"Seinfeld” famously was a show about nothing. But for some medical students in New Jersey, the antics of Jerry, George, Kramer, Elaine and Newman in the classic '90s sitcom have become teachable moments.
Dr. Anthony Tobia uses his “Psy-feld” teaching tool to offer insights into psychiatric disorders at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ.com reports.
Tobia has created a database of teaching points from the show's entire 172 episodes. Third- and fourth-year medical students in the hospital's psychiatric rotation watch TBS reruns of the show on Monday and Thursday evenings and then gather before rounds the next morning to discuss the psychopathology demonstrated on each.
“When you get these friends together, the dynamic is such that it literally creates a plot: Jerry's obsessive compulsive traits combined with Kramer's schizoid traits, with Elaine's inability to forge meaningful relationships and with George being egocentric,” Tobia said.
His diagnosis of Newman? “Very sick.”
Third-year medical student Marlene Wang says the exercise offers more practical and relatable examples than a textbook. “In this way, it just gives you a more solid picture of the pathology, rather than just giving you words,” Wang said.
But “Seinfeld” fans know this isn't much of a surprise to Jerry, who delivered this classic tirade to George after one of his stunts: “You need a team. A team of psychiatrists working round the clock thinking about you, having conferences, observing you, like the way they did with the Elephant Man. That's what I'm talking about because that's the only way you're going to get better.”
