Entertainment

2.0k voters

The Best Reality Medical Shows

Updated February 3, 2021 4.9k votes 2.0k voters 297.9k views26 items

List RulesVote up your favorite reality TV series about the ER, doctors, nurses, or hospitals.

The best medical reality shows are those that present fascinating, challenging medical cases and then let viewers see how patients are treated. The subject matter in a great medical reality TV show is often bizarre (or at the very least, slightly unusual), and the doctors, nurses and other medical staff involved in treatment are charismatic. This list includes many of the best reality medical television shows around, but it isn't complete. Feel free to add any medical shows you like, and vote up the programs that captivate you the most!

Some medical reality shows are filmed in actual hospitals, giving viewers a first-hand look at some of the critical situations that come up, especially in emergency rooms. Great examples of this kind of reality show include Trauma: Life in the E.R. and Untold Stories of the E.R.

In 2012, ABC debuted the reality documentary show NY Med, which followed the staff (including cardiothoracic surgeon and TV host Dr. Mehmet Oz) at several New York-area hospitals as they treated patients for a variety of illnesses. The show was similar to two other ABC medical docudrama reality programs, 2010's Boston Med and 2008's Hopkins.

Medical mysteries are a common theme where medical reality shows are concerned. Mystery Diagnosis (OWN) sets up the story by giving viewers a detailed background of a patient before they became sick, and during their illness. Eventually, a correct diagnosis is provided, and it's often a strange, rare illness.

What are the best medical reality shows on TV? Addiction-related medical reality shows are often extremely compelling. Programs in this category include the Emmy-winning A&E series Intervention and even VH1's Celebrity Rehab.

What is the best reality medical show? That's up to you to decide, with your votes!

Photo:

...more

1
442
91
Trauma: Life in the E.R.
Chip Demarest, Andy Michaels
Premiered: 1997
Genres (Tv): Special Interest, Reality television
2
406
98
NY Med
Diana Costine, Mehmet Oz
Premiered: 2012
Genres (Tv): reality
More
#63 of 95 The Best Miniseries Of The 2010s#36 of 59 From The Police To Fisherman, These Are The Best Reality Shows About Professionals
3
181
28
Nightwatch
Gavin Istre, Dan Flynn
Premiered: 2015
Genres (Tv): Reality
4
321
67
Boston Med
Amanda Grabowski, Andrew El Bardissi
Premiered: 2010
Genres (Tv): Miniseries, Documentary, Reality television
5
368
155
Untold Stories of the E.R.
Jenne Kang, Linda America
Premiered: 2004
Genres (Tv): Docudrama, Action/Adventure, Drama, Action
More
#8 of 21 The Best Medical TV Shows Airing Now#2 of 118 The Best Docudrama TV Shows
6
185
75
Dr. G: Medical Examiner
Jan C. Garavaglia, Jeff Colt
Premiered: 2004
Genres (Tv): Special Interest, Documentary, Reality television
7
228
89
Mystery Diagnosis
Razor Rizzotti, Jack Donoghue
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Documentary
8
196
66
Hopkins
Avedis Meneshian, Megan Quick
Premiered: 2008
Genres (Tv): Miniseries, Drama, Documentary
9
122
64
The Critical Hour
Thomas M. Scalea, Talat Chughtai
Premiered: 2003
Genres (Tv): Reality television
10
149
88
Monsters Inside Me
Dan Riskin, Kei'la Ryan
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Documentary
More Monsters Inside Me
#3 of 25 The Best Current Animal Planet Shows#37 of 60 The Best Animal Planet TV Shows
11
42
5
Save My Life: Boston Trauma
Stephen Amell, Paul Wesley
Premiered: 2015
Genres (Tv): Documentary
12
60
17
Dr. Pimple Popper
Sandra Lee
Premiered: 2018
Genres (Tv): Reality
13
110
84
Intervention
Jeff VanVonderen, Candy Finnigan
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Documentary, Reality television
More Intervention
#10 of 46 The Best Movies and TV Shows About Heroin Addiction#7 of 19 The Best Current A&E Shows

14
117
99
My Strange Addiction
John Zajecka, Demi Kazanis
Premiered: 2010
Genres (Tv): Special Interest, Television documentary, Documentary, Reality television
More My Strange Addiction
#166 of 196 The Dumbest Reality Shows of All Time#7 of 27 The Best Reality TV Shows On Amazon Prime
15
29
7
Boston EMS
Dania Ramirez, Taylor Momsen
Premiered: 2015
Genres (Tv): Documentary
16
69
45
Botched
Paul Nassif, Terry J. Dubrow
Premiered: 2014
Genres (Tv): Reality television
17
89
75
A Baby Story
Jen Remauro, Adam Frederick
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Reality television
18
0
0
Sex Sent Me to the ER
Michael Guirguis, Yvette Esmeralda paz Favela
Premiered: 2013
Genres (Tv): Documentary, Reality television
19
98
97
I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant
Dave Wittenberg
Premiered: 2008
Genres (Tv): Documentary
More I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant
#55 of 62 The Best Reality Dramas#25 of 28 The Dumbest Premises for Reality Shows
20
31
11
Embarrassing Bodies
Ashley Jensen
Premiered: 2007
Genres (Tv): Documentary, Reality television
21
19
9
Medical Emergency
Georgie Parker, Christopher Gabardi
Premiered: 2005
Genres (Tv): Reality television
22
14
11
Big Medicine
Robert Davis, Garth Davis
Premiered: 2007
Genres (Tv): Special Interest, Documentary, Reality television
23
15
5
First Responders Live
Josh Elliott
Premiered: 2019
Genres (Tv): Reality television, Documentary
More First Responders Live
#127 of 427 The Best Reality TV Shows Ever#45 of 64 The Best New Action Shows of the Last Few Years
24
50
104
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Gary Busey, Tom Sizemore
Premiered: 2008
Genres (Tv): Reality television
More Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
#66 of 74 The Best Shows You Watched After School in the 2000s#18 of 73 The Best VH1 TV Shows
25
11
10
License to Kill
Terry Dubrow
Premiered: 2019
Genres (Tv): True crime, Medical, Documentary

NY Med

Nightwatch

Untold Stories of the E.R.

Mystery Diagnosis

Hopkins

The Critical Hour

Sex Sent Me to the ER