Audiences have a plethora of options when it comes to medical television shows, making it difficult to know what is worth watching. Some are short-lived, while others have stood the test of time and have become household names. With intense storylines and unique medical mysteries, medical shows draw in the viewers with dramatic crises and the occasional sprinkled-in humor.

Whether audiences want to watch a more authentic show following amazing real-life doctors and veterinarians or escape reality with a good old-fashioned scripted medical drama, fans at Ranker have voted for the best medical shows in 2022, so far. These shows are just what the TV doctors have prescribed.

The Incredible Dr. Pol

The Incredible Dr Pol with two horses

The Incredible Dr. Pol is a reality show that has been following Dr. Jan Pol at his veterinary practice in Michigan since 2011. Though the vet clinic treats domestic animals like deworming puppies, the main focus is on emergency visits and farm animals, even treating a pot-bellied pig for tetanus. Viewers watch as the team of veterinarians treat illnesses, birth farm animals, and make tough euthanasia decisions.

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At the ripe age of 79, Dr. Pol has yet to retire because there are no veterinarians nearby to treat farm animals, according to USA Today. His fifty years of experience treating animals is incomparable in Michigan. Audiences can continue to enjoy The Incredible Dr. Pol on Nat Geo Wild and Disney+.

This Came Out Of Me

Bug being pulled out a nose on This Came Out Of Me

This Came Out of Me is a reality show chronicling Texas emergency room patients who have strange objects lodged in even stranger places. Hosted by Dr. Ruby Rose, the show features squeamish moments including a woman getting a glass shard removed from her eye and cockroaches being removed from an ear canal.

The series is not for the faint of heart, but it's an interesting choice for viewers curious about realistic surgeries and medical emergencies. Not all emergencies are gory; the emergency room also treats a child with a bead lodged in her nose. This Came Out of Me premiered in 2022, airing on Discovery and is available to stream on Discovery+ for those viewers interested in curious medical emergencies.

Dr. Mercy

Dr Mercy with patient on Dr Mercy

Premiering in 2021, Dr. Mercy follows the dermatological practice of Dr. Mercy Odueyungbo as she strives to make her patients beautiful and comfortable in their skin. One of her biggest cases comes in the form of Ashley, a patient with extensive tumors forming from neurofibromatosis, who gets as many of the tumors removed as safely possible.

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Viewers who enjoy watching Dr. Pimple Popper will enjoy Dr. Mercy. The series features more invasive skin conditions and diseases as Dr. Mercy tries to help relieve her patients of pain and low self-esteem. However, the show is not for the faint of heart and often features graphic images of surgery and skin conditions.

Good Sam

Rob and Sam standing at the hospital in Good Sam

Good Sam is a medical drama that premiered in 2022 on CBS starring Sophia Bush and Jason Isaacs. The series is a familiar mix between House, M.D. and Grey’s Anatomy. Dr. “Griff” Griffith is a super doctor able to diagnose any patient with ease, but he falls into a coma, leaving his doctor daughter to take over as Interim Chief at Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital.

The series is more of a slow-burning soap opera than a medical drama, featuring tangled hospital romances and rough family dynamics as Dr. Griff fears losing his identity after he comes out of the coma. Audiences who have fallen in love with the soapy drama will be disappointed to learn Good Sam has been canceled after only one season, per Deadline.

Call The Midwife

Baby delivery Call The Midwife

Call the Midwife follows a group of London midwives and nuns in the ‘50s and ‘60s. With historically accurate events affecting the lives of the women, Call the Midwife is a period drama unlike other medical shows. The series tackles more than just delivering babies with storylines covering poverty, post-war immigration, the spread of tuberculosis, and the threat of nuclear war.

The women must also deal with babies born with birth defects such as cleft lips and spina bifida, the introduction of contraceptive pills, and abortion. Viewers will experience every emotion possible, from sadness to hope, in just one episode. Call the Midwife is a serious show that viewers will enjoy if they need a break from the traditional medical drama in a hospital setting.

Transplant

Bash giving patient CPR on Transplant

Transplant is a Canadian medical drama that premiered in 2020 that follows Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed, a Syrian Civil War refugee who becomes a medical resident at York Memorial Hospital in Toronto. Unlike other medical dramas, Bash must overcome difficulties from being an immigrant to prove his career capability.

Hamza Haq delivers a solid performance as Bash. The well-written character has a strong, developed story that provides the backdrop for his career in Canada. Transplant has unique and bizarre medical mysteries that Bash must diagnose while also dealing with racism. The series is a fresh, updated version of traditional medical dramas that has been officially renewed for season 3.

Grey’s Anatomy

Cristina in hospital room with Meredith Alex and April on Grey's Anatomy

Fans are rejoicing as Grey’s Anatomy has officially been renewed for season 19. The series has come far since premiering in 2005, having grappled with intense storylines including an active shooter, a plane crash, and numerous Grey Sloan Memorial employees suffering brutal deaths.

Following Meredith Grey from interning to becoming Chief of General Surgery, Ellen Pompeo has led the drama since its inception. Pompeo has portrayed all the highs and lows with intense emotion and the overall development of the series’ characters is well done by Shonda Rimes even if audiences do not always agree with plot choices. Grey’s Anatomy remains a medical drama staple in 2022.

Body Parts

Allison Vest with a patient on Body Parts

Body Parts is a three-part docuseries following Allison Vest, an anaplastologist who creates highly realistic prosthetics for patients who have lost major body parts. The series is incredibly heartwarming as viewers see the raw emotional reactions of patients whose lives are changed by Vest’s prosthetics. Some of the prosthetics featured include hands, ears, and a nose.

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Making the prosthetics is a true art, and Vest is amazing at making each body part look real. She is truly changing the lives of her patients. One patient lost her hands from sepsis and just wants to hold her child again. With Vest’s help, she is able to make that dream become a reality. Body Parts is a unique medical docuseries that is currently available to stream on Discovery+.

This Is Going To Hurt

Ben Whishaw in This Is Going To Hurt

This is Going to Hurt is a British medical drama chronicling the lives of a group of junior doctors working in an obstetrics and gynecology ward. With comedic undertones similar to Scrubs, the characters regularly break the fourth wall to address the audience as they navigate their personal and professional lives in a stressful environment.

Ben Whishaw’s performance as the exhausted Adam Kay feels authentic as he struggles with a lack of support and attempts to move up in the ranks. This is Going to Hurt shows a more realistic view of young doctors with the relatable story of trying to balance life and work. The series is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

The Resident

Matt Czuchry and Bruce Greenwood in The Resident

The Resident premiered in 2018 starring Matt Czuchry as a resident intern at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital. Unlike other medical dramas, the show focuses on the dark side of hospitals. Money and corruption are the focal point as insurance companies try to get the most money from patients and hospitals are run for profit.

The series also touches on overcrowded clinics, politicians using their status to jump transplant lines, and a resident who gives medical care out of her apartment to underprivileged patients. Czuchry brings charismatic cockiness to his portrayal of Dr. Conrad Hawkins as he deals with surgical cover-ups and older doctors who cannot keep up with technological advances. The Resident is a solid drama that balances medicine and bureaucracy.

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