best documentaries on medicine that makes it feel like you're working

[CoitusInterruptus]

1. CODE BLACK (2013) Code Black (2013) - IMDb

Inside the birthplace of modern emergency medicine and the art of resuscitation. Felt almost exactly like my ER medical scribing experience; really well done. I mean look at all those wreaths on the cover--you know it's award winning. ¡available to Amazon Prime subscribers!

2. The English Surgeon (The English Surgeon (2007) - IMDb)
from the guy who wrote

the story of how he volunteers his services and equipment in the Ukraine

so many onions were cut while hearing him talk about the girl who he couldn't save and who was left disabled after his surgical intervention. Henry Marsh is truly a consummate professional available FO' FREE to Amazon Prime subscribers, too. I hate old movies (except for like, The Godfather probably) but I made an exception for this guy because he's so real


3. I use Tubi.TV (free movie and tv streaming service with no credit card or membership required) to watch 24 HOURS in A&E (in the UK, A&E = Accidents & Emergencies; it's what Brits call their EDs)

Idk if I'm biased towards emergency medicine but check it out 24 Hours in A&E


Honorable Mention EDIT (thanks to the boss who brought us LM scores)
DIAGNOSIS (on Netflix)

[not documentaries but whatever]
4. Grey's Anatomy (I LOVE IT OK???)

, Hart of Dixie (I loved that girl from The OC)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[LizzyM]

Has anyone seen "Diagnosis" on Netflix? The antithesis of emergency medicine: crowd sourcing the work of making a diagnosis in a puzzling case. Each episode ends with the introduction of the patient in the next episode so it is very binge-worthy.

I prefer historical fiction so I've enjoyed The French Village (on Hulu). The main character is a physician during WWII. Also, on the other side of the battle lines, on Netflix, Charité at War which plays off the biographical details of real people in Berlin circa 1943. The same goes for Season 1, called Charite which is set in the same hospital decades earlier and includes Dr. Robert Koch of Koch's postulates.

 

[Tenk]

Pretty sure I use this and Airplane more during my shifts than any other medical movie.

 

[fruitcake2511]

Am I the only one who grew up loving Untold Stories of the ER on TLC? Now, granted this is TLC we are talking about so the accuracy probably isn't the best, but it's so intriguing I can't help myself lol, just something relaxing to watch that still revolves around a hospital 🙂

 

[Jeremy Bearimy]

Pretty sure I use this and Airplane more during my shifts than any other medical movie.

"Surely you can't be serious, Doc."
"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."

 

[deleted903608]

Am I the only one who grew up loving Untold Stories of the ER on TLC? Now, granted this is TLC we are talking about so the accuracy probably isn't the best, but it's so intriguing I can't help myself lol, just something relaxing to watch that still revolves around a hospital 🙂

Man I loved that show, particularly how horrific the acting is, always got a kick out of it

 

[KCMT21]

The Knick is pretty good if you like surgery. Granted it's not a documentary or 100% real but it's a TV show based on early medicine and innovation in surgery that has solid ( I think ) reenactments.

It's only on cinemax but a few clips are on youtube.

 

[CoitusInterruptus]

Has anyone seen "Diagnosis" on Netflix? The antithesis of emergency medicine: crowd sourcing the work of making a diagnosis in a puzzling case. Each episode ends with the introduction of the patient in the next episode so it is very binge-worthy.

I prefer historical fiction so I've enjoyed The French Village (on Hulu). The main character is a physician during WWII. Also, on the other side of the battle lines, on Netflix, Charité at War which plays off the biographical details of real people in Berlin circa 1943. The same goes for Season 1, called Charite which is set in the same hospital decades earlier and includes Dr. Robert Koch of Koch's postulates.

I LOVE diagnosis!

 

[princesspeach2]

Not a documentary or very realistic I'd imagine, but The Physician (available on Netflix) is a great movie. Very beautifully shot. One of my favorites.

 

[princesspeach2]

Am I the only one who grew up loving Untold Stories of the ER on TLC? Now, granted this is TLC we are talking about so the accuracy probably isn't the best, but it's so intriguing I can't help myself lol, just something relaxing to watch that still revolves around a hospital 🙂

Sex sent me to the er is also quite entertaining with horrible acting.

 

[Isoval]

Sex sent me to the er is also quite entertaining with horrible acting.

This sounds like a profoundly low-budget porno.

 

[fruitcake2511]

This sounds like a profoundly low-budget porno.

I was about to say the same thing. The acting in that show is God awful, which is what makes it hysterical

 

[piii]

Diagnosis is SO awful. Makes most people with medical knowledge cringe. It’s anti-physician, sensationalistic, and shows lots of content that undermines physicians in America. Lisa Sanders is a sell out

 

[and 99 others]

Diagnosis is SO awful. Makes most people with medical knowledge cringe. It’s anti-physician, sensationalistic, and shows lots of content that undermines physicians in America. Lisa Sanders is a sell out

I don't see how it is anti-physician. It documents the patients working pretty heavily with physicians and ultimately helped by physicians. It also highlights the plusses of thinking outside the box to focus on the patient's wellbeing above all else, even if it means crowdsourcing.

 

[907914]

This sounds like a profoundly low-budget porno.

One wonders, did they go to the ER to get sex or after a bad sex experience

 

[Lucca]

“Hospital”

Richard Brody on Frederick Wiseman’s “Hospital,” from 1970.

video.newyorker.com

Wiseman’s “Hospital”

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Also recommend Code Black. It was a very cool doc. I used to love Trauma: Life in the ER.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

I can understand why premeds and med students watch medicine related stuff— but as an attending, the last thing I want to do is have more “work” at home. I try my best to watch and read stuff out of my normal sphere.

 

[907914]

I can understand why premeds and med students watch medicine related stuff— but as an attending, the last thing I want to do is have more “work” at home. I try my best to watch and read stuff out of my normal sphere.

I feel like I am the only Pre-MED who doesn’t read and watch medicine related things...

Looking at the matriculation survey that shows only like 25% of matriculating students chose premed late in college or after college or even just the fact that over half (!!) say they chose medicine even before college really makes me concerned.

Like...I only chose medicine after living my life. Even since then, never been engulfed in the drama of shows and books etc. etc.

The reason those survey results concern me is because it tells me that the majority of MED students have lived their life defined by becoming a doctor, may have never really considered other pathways, and may be entering medicine for the wrong and/or uninformed reasons.

Could this be why so many doctors end up with low job satisfaction? Because what the shows and books and movies display leads to students idolizing the role of physician...but their idolized role DOES NOT match the reality of the situation?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I feel like I am the only Pre-MED who doesn’t read and watch medicine related things...

Looking at the matriculation survey that shows only like 25% of matriculating students chose premed late in college or after college or even just the fact that over half (!!) say they chose medicine even before college really makes me concerned.

Like...I only chose medicine after living my life. Even since then, never been engulfed in the drama of shows and books etc. etc.

The reason those survey results concern me is because it tells me that the majority of MED students have lived their life defined by becoming a doctor, may have never really considered other pathways, and may be entering medicine for the wrong and/or uninformed reasons.

Could this be why so many doctors end up with low job satisfaction? Because what the shows and books and movies display leads to students idolizing the role of physician...but their idolized role DOES NOT match the reality of the situation?

Let’s not turn this into a @MemeLord thread please.

 

[907914]

Let’s not turn this into a @MemeLord thread please.

I mean, it is on topic. Kinda.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I mean, it is on topic. Kinda.

I don’t watch or read a lot of medical stuff anymore. But Code Black is good. And I’m not even interested in EM.

 

[Cornfed101]

I feel like I am the only Pre-MED who doesn’t read and watch medicine related things...

Looking at the matriculation survey that shows only like 25% of matriculating students chose premed late in college or after college or even just the fact that over half (!!) say they chose medicine even before college really makes me concerned.

Like...I only chose medicine after living my life. Even since then, never been engulfed in the drama of shows and books etc. etc.

The reason those survey results concern me is because it tells me that the majority of MED students have lived their life defined by becoming a doctor, may have never really considered other pathways, and may be entering medicine for the wrong and/or uninformed reasons.

Could this be why so many doctors end up with low job satisfaction? Because what the shows and books and movies display leads to students idolizing the role of physician...but their idolized role DOES NOT match the reality of the situation?

I would agree with this. There is much less sex in hospitals that Grey’s Anatomy portrays. This may produce low job satisfaction for some.

I watched Doctor Diaries, a PBS documentary on YouTube and it’s mostly sad. A bunch of Harvard med students from the 80s that they followed up on 20 years later and they basically all got divorced.

 

[calipremed5768]

Dr. Phil