6 things that happen at TV hospitals that don’t happen in real life

Medical storylines have riveted television viewers since the earliest days of the medium — and for just as long, TV writers and directors have had to navigate the age-old tension between truth and storytelling.

One early solution, beginning in the 1950s, was a group of doctors who advised television producers directly. The group, known as the Physician’s Advisory Committee (PAC) on Television, Radio, and Motion Pictures, reviewed scripts, helped find props, and showed actors how to properly hold a scalpel.

Both medicine and television have changed a lot since then. Production companies now hire their own medical consultants. And the widespread availability of medical information means that TV shows must work harder