HOW GREY’S ANATOMY HAS AFFECTED THE PERCEPTION OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY

AKSHAY NAIR – For over 17 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has captivated television audiences with the fast paced, drama-filled lives of the surgeons at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. The show centers on protagonist Meredith Grey and the other interns as they begin their surgical residency at one of the nation’s premier teaching hospitals. As the show develops, the show delves into the personal lives of each of the interns as well as the other physicians at the hospital. The show drastically dramatizes doctor’s lives as seemingly each day there is a new ground breaking surgery to be performed which they also juggle with their complex relationships. With the show gaining massive popularity in the early and mid 2010s, many current high school and college students have grown up believing the show is a semi-accurate representation of the medical field. While there are some elements of proper medicine in the show, Grey’s Anatomy paints a picture of medicine which is far different from the reality of what to expect when working in healthcare.

One of the biggest misrepresentations is the lack of rules and regulations. A prime example of this comes in season 2 episode 25. In the episode, Izzy Stevens, one of the original interns, cuts an LVAD wire in order to help her boyfriend obtain a needed heart transplant. While the episode brings a great deal of tension and suspense, the lack of protocols and regulations does not accurately portray hospitals in the slightest. To begin, there are a plethora of nurses and other staff around rooms especially in the ICU which would prevent the situation. In addition, after the wire was cut, there were few consequences for Izzy and the other doctors involved in the coverup. The presence of this scheme implies that doctors have immunity from rules. In reality, there would be numerous investigations by multiple organizations, and she would almost certainly lose her medical license. 

Furthermore, the doctors often work extensive shifts while also giving off the impression that they have complex social lives. In the show, the characters’ social lives often compensate for the harsh struggles of working as a surgeon. In reality, however, the physical and mental toll has severe consequences on the lives of many physicians, and there are high rates of burnout and depression in the field. There have been increasingly high numbers of students who are disappointed with the career, as they have been led to believe in a reality that frankly does not exist. 

While the lives of the physicians portrayed on Grey’s Anatomy are entertaining to indulge in, the show should not be taken in hardly any literal sense. The show dramatizes the hospital setting, which makes audiences believe that this is representative of daily life. The lack of regulations that doctors abide by and how they can seemingly always bend the rules to benefit their patients is frowned upon by the medical community. 

With increasing importance on mental health, it is important for the writers to show audiences that the lives of the characters are far different from actual physicians. With no plans of slowing down, the show will continue to fascinate audiences for years to come and while entertaining as it is, it is important for audiences to know the difference between fiction and reality.

Copy Editor: Sophia Bartell

Photography Source: https://wallpaperaccess.com/greys-anatomy