Favorite TV Doctors

I admit that narrowing my list of favorite doctors down to just 10 turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. I probably could have listed twice that number and still been unsatisfied with my answers. Nonetheless, the assignment was to pick my Top 10 so I've managed to do that.

"Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" ran for five years from 1993 to 1998. One of my favorite actresses, Jane Seymour, starred as Michaela Quinn. The daughter of a sophisticated and rich Boston family, Mike - as her friends called her - broke with standard convention. Instead of settling in Boston to take over her father's practice, she moved out west to Colorado Springs and started her own.

The problem was the citizens weren't at all sure they wanted a woman doctor taking care of them. As if that didn't complicate her life enough, she fell in love with a mountain man, played by former "One Live to Live" heartthrob, Joe Lando. Before everything was said and done, she also took in three orphans to raise as her own.

I liked this show for several reasons. Who couldn't love a beautiful, young, scrappy woman in the old west? The stories were heartwarming and the acting was good. Additionally, the chemistry between Seymour and Lando kept the show hotter than a bonfire in July.

"Dr. Kildare" also ran for five years from 1961 to 1966. A young and relatively unknown actor by the name of Richard Chamberlain played the title role of Jim Kildare.

The stories centered on the life of this young intern (who was eventually made resident) and his unfaltering dedication to his patients. Raymond Massey played his teacher and mentor, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. The pair proved to be a formidable match. What once couldn't diagnose, the other one could.

The strength of this show was the chemistry between the various characters. It just clicked and it always made for great TV.

Kildare was charming, witty, and cute. He might have won my heart except for another doctor. It was the battle of the physician heartthrobs; Jim Kildare against Ben Casey.

Like Kildare, "Ben Casey" ruled the roost of his hospital from 1961 through 1966. Vince Edwards played his character, Ben Casey, with more sass and grit than his competitor. His dark hair and eyes often gave him an edge over Kildare in the fan department.

I loved that Casey bucked the medical community in order to provide the best care for his patients. That often got him into trouble with his boss, Dr. Zorba, played by Same Jaffe. But in the end, it was Ben who usually got his way and his patients that benefited from his stubbornness.

The show was exceptionally well written and sometimes seemed more realistic than Kildare. In the end; however, the two left the airways together.

Dr. Leonard McCoy of "Star Trek," the original series, represented everything that was good in the medical profession. He was smart, he was caring and he was willing to do whatever was necessary to save his patients. He was also loyal, trustworthy, and down right cute.

"Star Trek" promised to explore new lands and make new contacts. It did, and some of those contacts were attractive women. It was interesting that many of them looked right past Captain Kirk to the tall, dark, and dreamy eyed doctor.

DeForest Kelley played his part from 1966 to 1969 and even showed up for many of the big screen movies. He was perfect for the role and easily established his stamp in history and on the hearts and minds of Star Trek lovers all over the world.

A big fan of all things Star Trek, of course I loved the show. I wouldn't have minded being Nurse Chapel either. What was she thinking; never giving the good doctor the time of day?

Patrick Dempsey, aka McDreamy or Dr. Derek Shepard made many women sit up and take notice on "Grey's Anatomy." The show, which is currently in its fifth year, gave female viewers a new "fix" after the loss of Doug Ross on "ER" and women flocked to the show in record numbers. Even after all the hype died down, there was no way to dull the golden glow of Grey's hottest doctor.

"Grey's Anatomy" is often more about the lives and loves of its characters than its patients and McDreamy is always at the head of the pack. I'm actually surprised that Izzie Stevens hasn't given Meredith Grey a run for her money when it comes to this hot stud. But who knows what the future may bring?

NBC's longest running medical drama, "ER" ran from 1996 to 2009 - an amazing 13 years. Much of that time the show was led by Dr. Mark Greene, played by Anthony Edwards. He was the heart and soul of a fictional major metropolitan hospital in Chicago where the lives of nurses, doctors, paramedics, and patients mixed and mingled; never to be the same again.

Whether he was trying to save his marriage, win over his wayward daughter, pining after Dr. Susan Lewis or trying to keep up with Dr. Doug Ross, Edwards was always intelligent, heartwarming and utterly entertaining.

Like Greene provided the guiding hand of "ER" Dr. Hawkeye Pierce steered the course for one of television's most well known series "MASH". Running 11 years from 1972 until 1983, "MASH" was full of memorable, exciting characters. But no one could ever forget Hawkeye.

He was funny, crazy, charming, nutty, and sharp as a tack. Everybody followed his lead. Alan Alda branded the character with his name in such a way that it would have been impossible for any other actor to play the role. There was only one Hawkeye!

The show that gave the world a peek into the turmoil and tribulation of front line surgeons and nurses during the Korean War gained a cult like following that remains loyal today. There is unlikely to be another medical drama of its type.

Dr. John Francis Xavier McIntyre, aka Trapper John, MD on the series of the same name proved that you didn't have to be thin, young, or have hair to be sexy. Pernell Roberts, the handsome oldest Cartwright brother on "Bonaza" took the character originated in MASH and made him into a household name.

As chief of surgery at a fictional San Francisco hospital, Trapper had to mold and steer the character of the much younger Gonzo Gate, played by a very young Gregory Harrison. But it wasn't always Harrison who got the attention. Trapper was strong and tender and compassionate with bedroom eyes that drew you in and held your attention, making many fans say "Gonzo who?"

Dr. Doug Ross of "ER" fame was both a good and bad boy that women just couldn't resist. He was a serial womanizer who was responsible for breaking the tender heart of nurse Carol Hathaway (Juliana Margulies). Women wanted to hate him for that but they couldn't resist his devotion to his pediatric patients. When it came to his kids, there wasn't anything Ross wouldn't do.

This was the break out role that George Clooney had paid his dues to play. It made him a star that would go on to shine bright on the big screen as well. Although he left the series early, his presence was never forgotten during the show's 13-year run.

Dr. Marcus Welby, MD, of a series by the same name renewed the career of big screen idol Robert Young after "Father Knows Best" was no more. It also launched the career of a brash, self-centered character by the name of Dr. Stephen Kiley; played with far more compassion than exhibited by the actor himself, James Brolin.

The show highlighted the career of a small town family practitioner that, after having a heart attack, was forced to take on an assistant (Kiley). The two doctors often clashed on their methods of treating patients. Welby was for listening and empathizing as well as healing, while Kiley was more interested in getting them in and out as quickly as possible.

In the end; however, the two doctors taught each other something valuable. It was a journey of discovery that the audience was privy to as well. What set this medical drama apart from many that came before and after it was a little thing called "heart."