ReviewIrish journal of medical science2026
A review of the portrayal of the medical doctor stereotype on television in english speaking countries (1954-present).
Review in Irish journal of medical science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTelevision (TV) has long influenced societal perceptions of professional roles, including those in medicine. Given the increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion (D&I) across healthcare, this study investigates whether these evolving societal values are reflected in the portrayal of medical doctors on TV.
aimsTo assess trends in the depiction of doctors in English-speaking medical TV dramas (1950s–2020s), focusing on diversity across gender, race, and LGBTQ + representation, and to examine whether key social and professional issues are portrayed over time.
methodsA content analysis was conducted of 82 English-language medical TV dramas featuring physicians as central characters, spanning 1951–2020. Data were extracted from online databases and verified by researcher review. Demographic and thematic characteristics of main, core, and recurring physician characters were coded and analysed descriptively, with categorical comparisons via chi-squared testing.
results618 seasons across 82 series were analysed. Main characters (MCs) were predominantly caucasian (95%) and heterosexual (100%), with female MC representation increasing to 50% in the 2010s. Core and recurring characters demonstrated greater racial and sexual diversity. Key themes such as mental illness, drug dependence, and burnout became more prevalent over time. A progressive pattern of “peripheral-to-central” diversification was noted, whereby diversity first emerged in supporting roles before appearing in main characters.
conclusionsWhile the portrayal of doctors on TV has diversified, significant gaps remain, especially regarding ethnic minority and LGBTQ + main characters. Continued evolution in representation could foster broader public identification and challenge outdated stereotypes in medicine.
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