If Gilmore Girls characters were medical specialties…
Apologies for some of the stereotypes this post perpetrates. But you know some of them are accurate…
Gilmore Girls has always been one of my favorite shows because the characters have strong, interesting, and often quirky personalities. So do people who choose medical careers.
Note: Gilmore Girls is the brainchild of the ever-so-talented Amy Sherman Palladino, and if you haven’t seen the show yet, you really need to stop reading this and go watch it.
Lorelai Gilmore: Emergency Medicine
Good at thinking on her feet; Doesn’t take herself too seriously; Impulsive and spontaneous; Not afraid of working hard or asking for help if she really needs it.
“I worked my way up. I run the place now. …Well, I wasn’t too proud to come here to you two begging for money to pay for my kid’s school, was I?
”
Rory Gilmore: Internal Medicine
Reads a lot; Reliable; Practical and methodical (at least the early years); Knows a lot of minutiae the rest of us may have forgotten.
“I know everything there is to know about Shakespeare. I know his birthday, and his mothers name, and —”
Emily Gilmore: General Surgery
Always in command of the room; High standards for everyone (including herself); not afraid of working hard and asking for what she wants; Has been known to throw a fit if things aren’t exactly as she likes.
“No! Not here! In the living room. Why are you touching that? I want those six inches apart. Get a ruler!””
Richard Gilmore: Neurology
The consummate intellectual; always reading and learning; likes teaching; not always focused on day to day practicalities (like making dinner)
“Not only did I find that copy of Mencken’s Chrestomathy we discussed, I also found first edition of his memoirs!”
Miss Patty: Pediatrics
Works with children and not afraid of asking about their bathroom habits; Knows what is going on with the teenagers even when their parents don’t; has many crazy stories.
“Susie, do you have to tinkle? Then uncross your legs, darling. Oh Rory, good. I think I found a job for your male friend.... oh, he’s very cute. You have good taste”
Luke: Orthopedic Surgery
Smart and careful but not necessarily cerebral; Handy with a saw; Former athlete; a man of few words.
“And by you jumping in after everything your mother says, makes me look weak. And I don’t want to look weak”
Kirk: Family medicine
A jack-of-all-trades and a hard worker; Consistently under-estimated by the townsfolk (we find out in a later season that he is extremely wealthy).
“I’ve had 15,000 jobs.”
Paris: Neurosurgery
In the reunion episodes, we are told Paris become an obgyn, but I think she fits neurosurgery best. A workaholic; confident and decisive; knows a lot of stuff; can be a bit scary .
“The Oppenheimer Award for Excellence in school journalism is not a contest. It’s a statement. It says you’re the best. The best writers, the best reporters, the best editors. It says that you have crushed all others who have dared to take you on. It says that every other single school in the United States of America is feeling nothing but shame and defeat and pain because of the people who won the Oppenheimer plaque. I wanna be those people, I wanna cause that pain.”
Logan: Dermatology
Good-looking; Brilliant; Has a lot of money but does not seem to work that much.
Jess: Radiology
Smart; vast knowledge base; extremely well-read; but prefers to work away from other people.
“I don’t want to talk to anybody else. I don’t like anybody else.”
Lane: Genetics
Remembers all the minute details (and is excited by) all the random diseases the rest of us have never heard of. Surprised and disappointed in us when she finds out we don’t know them.
“Ah, see, cool people know that he’s more than a mellow hippie-dippy folkie, that he actually wrote some of Nico’s best songs and was in fact her lover before he bored us with “Doctor My Eyes”. That will separate the poseurs from the non-poseurs.”
Jackson: Pharmacy
Essential; provides important products, but sometimes encounters shortages; very particular about what he is willing to give to people.
“Listen, I know you ordered strawberries but they weren’t any good. So instead of selling you substandard strawberries, I brought you blueberries.”
Mrs Kim: Charge nurse
I think this one explains itself.
“I See All!”
Michel: that attending that always makes you feel like you’re wasting their time when you call.
If you know, you know.
“People are particularly stupid today”
…And finally, Taylor: Hospital administration
Likes rules; Involved in many committees; not always fully aware of everything going on in town, but you still need his approval to get things done. Likely quite wealthy.
“I have acquired all the necessary permits to do exactly what I’m doing, and all of this has been looked over and approved by the town magistrate.
(Luke: You’re the town magistrate!)
And as such, if you have any complaints about me, you may take them up with me.”