On Monday evening, Lipscomb students had the opportunity to view a special, two-episode screening of FOX’s new TV Series “The Resident.”
The screening, hosted by the College of Entertainment and the Arts, offered a sneak peek at the prime-time medial drama inspired by the New York Times bestselling book, “Unaccountable” by Dr. Marty Makary.
Dr. Makary is a world-renowned pancreatic surgeon from John Hopkins University. In addition to being the bestselling author, he was in attendance for the preview. He participated in a question-and-answer session with emcee Steve Taylor before and during commercial breaks of the show’s screening.
Attendees were treated to stories of Makary’s experiences as a doctor, advice offered to those in the medical field and the new series’ preview.
As for the show itself, student Carrie Cowart said, “’The Resident’ is a breath of fresh air for the health care industry.
“Viewers will be hooked not only by the plot line, but by how invested they will become in learning more about the industry and what improvements need to be made.” Cowart stated. “It’s for sure the next ‘Grey’s Anatomy!’”
While much of the show’s dramatic tone makes it feel like a “Grey’s Anatomy” doppelgänger, “The Resident” also touches on some important issues that set it apart from the rest of the medical dramas.
The show, starring Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal and Bruce Greenwood, offers an eye-opening perspective as to what goes on behind the scenes of a hospital. While some of it is over-dramatized for effect and to pull in viewers, a lot of the scenarios and problems the doctors faced in the show are based off of true life events that Makary witnessed or heard about during his time as a resident.
“The main purpose [of the show] was to address the ethical dilemmas that occur in medicine, and that was accomplished here,” Makary stated.
One of the more climactic scenes in the first episode occurs when main character Nic (played by VanCamp), points out that the leading causes of death are cancer, heart disease and, thirdly, medical errors.
“They are stretching some of it, but you learn the delicacies of quality and safety… I’m a cancer surgeon, and every week I’m reminded how short life is, and at some point you just feel like none of us are going to be here forever, and it’s important to speak up on what’s right.”
Student Stephen Troop, a Bioscience and Philosophy Major with a Pre-Med focus, is also a fan of the new drama, especially because of its portrayal of ethical dilemmas that occur in the medical field.
“I thought it did a great job of bringing up intriguing questions concerning healthcare and the relationships between doctors and patients,” Troop said, “…how we need to try to not dehumanize patients and to treat them with respect and dignity.”
Troop said he will definitely be tuning in for the rest of the season to see how the stories of the characters unfold.
You can catch “The Resident” which airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on FOX, and for more on Dr. Makarty’s experiences, pick up a copy of his book “Unaccountable.”