"House" most popular TV doctor, according to survey

Published on: December 19, 2008

In a phone survey, 20 percent of 1,009 respondents said they would want fictional TV doctor Gregory House of the Fox drama "House" as their doctor.

Maybe a smug and condescending attitude isn't such a bad thing. In a phone survey, 20 percent of 1,009 respondents said they would want fictional TV doctor Gregory House of the Fox drama House as their doctor.

Coming in a close second was Marcus Welby of Marcus Welby, MD at 13 percent, followed by Hawkeye Pierce of M*A*S*H (11 percent), according to the survey by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Doctors from other popular current shows such as Lost and Grey's Anatomy didn't break the 10 percent mark.

Ironically, in the same survey, respondents said the most important attribute they look for in a physician is bedside manner/communication skills (95 percent)-one department in which the misanthropic Dr. House would suffer. House's diagnostic skill-he uncannily manages to solve a life-threatening medical puzzle by the end of every 60-minute episode-was the reason he was chosen as the favorite, according to the survey.