NOVA - Becoming a Doctor Series - How real was that?

[dank204]

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I watched that program years ago and then I watched it again recently. It was done in three parts: 1987, 2001, and then in 2008. Was the med-school part of the documentary very accurate? I mean it's Harvard and the 80's. Did the students in the documentary make it seem harder than it was or is it like that today in most med schools?

I thought they exaggerated how much work it was. I know it's hard but it is definitely doable. I also thought that most of the students they chose to follow were not the greatest candidates. I mean most of them had no depth to them except maybe Dr. Tartar. Dr. Grazette was ok too.

 

[cpants]

Obviously it's dated, but the structure, content, and experiences are largely the same 25 years later. The depressing part of the documentary was how they all got divorced. My wife wasn't feeling it. Finally, the one guy had a great family and kids and was talking about how he makes career sacrifices to keep his family life strong. Cuts to black screen with text stating they got divorced 6 months after filming.

 

[longwhorn]

Convinced me. Didn't want to get married anyways.

 

[dank204]

I agree with the part about most of them getting divorced. I know a lot of doctors that are very happy though and I was getting the impression that the doctors in the documentary were stressed out and unhappy because maybe, while they are really bright people, they were probably in the wrong profession.

They made it seem like med school and medicine will make you go crazy.

 

[Gabby]

I watched that program years ago and then I watched it again recently. It was done in three parts: 1987, 2001, and then in 2008. Was the med-school part of the documentary very accurate? I mean it's Harvard and the 80's. Did the students in the documentary make it seem harder than it was or is it like that today in most med schools?

I thought they exaggerated how much work it was. I know it's hard but it is definitely doable. I also thought that most of the students they chose to follow were not the greatest candidates. I mean most of them had no depth to them except maybe Dr. Tartar. Dr. Grazette was ok too.

Well, first off, they were at Harvard. I don't know what the mentality is like at Harvard, but I imagine it's competitive. Second, it was the 80s when they were in med school. No Internet, lectures being streamed, no Wiki, no SDN, and all the other things that make studying a lot more tolerable these days. It's great that I can watch my lectures from home, if I choose. It's great that I can Google something if I don't quite understand it or sign on to SDN to ask a thousand brilliant med students to explain it to me. It's great that I don't have to read 2,000 textbook pages every night to keep up with my classes. I'm not saying med school itself was harder back then, but it definitely is more "doable" nowadays, IMO.

 

[swamprat]

Well, first off, they were at Harvard. I don't know what the mentality is like at Harvard, but I imagine it's competitive. Second, it was the 80s when they were in med school. No Internet, lectures being streamed, no Wiki, no SDN, and all the other things that make studying a lot more tolerable these days. It's great that I can watch my lectures from home, if I choose. It's great that I can Google something if I don't quite understand it or sign on to SDN to ask a thousand brilliant med students to explain it to me. It's great that I don't have to read 2,000 textbook pages every night to keep up with my classes. I'm not saying med school itself was harder back then, but it definitely is more "doable" nowadays, IMO.

Yeah I actually agree with all of that - facebook, smart phones, AIM - waste time studying but def keeps me sane when I need to sit there and study hours on end. Although back then I don't think they had shelf exams they just had to do the rotations..according to my friends dad who is a practicing cardiologist now.

 

[SilverBvllet]

Probably produced by someone who didn't get into med school.

 

[Evergrey]

Probably produced by someone who didn't get into med school.

It actually was, if you look at the producer's biography However it does hint that s/he still wishes they became a doctor.

 

[ACSurgeon]

I watched that program years ago and then I watched it again recently. It was done in three parts: 1987, 2001, and then in 2008. Was the med-school part of the documentary very accurate? I mean it's Harvard and the 80's. Did the students in the documentary make it seem harder than it was or is it like that today in most med schools?

I thought they exaggerated how much work it was. I know it's hard but it is definitely doable. I also thought that most of the students they chose to follow were not the greatest candidates. I mean most of them had no depth to them except maybe Dr. Tartar. Dr. Grazette was ok too.

Honestly, it's alot of work, but at the end, it is what you make it. Does it add more stress to your family life? Sure. Does it have to be a death sentence? not at all.