching our favorite doctors. Although the lingo may be correct, the methods and the way things are done at a hospital are not so accurate. Next time one of your friends is feeling under the weather, don’t be so confident with diagnosing anything with that Grey’s knowledge.