Class of 2015 Abstract / Objectives: To assess the accuracy of the presenting signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and treatments presented in the first 12 episodes of season one, the last 4 episodes of season four, and the last 7 episodes of season six of the television show, House, MD Methods: A descriptive retrospective evaluation of the accuracy of mentioned episodes and seasons of the television series House, MD was performed. The accuracy of the presenting signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and treatment in each episode was rated on a score of 1 to 4. A score of 1 represented information that was correct and average/and or usual, 2 and 3 indicated less accuracy, and 4 represented information that was not correct. Each researcher individually scored the episodes, and a final accuracy score was determined by consensus of the three reviewers. The results for seasons 4 and 6 were combined with episodes previously evaluated in other students’ projects. Results: The ANOVA results showed no statistically significant differences among the variables in Season 1, however, the treatment was the most accurate. In both season 4 and 6, the ANOVA test did demonstrate a statistically significant difference with the treatment group being most accurate. Conclusions: For season 1, there were no differences in accuracy of the treatments and diagnoses when compared to the signs and symptoms of each episode, however, for season 4 and 6, the treatments were more accurate than the presenting signs and symptoms and the diagnoses.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates the medical drama series as a television phenomenon which foregrounds the body as central narrative device. By considering House M.D. and Jozi H as global and local manifestations of this genre, transnational, spatial and metafictional categorisations of the body are traced to reveal its nature as social spectacle, and meaningbearing corporeal text. The body and its concomitant identities are exposed as continually and continuously screened inside, outside and, moreover, in relation to the hospital. As an institutional space, the hospital is (re)positioned in national and transnational discourses as nexus for personal and public, individual and societal, as well as local and global truths about the body (politic). Michel Foucault’s understanding of the human body, its position as part of the larger body politic, and its control by the state is employed to foreground the bio-political classification of the (ab)normal body. Both the hospital, as space for healing, controlling and containing the body, as well as the body, as a corporeal and a psychic space itself, are signified as heterotopic spaces: part of, but also outside other places and bodies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek die mediese dramareeks as televisie-fenomeen wat die liggaam as sentrale narratiewe middel aanwend. Deur House M.D. en Jozi H as globale en plaaslike uitbeeldings van hierdie genre in oënskou te neem, word transnasionale, ruimtelike en metafiksionele kategoriserings van die liggaam nagespoor om die aard daarvan as sosiale verskynsel en betekenisdraende liggaamlike teks te onthul. Die liggaam en sy verwante identiteite word aaneenlopend en aanhoudend beskou binne, buite en, verder, in verhouding tot die hospitaal. Die hospitaal as institisionele ruimte word (her)posisioneer in nasionale en transnasionale diskoerse as skakel tussen persoonlike en openbare, individuele en sosiale, asook plaaslike- en globale waarhede oor die (staats)liggaam. Michel Foucault se beskouing van die liggaam en die groter staatsliggaam, asook die staat se beheer daaroor beklemtoon die bio-politiese klassifisering van die (ab)normale liggaam. Sowel hospitaal, as helingsruimte, ruimte van beheer en inperkende ruimte, as die liggaam, as ’n materiële en ’n psigiese ruimte, word voorgestel as heterotopias: deel van, maar ook verwyder van, ander ruimtes, plekke en liggame.

Univ., Diss.--Zürich, 2005.