MEDICINE ER STYLE

Acting on a network drama is one thing. Acting on “ER” is another.

It wasn’t just learning complicated medical dialogue; it was also learning corresponding medical maneuvers.

“We’d practice all day long,” said Sherry Stringfield, Dr. Susan Lewis on “ER”, “We’d suture everything, like the fake baby,“

In fact, medical accuracy was a badge of honor for the show.
 
“Medical students would say we watch the show.  In fact, we’ve been advised by our tutors to watch the show,“ said Alex Kingston, who plays Dr. Elizabeth Corday.

Another person watching was Noah Wyle’s mom, a real life nurse.

“For ten years, my phone would ring and my mother would say, did you touch your face with bloody gloves?  You never touch your face with bloody gloves,“ said Noah Wyle.

To avoid those sorts of calls, medical professionals were always on set.

One area where “ER” did have to use dramatic license was time.

“You’ll see the fastest intubations you’ve ever seen on our show. It may take five minutes. We do ours in about seven seconds,“ Noah Wyle explained.

But as “ER”‘s time draws to a close”, it leaves with pride.

“We did try over the years to educate and entertain. As long as we stayed true to the
Medicine, it was impossible to do one without the other,“ said “ER” executive producer, John Wells.