PBS NOVA Doctor's Diaries

[BabyKangaroo]

Hey this special starts on the 7th of April (tomorrow!). There is already a thread in the pre-allo forums, and an SDN article about it, but in case no one searches in the pre-allo, or is blind and didn't see the article on SDN's home page, I thought I would post a link that contains each of the doctor's testimonies etc. from the PBS website. Wow...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/lives.html

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[JaggerPlate]

Hey this special starts on the 7th of April (tomorrow!). There is already a thread in the pre-allo forums, and an SDN article about it, but in case no one searches in the pre-allo, or is blind and didn't see the article on SDN's home page, I thought I would post a link that contains each of the doctor's testimonies etc. from the PBS website. Wow...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/lives.html

No DOs ..... 👎

 

[BabyKangaroo]

No DOs ..... 👎

You mean Harvard isn't an osteopathic school? Noooooo! Wait, I smell a DO vs MD conversation crawling out of the ooze. Please not another one of those I just got done watching all of the clips. It is amazing to see a long-term transformation like that in someone's life. Life seems so short when squeezed into a documentary. On second look, it is short.

 

[JaggerPlate]

You mean Harvard isn't an osteopathic school? Noooooo! Wait, I smell a DO vs MD conversation crawling out of the ooze. Please not another one of those I just got done watching all of the clips. It is amazing to see a long-term transformation like that in someone's life. Life seems so short when squeezed into a documentary. On second look, it is short.

It's about docs at Harvard??? I know nothing about the stupid ****ing show. Check out the dean of PM&R at Harvard ... I think he may have gone to an osteopathiiccc school. Ergo, there are DOs at Harvard.

 

[RySerr21]

It's about docs at Harvard??? I know nothing about the stupid ****ing show. Check out the dean of PM&R at Harvard ... I think he may have gone to an osteopathiiccc school. Ergo, there are DOs at Harvard.

its about docs that graduated from harvard in the 80s. They started filming when they were in medical school and have kept doing so up until now. Its bascialy just telling their stories. Sounds interesting to me. Im gonna try to watch it at some point, if not tomorrow.

 

[Semicolon]

Sounds very interesting; I'd definitely watch it if I didn't have plans tomorrow night. 🙁

You think they'll rerun it?!

 

[JaggerPlate]

its about docs that graduated from harvard in the 80s. They started filming when they were in medical school and have kept doing so up until now. Its bascialy just telling their stories. Sounds interesting to me. Im gonna try to watch it at some point, if not tomorrow.

Heh ... that sounds pretty interesting. I had no idea what it was about at all ... just thought it was some doctor show.

 

[tkim]

..........

 

[BabyKangaroo]

I guess I could have posted a little synopsis of it. Yeah, it's one of the longest documentaries done. 1987 pre-meds enter Harvard. They get filmed up until now. Most of them are divorced, some remarried. NOVA on PBS does some good things, but this is one of the best. Reality, truth. Just watch one of the clips on the link. You may end up watching all of them like I did.

 

[MossPoh]

They were probably divorced because they had to have a video camera everywhere...


Some reason, I don't really care. I guess it is because the same thing I have seen over and over again as is. It doesn't take 20+ years to see that crap. I've got my own version that I have watched....real life.

 

[Bleurberry]

This will be interesting.
My second opportunity this month to say "GO NOVA!!"

 

[BabyKangaroo]

.

 

[Cp22kjer]

Cool, thanks OP.

 

[Bleurberry]

Last night's episode was great. Looking forward to next week's.
I love how the one student was speaking with the woman about to have her hip re-enforced with screws and plates, "Oh yeah I'll probably just be handing off instruments to the doctor," and in the next scene you see him attempting to drill into her femur!

It was emotional to see the woman student speaking with the nice scottish gentleman the one moment, and having him expire on the table during surgery...

I'm glad this documentary was done. I can't say I've seen anything in particular that's changed my mind about medical school or medicine. How about all of you?

 

[BitingPlates]

Are these going to air weekly for a while?

 

[ChiDO]

For some reason I can't watch it. It says that I am outside of the US and they cannot show it to me....last time I checked, my address was still in the US, unless Canada invaded recently.

 

[time2go]

im glad they did this documentary...shows how tough not just med school but life is going to be as a doctor

 

[thethinman]

This will be interesting.
My second opportunity this month to say "GO NOVA!!"

haha, I initially thought it was a documentary following students from NOVA.

 

[Semicolon]

For anyone who has missed the first part (like me):

You can watch a rerun at 8pm on Thursday (tomorrow) on the WLIW World channel. 🙂

The site lists a bunch of other rerun times as well, but they're in morning/afternoon.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

its about docs that graduated from harvard in the 80s. They started filming when they were in medical school and have kept doing so up until now. Its bascialy just telling their stories. Sounds interesting to me. Im gonna try to watch it at some point, if not tomorrow.

Why the hell would they do that? Maybe the people at Harvard are so naturally smart that they can just skim over their notes once and know everything they need to know, and the rest of the time, its a big party. But at med school where I am, and judging from what I know from talking to my friends at med schools back in TX, or at Emory, it is pretty much the same for the rest of us mortals: study, study, study.

The highlight of my week last week was going to dinner and a movie with this girl I'm seeing. The fact that we had a ridiculously light week last week allowed this exciting event to take place. A normal Friday consists of me studying until about 10pm, and then I might go grab a beer with some of my classmates, or maybe if I can pull away a little earlier, go hang out with said girl, or some other low-key social event. Or sometimes I just go home and go to bed.

Saturdays aren't much different, but I usually go volunteer at Grady in the evenings.

Well, maybe it isn't that terrible, now that I've learned to manage my time. There is time to do ****, and even have some fun every now and then, but it isn't like undergrad, or even when I worked full-time. Nothing we do is that interesting. I can't imagine anybody would want to watch my life. Even the highlights of my life, while enjoyable, are nothing exotic. Like I said... dinner and a movie, or a beer with the guys, or maybe watch a basketball game. Everybody does that ****. The fact that I may have a lecture packet with me for any given social event makes it even more lame.

When you're a doctor, at least there can be cool **** mixed in with the lame ****. For TV, they can edit out the lame ****. And in a busy ER, there might even be a semi-steady flow of cool ****. But not as a medical student. Who the hell wants to watch that?

 

[scpod]

When you're a doctor, at least there can be cool **** mixed in with the lame ****. For TV, they can edit out the lame ****. And in a busy ER, there might even be a semi-steady flow of cool ****. But not as a medical student. Who the hell wants to watch that?

But when third year starts.... medical school is infinitely more interesting. I've had a total blast this year. Even this month, when I'm doing research in the free clinic, I have a little fun. Yesterday, as I'm obliviously running through journal articles on hyupertension, a patient comes in who needs a punch biopsy. Who's at the clinic who can do it? Not the nurse practicioner, the nurses , the staff.... so, I get to do it. While I don't want to be a surgeon at all, I still get a thrill anytime I get to do procedures and suture people up. Yes, first and second year suck ***, but it gets better 🙂

 

[lala5656]

I watched all of the clips on the website. That was enough for me to see if these people knew what they were getting into. Only one of them, the black lady in one of the last videos, knew what they were getting into. The rest had no idea. The one guy had (still most likely does) really, and I mean really bad social skills. I loved it when he asked the patient if he takes showers with his clothes on or off, lol.

Life in the 80's was different than how things are now. These videos show that young people should not be admitted to medical school. I think medical schools are smart enough to only let the rare person in that is under 21 years of age.

 

[Semicolon]

I watched all of the clips on the website. That was enough for me to see if these people knew what they were getting into. Only one of them, the black lady in one of the last videos, knew what they were getting into. The rest had no idea. The one guy had (still most likely does) really, and I mean really bad social skills. I loved it when he asked the patient if he takes showers with his clothes on or off, lol.

Life in the 80's was different than how things are now. These videos show that young people should not be admitted to medical school. I think medical schools are smart enough to only let the rare person in that is under 21 years of age.

Hm? I'm confused; how can you get into med school under the age of 21? 😕

In many other countries, you start med school right after high school, unless I'm mistaken.

 

[BabyKangaroo]

TexasTri-
It isn't meant to be entertaining, rather informative. It doesn't film only medical school, but medical school through mid life, albeit condensed into 20-30 minutes per person. It isn't that it's Harvard, it's medicine in general, thus very applicable to all of us. However, it is pretty entertaining at points.

 

[BabyKangaroo]

Are these going to air weekly for a while?

Actually, just go here and you can watch it online:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/program.html

 

[BitingPlates]

Thanks. I saw the video clips on the site, but wasn't sure it was the same as on television.

 

[igcgnerd]

I saw the original documentary which followed them up to internship a few years ago, actually bought it on VHS. I'm glad they're bring it back. I guess part 2 will have the more recent parts in it. The scene where the girl cries in the OR still kinda makes me laugh. The situation was tragic she just has a really funny sounding cry.

 

[tkim]

I saw the original documentary which followed them up to internship a few years ago, actually bought it on VHS. I'm glad they're bring it back. I guess part 2 will have the more recent parts in it. The scene where the girl cries in the OR still kinda makes me laugh. The situation was tragic she just has a really funny sounding cry.

I remember seeing that the first time it aired. It was almost as if she squeezed a few tears out because she thought she was *supposed* to cry, then turned it off right after.

If there were no camera there, I bet she would have shrugged her shoulders and looked to see if there was a drug rep lunch happening anywhere.

 

[Bleurberry]

I remember seeing that the first time it aired. It was almost as if she squeezed a few tears out because she thought she was *supposed* to cry, then turned it off right after.

If there were no camera there, I bet she would have shrugged her shoulders and looked to see if there was a drug rep lunch happening anywhere.

Doubtful.

 

[tkim]

Doubtful.

Talk to me when you get to the clinical clerkships.

 

[DiverDoc]

I thought it was entertaining..... For the most part, it hit the hardships of medical school dead on.

One student (at the time) said " No matter what kind of emotional, psychological equilibrium you have established up to this point in your life, medical school will challenge it" Turns out, its true. 😱

Still, Ive got a test on monday and Im on SDN and facebook.... lol

 

[Semicolon]

I would think, while a lot of the stuff in the documentary still holds true, the fact that we're well into the information age now probably totally changes how we're learning medicine, and may make some aspects of med school slightly easier to deal with.

 

[BabyKangaroo]

The more we start to discover, the more we find out we need more information to understand what we just discovered. More info = more knowledge = obligation to greater amounts of information. I am thankful the internet and PDAs are at our fingertips. But they may have had to learn less, albeit not very much.

 

[nlax30]

Just watched the part and read the interview w/ Dr. Tarter, the EM Physician.... life has been pretty rough on him.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/tom.html

I know he settled down in a small town and didn't want to leave, but after a few divorces, no credit rating, no health insurance b/c he couldn't afford it and just getting by with I guess locum work, geez, I'd be hard pressed not to completely get out and make a change.

 

[engineeredout]

Saw the first part yesterday. Pretty entertaining. Got to laugh at the 80s clothes and hair. Not to mention they were doing lectures on these things:

Definitely wanna check out the next part.

 

[bobg504]

Saw the first part yesterday. Pretty entertaining. Got to laugh at the 80s clothes and hair. Not to mention they were doing lectures on these things:

Definitely wanna check out the next part.

Dude! The "over head projector" was a HUGE part of my childhood, lol. I clearly remember those things from elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. 😀

 

[Semicolon]

Saw the first part yesterday. Pretty entertaining. Got to laugh at the 80s clothes and hair. Not to mention they were doing lectures on these things:

Definitely wanna check out the next part.

Some of my professors still use that. I didn't know it was that unusual these days, lol.

 

[bobg504]

Just watched the part and read the interview w/ Dr. Tarter, the EM Physician.... life has been pretty rough on him.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/doctors/tom.html

I know he settled down in a small town and didn't want to leave, but after a few divorces, no credit rating, no health insurance b/c he couldn't afford it and just getting by with I guess locum work, geez, I'd be hard pressed not to completely get out and make a change.

I was so shocked with how things turned out for this guy. I felt bad for him. He looks twice the age of his classmates. Talk about HARD LIVIN!

 

[Bleurberry]

Talk to me when you get to the clinical clerkships.

A lot of people faking tears in your clerkships?
Anyhow, I'll set a reminder to page you when I'm a 3rd year, yes.

 

[Joaquin]

Why the hell would they do that? Maybe the people at Harvard are so naturally smart that they can just skim over their notes once and know everything they need to know, and the rest of the time, its a big party. But at med school where I am, and judging from what I know from talking to my friends at med schools back in TX, or at Emory, it is pretty much the same for the rest of us mortals: study, study, study.

how exactly do you make the conclusion that:
harvard medical student filmed for a documentary -> harvard is a big lazy party and your school is way more hardcore

 

[engineeredout]

how exactly do you make the conclusion that:
harvard medical student filmed for a documentary -> harvard is a big lazy party and your school is way more hardcore

 

[nevinleiby]

woot! I studied handwriting analysis as a hobby for about 3 years =) M.N. Bunker has a great book if anyone is interested

 

[tkim]

.

 

[RySerr21]

I watched the clips for tom tarter and they are seriously depressing. My jaw dropped when i saw how much he had changed physically....he looked like a totally different person who had just lost himself. It also surprised me when they filmed him in med school and he was making a big deal about studying 6 hours a day.......it seems like i hear people now say they are putting in way more time than that. But maybe thats on top of lecture and lab? I dunno.

 

[scpod]

....it seems like i hear people now say they are putting in way more time than that. But maybe thats on top of lecture and lab? I dunno.

If you'll recall he said it was 6 hours a day there at his desk or the library doing solid studying, not including walking there and back. So, yes, it was on top of lecture and lab.

 

[Semicolon]

Man...Tom Tartar could single-handedly prevent pre-meds from choosing med school, haha. It really is a shame that he ended up like that; goes to show you that the Harvard name doesn't matter all that much and that image matters a lot.

And here I am debating whether or not I should keep my facial hair for med school. 😀

 

[engineeredout]

Anyone notice that guy with the short blond hair (I forgot his namE) who got married? I sware the wife looked old enough to be his mother.

And do that many people actually get married in med school? 😱

 

[BabyKangaroo]

Married AND divorced. I think those peeps that went to Harvard may have subliminally thought more of themselves than they ought to have. Reasons for the divorces? Tom Tarter was on his 5th marriage. Others were at least on their second.

I thought all of the clips were depressing, but it still made me want to become a doctor. They all loved what they are doing, or maybe they just say that b/c they are stubborn.

Did anyone see Dr. Oz in one of the clips? That was awesome.

 

[Stixman28]

I was so shocked with how things turned out for this guy. I felt bad for him. He looks twice the age of his classmates. Talk about HARD LIVIN!

I watched the originals perhaps 2 years ago when they were all available on google video (which is now extinct). It goes into quite a bit more detail about his life prior to medicine, he was a non-trad and def worried about being older than the other students. So despite his obvious physical health problems, he really is older than the other docs.

 

[nevinleiby]

when they were all available on google video (which is now extinct)

arg...google video/youtube drives me crazy lately. They list things as being accessible, then you click on them, then they have been pulled for copyright/etc reasons. Please don't list them at all or flag them so I don't waste my time and effort finding out after-the-fact that they have been pulled. It always seems like now they go on copyright infringement rampages and remove what seems to be about 1/3 of the content of youtube every few weeks. I don't blame them, but the interface needs some work....
😡