Hollywood has countless shows portraying the drama that allegedly surrounds physicians each day, with shows like "E.R." and "Grey's Anatomy" blowing up, according to Business Insider.
Here are five myths Hollywood pushes about physicians:
1. Physicians spend most of their time with patients. Television dramas wouldn't be hits if they depicted the reality of a physician's day. A recent Annals of Internal Medicine study found throughout the office day, physicians spent 27 percent of their time on direct clinical face time with patients. They spent 49.2 percent of their time on electronic health records and desk work during office hours.
2. Office romances. With great drama, come great romances, although this is often not the case in actuality. Some physicians may marry their colleagues, but the hospital is staffed by people of many ages and walks of life as opposed to a wealth of young, single physicians.
3. Scrubs are a staple fashion item. Bouffant surgical caps are crucial for patient safety and reducing complications, and do not look as fashionable as television makes them out to be. One medical student noted, "When you scrub into a surgery, it looks pretty ridiculous. You look like you're in a really weird space suit."
4. Medicine is magic. In television dramas, viewers are led to believe medicine can fix almost anything and works like magic. This narrative may be detrimental as many people then rely on medical cures. Storylines often focus on very sick patients with heroic physicians, which often don't depict the true nature of the medicine.
5. All hospitals have the same culture. Medical culture is specific to every organization, and Hollywood often struggles to depict these differences.
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