Parents' Guide to

NY Med

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Reality medical series has blood, vocab, and strong themes.

TV ABC Reality TV 2012
NY Med Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Jared Galczynski
Jared Galczynski Adult
August 16, 2014
age 14+
I like NY Med, but maybe not one of my favorite shows of all time.
titanius719
titanius719 Adult
July 26, 2012
age 14+

Very Inspiring Show

This series is simply amazing. I do agree that some of the situations are certainly adult, but due to this being a documentary none of the situations are exaggerated for the viewers. I let my daughter watch it with me, she’s 15 and very bright, and I think it’s nice if you want to let your children experience some real life situations under you guidance and supervision. We watch it on my Dish Remote Access app so that I can pause and answer any questions she might have or to make some comments so her and I are on the same page. With work full time at Dish, a child, and college I truly treasure the time I spend with her. If I get some inspiring TV watching time out of it as well then so be it.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

NY MED is a reality series that follows medical teams at various hospitals around New York City. Cameras follow doctors like celebrity cardiothoracic surgeon Mehmet Oz, surgical resident Arundi Mahendran, and emergency room nurse Marina Devidanovic and some of their patients during medical consultations, emergency visits, and surgical procedures. From an alleged criminal faking symptoms to avoid arrest to people undergoing brain surgery, viewers get to see some of the day-to-day challenges that doctors and patients deal with when faced with a medical situation or emergency. Throughout it all, some of the doctors and patients share details about their personal lives. At the end of each episode, some of the patients' stories end well, while others lead to tough decisions and difficult realities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The series offers a voyeuristic but humanizing look into the day-to-day lives of medical professionals as they do their jobs helping the injured and sick from all walks of life that come to them for help. On occasion, it also highlights some of the risks medical professionals take when treating them. Follow-up information about some of the patients that were treated, particularly those who faced life-changing surgical procedures, is also shared with viewers.

Folks who are sensitive or squeamish about blood or hospitals may not be able to stomach much of what is being presented here. Others may find some of the stories, especially those pertaining to terminally-ill patients, difficult to handle. But folks who like this sort of thing will find the show both interesting and inspiring.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it's like to go to a hospital and receive medical treatment. Have you ever had to go to the emergency room and/or had surgery? What were the things that scared you the most? What were the positive parts of the experience?

  • Why do you think the patients and medical staff agree to appear on a reality show, even if some of the events are sad or disturbing? What are doctors trying to achieve by doing so? What about the patients?

  • How does this reality show compare to others? Does this show seem more "real" than others you've watched? What makes you think that?

TV Details

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