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House: P ractical A bilities R epresented on T elevision and I mpact on m E dical S tudents ('House PARTIES').

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Title: House: P ractical A bilities R epresented on T elevision and I mpact on m E dical S tudents ('House PARTIES').
Authors: Dick, Lachlan (AUTHOR), Merriman, Andrew Toby (AUTHOR), Simpson, Ashley V. (AUTHOR), Tallentire, Victoria Ruth (AUTHOR)
Source: Medical Education. Jan2026, Vol. 60 Issue 1, p28-33. 6p.
Subjects: Consensus (Social sciences), Radiography, Medical education, Autopsy, Occupational roles, Scientific observation, Television, Drama, Professional identity, Trachea intubation, Clinical competence, Life support systems in critical care, Psychology of medical students, Motion pictures, Calibration, Medical ethics
Abstract: Introduction: Medical dramas, such as House, often depict exaggerated skills and procedures that may influence medical students' perceptions of health care. The true extent to which doctors' competencies are exaggerated is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the practical skills demonstrated in House and consider how these depictions could contribute to unrealistic professional identity formation amongst medical students. Methods: An observational study of season one of House was undertaken. Three reviewers, all senior medical trainees, independently analysed 22 episodes to identify practical skills demonstrated by the four main characters (Drs House, Foreman, Chase and Cameron). For inclusion, skills had to be performed without direct supervision by the character and have a direct impact on the patient at the focus of the episode. Results: A total of 36 skills were identified. Dr Foreman displayed the highest number of skills (n = 20), followed by Dr Chase (n = 19) and Dr Cameron (n = 15). Dr House's avoidance of patients was reflected in him displaying only four skills. Skills were diverse, encompassing laboratory, life support, procedural and radiological skills. Endotracheal intubation was the only skill demonstrated by all characters. Dr House was independent in performing a cat post‐mortem examination, and Drs Foreman and Chase were proficient in breaking into patients' homes for diagnostic purposes. Conclusion: While some of the skills demonstrated reflected real‐life trainee competencies, others misrepresented the abilities of a typical general physician. The depiction of doctors independently performing highly specialised interventions distorts the reality of medical training and undermines the complexity of medical education. This unrealistic portrayal may foster a mismatch between medical student expectations and the realities of professional practice. Addressing these inaccuracies is challenging, but necessary, to prevent skewed perceptions of the medical profession, which could lead to dissatisfaction with training and career progression. Who doesn't like House Parties? But what do we learn from them? This article examines how the exaggeration of medical skills on television could foster unrealistic expectations in medical students. #MedEducUnleashed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: House: P ractical A bilities R epresented on T elevision and I mpact on m E dical S tudents ('House PARTIES').
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Medical+Education%22">Medical Education</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 60 Issue 1, p28-33. 6p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Consensus+%28Social+sciences%29%22">Consensus (Social sciences)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Radiography%22">Radiography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+education%22">Medical education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autopsy%22">Autopsy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+roles%22">Occupational roles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+observation%22">Scientific observation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Television%22">Television</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drama%22">Drama</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+identity%22">Professional identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Trachea+intubation%22">Trachea intubation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+competence%22">Clinical competence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Life+support+systems+in+critical+care%22">Life support systems in critical care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology+of+medical+students%22">Psychology of medical students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motion+pictures%22">Motion pictures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Calibration%22">Calibration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+ethics%22">Medical ethics</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Introduction: Medical dramas, such as House, often depict exaggerated skills and procedures that may influence medical students' perceptions of health care. The true extent to which doctors' competencies are exaggerated is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the practical skills demonstrated in House and consider how these depictions could contribute to unrealistic professional identity formation amongst medical students. Methods: An observational study of season one of House was undertaken. Three reviewers, all senior medical trainees, independently analysed 22 episodes to identify practical skills demonstrated by the four main characters (Drs House, Foreman, Chase and Cameron). For inclusion, skills had to be performed without direct supervision by the character and have a direct impact on the patient at the focus of the episode. Results: A total of 36 skills were identified. Dr Foreman displayed the highest number of skills (n = 20), followed by Dr Chase (n = 19) and Dr Cameron (n = 15). Dr House's avoidance of patients was reflected in him displaying only four skills. Skills were diverse, encompassing laboratory, life support, procedural and radiological skills. Endotracheal intubation was the only skill demonstrated by all characters. Dr House was independent in performing a cat post‐mortem examination, and Drs Foreman and Chase were proficient in breaking into patients' homes for diagnostic purposes. Conclusion: While some of the skills demonstrated reflected real‐life trainee competencies, others misrepresented the abilities of a typical general physician. The depiction of doctors independently performing highly specialised interventions distorts the reality of medical training and undermines the complexity of medical education. This unrealistic portrayal may foster a mismatch between medical student expectations and the realities of professional practice. Addressing these inaccuracies is challenging, but necessary, to prevent skewed perceptions of the medical profession, which could lead to dissatisfaction with training and career progression. Who doesn't like House Parties? But what do we learn from them? This article examines how the exaggeration of medical skills on television could foster unrealistic expectations in medical students. #MedEducUnleashed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Medical Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/medu.15696
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 6
        StartPage: 28
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Consensus (Social sciences)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Radiography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autopsy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational roles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific observation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Television
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drama
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional identity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Trachea intubation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical competence
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      – SubjectFull: Life support systems in critical care
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology of medical students
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      – SubjectFull: Motion pictures
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      – SubjectFull: Calibration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical ethics
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: House: P ractical A bilities R epresented on T elevision and I mpact on m E dical S tudents ('House PARTIES').
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              Text: Jan2026
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