I just got done watching "Hopkins 24/7" on ABC. Do you think this documentary series was started, at least in part, due to the reality of "ER"? I'm sure "ER" generated many questions regarding long hours/overworked & underpaid doctors, etc. and ABC realized this, and therefore, put together this documentary.

-- Kimberley (kwendt@utk.edu), September 28, 2000

Answers

do you know when this will be on again? i bet that ABC did get the idea from "ER".

-- Kristal (teetle1@juno.com), September 29, 2000.

Believe it or not, people were talking about medicine before ER.

Filmmakers have been creating documentaries about hospitals and the people inside since the motion picture camera was invented. We are fascinated with the progression of life into death, of health into sickness, and there are people who want to show it. Some days, I wish I could step back from my job and document these changes properly.

Hopkins is a unique institution. It's one of those places that does almost everything well; most hospitals are renowed for some things, but Hopkins tends to be known for everything. Sure, Shock Trauma across town has the better trauma service, but Hopkins can hold its own against any institution in the world and probably come up on top. There are plenty of fascinating stories waiting to be told in most hospitals; Jonhs Hopkins just happens to have more.

ER may have had something to do with it, but no more than the public's current desire for medical shows -- it's no different than the ratings grab by TLC with Paramedics and Trauma: Life in the ER, and it's the same thing that motivates the production of things like Gideon's Crossing.

-- Mike Sugimoto (phloem@fumbling.com), September 29, 2000.

I think Hopkins 24/7 was one of the best series I've seen in long time. Plus it is nice to know that documentary's are slowly making their way back into prime time. While I don't think that the show was created due to the realism of ER, I do think that it may have made to our screens (on network and not on cable) because of the success of ER and the reality shows. I'm disappointed that there aren't any more episodes left in this series, hopefully the TPTB at ABC will run another series of this type.

-- Emma (webbef@hotmail.com), September 29, 2000.

I liked it too. I've seen the previews for "Gideon's Crossing" and it looks pretty good. One of my friends said that it's a rip off of "ER" but I read the preview in the TV Guide and it's kind of the same as "ER" but not really. It does deal with medical stuff only it's about med students in medical school. "Hopkins 24/7" was one of the best medical shows, besides "ER" of course, I've seen in a while IMO.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), September 29, 2000.

Considering where Johns Hopkins is located, is isn't surprising that there get *a lot* of interesting cases. Though Shock Trauma probably takes the cake as far as trauma goes. We hear that hospital on the news here all the time. ("...and the victim was taken to Shock Trauma just a few minutes ago...")

Hopkins is also a nationally known research institution doing a lot of research on a lot of things. And isn't Hopkins still the top med school in the U.S.?

I tried to watch Hopkins 24/7 last night, but my darling spouse wouldn't let me. (...aaagh, no! not another medical show!! If you don't change the channel, you are *not* getting any dinner!!) I sat him through most of the TLC lineup on Tuesday, (Trauma, Maternity Ward and The Operation) I think he was saturated for the week. Oh well. Only 2 more weeks til the premiere!

Sorry this is so long, I was feeling chatty.

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), September 29, 2000.

I may sound dumb (but I'm from the UK so you'll have to excuse me) but ... Shock Trauma??? Can anyone fill me in?

-- Tori (MarieTori@aol.com), September 29, 2000.

The University of Maryland Baltimore County hosts what is referred to as "Shock - Trauma." The Shock Trauma was the brain child of RA Cowley, MD a pioneer in the field of EMS particularly in trauma recuscitation. He coined the term "The Golden Hour", the time from happening of the event till they are in the OR getting repaired. He fought long to get the Maryland State Police to provide state wide EMS transport of critically injured patients and coordinated response to the care of trauma patients.

-- J RN/EMT-P (jme625@netscape.net), September 29, 2000.

It is officially called "R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center" and it is a part of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. It is located in downtown Baltimore, MD at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

UM has several specialties in Emergency medicine. Read more about it. Here's the URL. http://www.umm.edu/shocktrauma/

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), September 29, 2000.

Just to pick a small nit -- because I like picking nits -- his name was actually R Adams Cowley, not R. Adams Cowley. There was a wonderful biography made about him a number of years ago where it was explained his mother named him after a distant relative of some kind, whose name actually was "R".

The sign on the side of the building reflects this. A friend of mine who works at STC tells me that an awful lot of people tell them they're missing the period after the "R".

-- Mike Sugimoto (phloem@fumbling.com), September 30, 2000.

Oops, you're right. I guess I'm just used to typing periods after initials.

I've never actually *been* inside (here's me knocking on wood!), just driven by the place.

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), October 02, 2000.

I used to live about an hour away from Baltimore but have visited there and I never heard or saw the Shock Trauma Center before. My cousin in-law is a med student in Baltimore. I wonder if she's seen it yet.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), October 02, 2000.

What med school does she go to? (The only two around here that I know of off the top of my head are UM and Hopkins. Does anyone know of any more?

-- S. Trelles (trelles@ix.netcom.com), October 03, 2000.

She told me is was in Baltimore. I didn't ask her what it was. I recall someone mentioning it and I think it started with a T. I'll ask her next time I talk to her.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), October 03, 2000.

Actually, regarding the "R" in R Adams Cowley, the "R" was because his father wanted to name hime "Rufus" but his mother couldnt...at the last minue ...let them put that on his birth cirtificate. So it went down as "R". Its in a book called "Shock Trauma" written by two pultzer winning journalist. Very quick but facinating reading. Does a great job of breaking down medical proceeedures for the non medical while still keeping us true believers hooked.

Robert S. Cole Paramedic, PCC QA/QI Coordinator, Ada County Paramedics Boise Id. colemedic@hotmail.com

-- Robert S. Cole (colemedic@hotmail.com), December 05, 2000.

Cammie, did you ever find out which med school your cousin goes too in Baltimore?

-- Andie (non@no.com), December 05, 2000.

I talked to her and she said that she quit med school like a month after starting it. She wants do pshycology now.

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), December 05, 2000.

Whatever Cammie!

-- TORI SMITH (TORISMITH2000@YAHOO.COM), November 03, 2001.