Here Are 11 Most Accurate Medical TV Dramas, According to Real Doctors

Medical dramas have been a staple of TV for decades. And like police procedurals, viewers are often left wondering just how realistic they are. To find out, The Sun recently spoke to a couple of real-life medical professionals to find out what they thought.

Here are their findings, ranked from 11 – 1:

11. Holby City (1999-2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58%

Despite starring big-name actors such as Robert Powell and Jane Asher, this Casualty spin-off has always come in for criticism. It's more character-focused than some – but its plots are usually pretty dull.

10. Casualty (1986-Present)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

This show is formulaic to the extreme, featuring as many clichés as it does injuries. It was never meant to be true to life - and it certainly delivered on that front.

9. Doctors (2000-Present)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46%

Due to conclude in 2024, Doctors could be classified as a soap rather than a medical drama. But it's set in a medical centre and couldn't really be ignored. It's been praised for tackling some difficult subjects and is pretty good for daytime television. But it's far from realistic in medical terms.

8. House (2004-2012)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

House is a top show with an outstanding performance from Hugh Laurie. But its main character is so unconventional that it could never be a truly realistic medical drama. OK, so it's set in a hospital and follows a doctor. But this is a character drama that would never have worked if the showrunners had got caught up in too much realism.

7. Grey's Anatomy (2005-Present)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

Another medical show that is more about the personal and professional lives of the characters than the specifics of any procedure or diagnosis. If you're looking for a bit of dark humour and a peek into private lives, it's a good watch. Just don't pay too much attention to the medical side of things.

6. ER (1994-2009)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

I was surprised to see this one so far down the list. But maybe there was just too much going on. While the show focused a lot on the private lives of the characters, medical work was a major part of most episodes. In the end, though, the interaction between the characters was very TV drama-centric, and no hospital could have handled the amount of major trauma that Cook County General Hospital had to deal with.

5. Scrubs (2001-2010)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Despite being a comedy, Scrubs received a mention for being 'the most accurate for medical information' and always having 'well-researched' cases. However, when it came to the day-to-day life of the medical staff, comedy always took precedence.

4. Doc Martin (2004-2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

Doc Martin's 'sharp diagnostic skills and day-to-day variety is not far from the reality of a rural GP', say those in the know. He may not have the best bedside manner – but haven't we all been on the receiving end of an abrupt GP?

3. Call the Midwife (2012-Present)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

It may seem like just a gentle Sunday night drama, but Call the Midwife is historically accurate. Of course, it bears little resemblance to the realities of giving birth in the UK today, but it's a period drama that seems to have nailed it.

2. Green Wing (2004-2007)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

For a surreal sitcom, it seems odd that Green Wing should be so true to life. But according to those in the business, 'it's the most accurate in terms of how staff interact with each other'. But that authenticity is so often the hallmark of a top show.

1. This is Going to Hurt (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Based on a memoir, for many Ben Whishaw's performance as Adam Kay is what makes this show so good. In many ways, it's a damning indictment of NHS funding and brings home the reality of life as a doctor.

As one real-life doctor said, 'It was very difficult to watch at times as it brought back a whole heap of trauma', but accurately depicts the 'strains and…dark humour we develop…to survive'.

Source: The Sun.