TV and film are full of directors’ interpretations of medics. But do any of them cut it with real doctors? Dr Laura Davison, a GP ST1 in Milton Keynes, has found a doctor who does
Just as a good junior doctor should be, Dr Watson is well-rounded in all areas of medicine
At last, in Guy Ritchie’s latest blockbuster Sherlock Holmes, we have a medical-movie icon to look up to in Holmes’ companion Dr Watson. No longer is Dr Watson the doddering sidekick to Holmes’ straight genius nor, like so many movie medics before him, is he on the run from the law, an evil megalomaniac intent on world domination or a nerdy dork. As well as long-suffering compadre, detective, action-hero and gambler, he is the ultimate junior doctors’ inspiration.
Just as a good junior doctor should be, Dr Watson is well-rounded in all areas of medicine and like many foundation doctors, he is seemingly undecided upon his medical career. Throughout the movie he demonstrates the diverse career paths open to medics. He is a GP, police doctor, drugs and alcohol adviser, army medic, clinical pharmacologist, pathologist, surgeon and even psychiatrist to Sherlock’s bizarre obsessions. Dr Karl Kennedy eat your heart out!
The fairly simple plot in Sherlock Holmes is one of logic and reason versus the magic of the dark arts. However, the importance of medicine and clinical knowledge is central to the film’s storyline, and scientific reason is the key to the mystery’s unraveling. New doctors can even learn anatomy, pathology and chemistry from the typically Ritchie action sequences, like the bare-fist boxing scene.
So if you’re after a social escape from work, but feel guilty for neglecting your commitment to medical practice, Sherlock Holmes is the perfect night out for you.