Oren Gottfried, MD, is a neurosurgery professor and spine surgeon at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University School of Medicine but also serves as a medical consultant for several TV shows.
Three things to know:
1. In his medical practice, Dr. Gottfried specializes in complex spine surgery. As a consultant on The Good Doctor, Chicago Med, Royal Pains and Elementary, he advises TV production crews on a range of medical issues.
2. According to Dr. Gottfried, many consultants are physicians towards the end of their medical careers or who have transitioned from practicing as physicians to writers and consultants.
3. Dr. Gottfried sees patients during the day and typically works on scripts in the late evening. "Patient care will always come first for me," said Dr. Gottfried. "If anything, I think the research required for consulting has helped me be a better doctor."