Medical Documentaries List

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Hello everyone,

One of the things I like to do when bored is to watch medical documentaries. I have compiled a list in hopes that others can watch these shows in their spare time if they have an interest in them. If you have one that you like that is not on the list, please post it so I can add it to the list.

The list of shows also includes descriptions of the shows. If I included a "watch" link, it means that the show can be viewed for free, in its entirety, on the website. If not, then I have included a "buy" or "more information" link. I know for a fact that you can find a lot of these for free if you know where to look. *cough torrents*

The documentaries below the dashed lines are ones contributed by the SDN community, and the ones above have been added by me.

Feel free to comment or discuss on how you liked/disliked/thought of the shows.

Note: If I am breaking forum rules by posting where to buy the shows, please tell me so I can edit the information out.


Journey into Medicine (1947)
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsCwnUtMVcI
A fascinating story following the life of a young man, on his way to attaining an MD and maturing as a doctor. It’s very interesting to see how the medical education/residency/job environment was in 1947. Black and White.
Interestingly enough, if you pause at 4:19 in part 1 (the one linked), there seems to be only 3 women in the whole class and 0 urms (naturally).



Abortion Clinic (1983) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl.../abortion.html
“Two decades later, this remains one of the most powerful stories Frontline has ever told.” The controversial story of abortion set in a time period when it was considered repulsive.



Hopkins 24/7 (2000)
I can’t find much about this
Information at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258356/



Medicating Kids (2001) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...icating/watch/
Explores the recent surge, risks, and benefits of behavior modifying drugs directed at children.



The Age Of Aids (2006) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/aids/view/
A documentary detailing the circumstances surrounding the initial outbreak and transmission of HIV, and how the government responded.



The Meth Epidemic (2006) (Frontline Documentary)
Covers the explosion of methamphetamine abuse within the US.
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/



Fighting for Life (2008)
Information/buy at: http://www.fightingforlifethemovie.com/synopsis.html
“When the battle ends, their fight begins” A story about the duties and hardships faced by doctors and staff on the battlefront.



Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery (2008)
Watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEN7cskkp6I
“Reveals surgery’s evolution, from butchery to brilliance”
A BBC special explaining the History of Surgery. Pretty self explanatory title – kind of graphic. I enjoyed this one. A fairly long series.

Part 1: History of Neurosurgery
Part 2: History of Heart Surgery
Part 3: History of Transplant Surgery
Part 4: History of Plastic Surgery
Part 5: How surgery evolved from "butchery into a science"


Sick Around The World (2008) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...theworld/view/
“find out how five other capitalist democracies -- the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Taiwan and Switzerland -- deliver health care, and what the United States might learn from their successes and their failures.”



Hopkins (2008)
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/user/bevelupd...e=results_main
Buy at: http://abcnewsstore.go.com/webapp/wc...egoryId=100012
Also at Amazon On Demand at: http://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-Episod...8594337&sr=1-1
A documentary revolving around the life of doctors at Johns Hopkins teaching hospital. It focuses on several cases, and how the doctor’s handle them. It also looks at the personal life of the doctors. Interesting, informative series. Watch for the illegal Mexican immigrant turned brain surgeon. Produced by Terence Wrong.
Amazon link provided by MDOnlyWillDo



Doctors’ Diaries (2009)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/doctors-diaries.html
I'm pretty sure a lot of you have heard about this one. Follows 7 HMS students at various time periods of their life – during medical school, residency, and jobs. It also focuses a great deal on how medicine has impacted their personal lives. It’s actually pretty depressing what happens to most of these doctors (lol) – however, it’s a great series overall.



Sick Around America (2009) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...damerica/view/
Explores the US’s “broken” healthcare system and the overhaul needed to fix it.



Psychopath (2009)
Watch at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/psychopath/
A look into the brains and behaviors of psychopaths.



The Vaccine War (2010) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/view/
Patients’ rights v. Community safety



Facing Death (2010) (Frontline Documentary)
Watch at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/facing-death/
“How far would you go to sustain the life of someone you love, or your own?” A take on mechanized death in the medical field.



Boston Med (2010)
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/user/bevelupd...e=results_main
Watch at: http://www.hulu.com/boston-med
Similar to Hopkins, as it is also produced by Terence Wrong. Instead of being set at Hopkins, this one is set in Boston, at MassGen, Children's, and Brigham and Women’s. A very exciting series that includes profiling heart surgeons and ER residents.



The Cancer Report (2010)
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnaBG177VIw
"This documentary catalogs how allopathic medicine established dominance in the early part of the 20th Century, and how natural medicines were arbitrarily banned from the medical profession. This documentary exposes the carnage of the cancer industry, the financial interests that molded it, and why it is so resistant to change. Meanwhile, cancer treatments kill more people every year than any war in U.S. history. "



NY Med (2012)
Watch at: http://nymedshow.com/
Information at: http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/...or-2012_b50301
Another medical hospital documentary produced by Terence Wrong.



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Sicko (2007)
Information at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/
"A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories."
Contributed by tpraolm



The English Surgeon (2007)
Information at: http://www.pbs.org/pov/englishsurgeon/
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbHeu-Dn1iY
"About a brit brain surgeon who takes time off from where he works in England every year to give free surgeries in The Ukraine. It will blow you away. You even get to watch him perform an operation, all with equipment he bought at a Ukrainian open-air supermarket. A very impressive, compassionate human being."
Contributed by rockyrado. Watch link contributed by ModusProbandi



Surgery School (2010)
Information at: http://www.tvguide.co.uk/episodeguid...gery%20School&
“10 doctors training to be surgeons in the UK. It's definitely a lot faster paced than most US shows because they cover all ten for a full year in 3 episodes, but I found it to be interesting enough. Kind of fun seeing differences in hospital procedure (for instance, they don't use sponges to scrub into surgery, just gigantic handfuls of disinfectant soap).”
Contributed by NightGod



Trauma: Life in the ER (1997 - 2002)
Information/Show times/Episode Guide at: http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/trauma/trauma.html
Information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauma:_Life_in_the_E.R.
“They film the happenings of busy EDs at major medical centers and also focus on the perspective of the docs.”
A multi season documentary following cases in Level One trauma centers and emergency rooms.
They also have an ER simulation game at: http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/trauma/game/game.html
Contributed by wholeheartedly/chops369



Resident Life (2003)
Information at:http://forums.studentdoctor.net/arch.../t-104948.html
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporte...x.html?ID=2847
"Resident Life tells the stories of 26 Vanderbilt residents from 18 academic departments and their up-and-down worlds of professional and personal challenges and recreational diversions. "
An old TLC series...I couldn't find much about this
Contributed by Bza



The Residents (2003)
Information at: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/arch.../t-211195.html
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-71201462.html
"THE RESIDENTS chronicles the stressful, high-stakes world of a group of first-year medical residents as they work at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles."
There isn't much info on this either. A google search only turns up a few references to this show.
Contributed by Bza



Baghdad ER (2006)
Information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_ER
Buy at: http://www.amazon.com/Baghdad-ER-HBO.../dp/B000G1R4V6
Also on Netflix Instant
"This 64-minute verite documentary takes an unforgettable look inside the 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), the U.S. Army's premier medical facility in Iraq and former site of one of Saddam Hussein's elite medical facilities. Shot over two months in the summer of 2005, the film puts a human face on the war?s cold casualty statistics, as doctors and nurses fight to save the lives of wounded soldiers who are Medevaced (helicoptered) in a numbingly routine basis."
Contributed by Courtnes



Inside the OR (2007)
Explore the inside of Seattle's Children's Hospital's surgical ward.
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgEbV...feature=relmfu Contributed by Gigantron




Heroes of Children's Hospital (2010)
Watch at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35063448/
"A Dateline show on residents at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Super fabu-u."
Contributed by MDOnlyWillDo



911: The Bronx (2008)
"911: The Bronx follows a team of emergency room doctors in one of New York City's busiest hospitals — St. Barnabas Hospital in the south Bronx. The action never ceases as the doctors move swiftly from one life-threatening case to the next while still maintaining a surprising amount of heart and humor."
"If you like Trauma: Life in the ER, its the newest show in this genre. It airs on Discovery Health on saturday mornings, 6am PST/9am EST. It was actually recorded in the last few years."
Information/Schedule at: http://health.discovery.com/tv/medic...x-tune-in.html
Contributed by MDOnlyWillDo



The Vanishing Oath (2010)
"A medical documentary that exposes the painful and disturbing obstacles that doctors and their patients face in today's modern health care dilemma."
Buy/Download at: http://www.crashcartproductions.com/home
Contributed by TheMan21



Behind the Mask (2010)
Yet another look at Seattle Children's surgical operations.
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-1nFOMv1T8
Contributed by Gigantron




A NIGHT IN THE ER (2010)
A fast paced documentary detailing one night in a Miami ER. This documentary will take you up close and personal - there aren't any expensive camera crews in this documentary, only one camcorder.
Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0p74...eature=related
Contributed by RavishingB

Sicko (2007)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/
"A documentary comparing the highly profitable American health care industry to other nations, and HMO horror stories."

Thanks for the videos!

COOL THREAD!!!
Thank you!

summer movie list! Thanks!

Doctor Diaries
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/doctors-diaries.html

I highly recommend this, its a documentary focusing on the lives of 6-7 people going though 4 years of harvard medical school, and shows what they are now
(spoiler alert: the ending/conclusion is kinda sad :[)

http://watchdocumentary.com/watch/sh...4f2f96aa9.html

In the middle of the Documentary it shows a kid (age 17) getting surgery to increase his height. Feel kind of sorry for him though...he only went from 4'11.5'' to 5'2'' lol

Originally Posted by Political

Doctor Diaries
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/doctors-diaries.html

I highly recommend this, its a documentary focusing on the lives of 6-7 people going though 4 years of harvard medical school, and shows what they are now
(spoiler alert: the ending/conclusion is kinda sad :[)

Already on the list, but thank you anyways. Yes, the ending is quite depressing lol. Actually I think the bad things start to happen in the middle of the documentary.

The English Surgeon
http://www.pbs.org/pov/englishsurgeon/

Pretty sure it's on netflix too.

It's about a brit brain surgeon who takes time off from where he works in England every year to give free surgeries in The Ukraine. It will blow you away. You even get to watch him perform an operation, all with equipment he bought at a Ukrainian open-air supermarket. A very impressive, compassionate human being.

Anyone know where I can get a copy of "fighting for life" that isn't going to cost me $30?

If you have a copy, maybe we can work something out?

Originally Posted by halethsonofhama

Anyone know where I can get a copy of "fighting for life" that isn't going to cost me $30?

If you have a copy, maybe we can work something out?

Sorry...I can't find it anywhere on the Internet, including torrents. I'm guessing you will have to either buy it, or as you said, work out a deal with someone.

I watched Doctors' Diaries earlier this week and was looking for something similar. Thanks for the compilation!

Surgery School was an easy one to miss, since it was a British show. They cover 10 doctors training to be surgeons in the UK. It's definitely a lot faster paced than most US shows because they cover all ten for a full year in 3 episodes, but I found it to be interesting enough. Kind of fun seeing differences in hospital procedure (for instance, they don't use sponges to scrub into surgery, just gigantic handfuls of disinfectant soap). You'll likely need to hunt it down via torrents.

Just saw another show that started over in Britain last week called Baby Hospital. Looks to be documentary style, though I'm waiting on the online viewer on ITV1's web site to kick in.

Doctors: The History of Scientific Medicine Revealed Through Biography

http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/c....aspx?cid=8128

This one isn't a documentary but an actual course taught by Professor Sherwin Nuland M.D. Very expensive but it can be found by other "means."

Great idea!

I really liked the "trauma: life in the ER" series on discovery health. They film the happenings of busy EDs at major medical centers and also focus on the perspective of the docs. The shows are from a few year back (before the HIPAA revamp) but last I checked they were still playing on the discovery health channel. I don't know if you can get them anywhere else. Code blue is another one that's good.

wiki description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauma:_Life_in_the_E.R.

show times
http://health.discovery.com/tv-sched....53467.8527.21

Trauma: Life in the ER

I don't think you can watch it anywhere for free, but the Discovery Health channel plays reruns all the time. http://health.discovery.com/tv-sched...3.53467.8527.x

Same channel also plays Code Blue and Critical Hour, which are basically the same thing but newer.

Originally Posted by Lurid

I watched Doctors' Diaries earlier this week and was looking for something similar. Thanks for the compilation!

Just saw that it's on Netflix Instant. Thanks for making this list! I can't wait to watch it this evening

Originally Posted by Lurid

I watched Doctors' Diaries earlier this week and was looking for something similar. Thanks for the compilation!

Decided to watch this and I absolutely loved it. I think it's a great movie for anyone interested in medicine

Good thread, OP.

Sweet links. Thanks!!!

The English Surgeon (Full)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbHeu-Dn1iY

Originally Posted by ModusProbandi

The English Surgeon (Full)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbHeu-Dn1iY

Thank you! Added to the list

Thanks for posting. I'm watching the Boston Med series right now.

Originally Posted by YH5

Thanks for posting. I'm watching the Boston Med series right now.

Just started this as well. It'll be good to have some shows to watch on the plane. I really like how they show a happy side of patient interaction and the struggles that each doctor has. I feel like some focus only on the bad.

Been watching the "Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery" series, it's really fascinating, thanks for posting!

There were 2 really good documentaries that played on TLC and Discovery Health about the lives of residents. One was called, "Resident Life" (started on TLC, filmed at Vanderbuilt) and the other was "The Residents" (Disc Health, filmed at UCLA). Both came out around 2003. Anyone know where I can watch these?

Here's a short clip I found from Resident Life: http://vimeo.com/12666345

Thanks, OP, this is awesome! Well I know what I'm doing til 4am today.

anyone know a documentary on surgeons and their specialties that go in the styles of doctor diaries and boston med?

doctors diaries is pretty depressing! I hope I stay with one and only one.

Boston med on the other hand, the surgeon seems to be happy!

Originally Posted by kautionwirez

anyone know a documentary on surgeons and their specialties that go in the styles of doctor diaries and boston med?

doctors diaries is pretty depressing! I hope I stay with one and only one.

Boston med on the other hand, the surgeon seems to be happy!

Other than the reduced length (three episodes) the Surgery School I mentioned earlier is a very similar style. Some cultural differences with it being a British show, but it's close.

I watched Baghdad ER a few months ago. It was a documentary released by HBO in 2006. Highly recommend, and on Netflix instant I believe.

Originally Posted by courtnes

I watched Baghdad ER a few months ago. It was a documentary released by HBO in 2006. Highly recommend, and on Netflix instant I believe.

Ah yeah, I saw that a few weeks ago too. Great show! Fair warning, it will be hard to watch if you are prior service. Yes, it's on Netflix instant.

Heroes of Children's Hospital
A Dateline show on residents at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Super fabu-u.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35063448/

911: The Bronx
If you like Trauma: Life in the ER, its the newest show in this genre. It airs on Discovery Health on saturday mornings, 6am PST/9am EST. It was actually recorded in the last few years.
http://health.discovery.com/tv/medic...x-tune-in.html

And Hopkins (2008) is available cheaper on Amazon On Demand, for about 7 bucks for the season.
http://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-Episod...8594337&sr=1-1

Awesome Thread!

Not exactly a medical "documentary" but I always enjoy watching

Mystery Diagnosis http://www.oprah.com/own-mystery-dia...-episodes.html

Originally Posted by Wile

Awesome Thread!

Not exactly a medical "documentary" but I always enjoy watching

Mystery Diagnosis http://www.oprah.com/own-mystery-dia...-episodes.html

Yeah, True stories in the ER is in the same vein. I like the stories themselves but could do with out the (over)dramatization that they use.

Originally Posted by wholeheartedly

Yeah, True stories in the ER is in the same vein. I like the stories themselves but could do with out the (over)dramatization that they use.

Have to agree with you there. The scenes with the re-enactments can be pretty annoying. Dr. G Medical Examiner is another one.

posting for later

Just watched the whole series of Boston Med, which recommended from this thread.

Really good series; it was at times funny and touching, and definitely interesting.

Any more for the list?

I watched The English Surgeon, thanks for the recommendation -- it was a great watch.

Due to watching the aforementioned, this: 'Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma' has been recommended to me on my Netflix homepage. It's on instant watch at Netflix, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet.

Originally Posted by Lurid

Just watched the whole series of Boston Med, which recommended from this thread.

Really good series; it was at times funny and touching, and definitely interesting.

I rented four episodes for my flight from iTunes. I really really like this show. Thanks for recommending it.

is there any way to watch 'doctors diaries'?

i cant seem to view it

Originally Posted by Hexon

is there any way to watch 'doctors diaries'?

i cant seem to view it

Netflix instant play

MDOnly, you should've capitalized your username to be "MDOnlyWillDO"

i luv ppl like u! thx 4 ta list.

Originally Posted by CaliGirl14

i luv ppl like u! thx 4 ta list.

Sorry about the sidetracking, but must people type like this?! It's kinda annoying.

Originally Posted by paul411

Sorry about the sidetracking, but must people type like this?! It's kinda annoying.

Haha, no! I had an ice-cream cone melting in one hand I was trying to type with my other.

This thread is great.. I had to search for it.. I was wondering if anyone knew of any medical documentaries addressing health care in other nations (similar to Mountains Beyond Mountains type of work, how warfare has affected medical care in Africa, or maybe dealing with the natural disasters in Japan).. thanks

The Vanishing Oath seems like it would be pretty good. This documentary looks at the difficulties of practicing medicine in today's world. Haven't actually seen it, but the preview clips are interesting.

http://vanishingoath.com/

Originally Posted by TheMan21

The Vanishing Oath seems like it would be pretty good. This documentary looks at the difficulties of practicing medicine in today's world. Haven't actually seen it, but the preview clips are interesting.

http://vanishingoath.com/

Added, thanks!

anyway to watch Hopkins without shelling out cash?

10/10