Grey's: The Grey's Anatomy Effect

I have to admit. Last night's Grey's Anatomy was a challenge for me to get through. The doctor in me had trouble abandoning all sense of reality.

I kept thinking "Meredith must have been under water for an hour while all that chaos was going on around her."

We all realize, I think, that no one can be under water for that length of time and live -- even if our brain metabolism comes to a screeching halt due to freezing cold water. But let'' just put that aside.

They get her out of the water and commence to bring her back to life. As they should have. But it goes on and on and on. Honestly, after 30 minutes or so of trying to resuscitate someone, chances are slim that they'll survive. Much less survive without serious brain damage. (registration required).

And 3 hours without a heartbeat? Then her heart starts beating, they pull out the breathing tube, she's talking in minutes, and everything's well in the world. Oh brother!

Then I decided to sit back and enjoy (something I should have done 30 minutes earlier). And I actually got caught up in the interesting way that the writers had Meredith's mother bring her back to life.

But the whole storyline made me think about a recent article I saw referring to the "Grey's Anatomy Effect." A poll from Junior Achievement Worldwide and Verizon showed that "Doctor" was a top career choice among teen-aged girls.

And someone made a comment that this may at least partly be due to medical shows like Grey's Anatomy or House.

There's no way to prove that, but if true, that's just scary.

The personal and professional lives of the doctors, the interns particularly, have very little to do with reality. When you're an intern, an 80 to 100 hour work week is normal -- and oftentimes more than that.

Interns frequently work shifts of 24 hours or more. While it's a very exciting time of your life, you're often wiped out. It's all you can do to stay awake at times -- much less think straight -- and when you're not working your butt off, you're sleeping.

We don't make a habit of having sex in a hospital bed. Or sitting at a bar in between seeing patients. Well, let's hope not.

My point is that if young boys and girls are seeing the lives of TV doctors and that makes them want to be a doctor, they're in for the shock of their lives.

There's no doubt that being a doctor is extremely rewarding -- just not in that way.

If your child is truly interested in being a doctor, have them spend some time talking to or actually spending a day with a doctor. See if your local hospital has programs for children interested in medicine.

And then if they still like what they see, send them on their way for years of hard --but fulfilling -- work.

Related Links:
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