Dr. Makino's growing pains.
It's been a while since I last watched a jdrama, but Netflix kept pushing Hokago Karte, or After School Doctor, and I figured why not? I needed something wholesome to watch and the story of a hospital's pediatrician sent to work at a primary school sound like the right thing. As per usual, you can always trust any japanese production to deliver on the slice of life genre.
Doctor Makino is one of the best pediatricians in the hospital he works at, but his lack of bedside manner with the parents (and sometimes even children) put him in hot water with his boss. So, in order for him to grow as a professional and better connect with his patients, he must work at a primary school for six months. What ensues it's so wonderful, I have a hard time being able to express it, because this drama it's the kind you have to watch to understand. It fills you with good feelings and hope for the future, and about people's best nature.
Of course this is a jdrama, so it's painfully formulaic in its development but After School Doctor does it a little different. Each episode presents a new patient that introduces some sort of medical issue or, because we are dealing with kids, a family conflict. It gets resolved but, at the same time and depending on the case, it doesn't. Because, at the end of the day, these are still kids growing and some health concerns aren't magically resolved, they need time to be treated in long term. These are the episodes that really pull at your heartstrings. If an adult has difficulty explaining what it's happening to them when their mental health is declining, how can a child ask for help?
Doctor Makino comes across, at first glance, as someone who lacks empathy but this could not be a worst assessment of his personality. He is single minded, caring so much about the children's health that he doesn't pay attention to the grown ups. But, hey! Someone has to listen to the kids, right? Through the development of the story it also became obvious that the hospital environment perhaps was not the best option for him to work at. Some doctors are better equipped for it but some are better at private practices or, in this case, as the primary school's physician. Instead of seeing the patience once, with no follow up, by getting involved in the kids every day's school life, Doctor Makino is forced to expand his abilities in order to help them and, in return, win their trust.
Overall, this was a wonderful watch that made me laugh, get teary-eyed and think about everything that entitles a child's happy life. I really recommend it!
Doctor Makino is one of the best pediatricians in the hospital he works at, but his lack of bedside manner with the parents (and sometimes even children) put him in hot water with his boss. So, in order for him to grow as a professional and better connect with his patients, he must work at a primary school for six months. What ensues it's so wonderful, I have a hard time being able to express it, because this drama it's the kind you have to watch to understand. It fills you with good feelings and hope for the future, and about people's best nature.
Of course this is a jdrama, so it's painfully formulaic in its development but After School Doctor does it a little different. Each episode presents a new patient that introduces some sort of medical issue or, because we are dealing with kids, a family conflict. It gets resolved but, at the same time and depending on the case, it doesn't. Because, at the end of the day, these are still kids growing and some health concerns aren't magically resolved, they need time to be treated in long term. These are the episodes that really pull at your heartstrings. If an adult has difficulty explaining what it's happening to them when their mental health is declining, how can a child ask for help?
Doctor Makino comes across, at first glance, as someone who lacks empathy but this could not be a worst assessment of his personality. He is single minded, caring so much about the children's health that he doesn't pay attention to the grown ups. But, hey! Someone has to listen to the kids, right? Through the development of the story it also became obvious that the hospital environment perhaps was not the best option for him to work at. Some doctors are better equipped for it but some are better at private practices or, in this case, as the primary school's physician. Instead of seeing the patience once, with no follow up, by getting involved in the kids every day's school life, Doctor Makino is forced to expand his abilities in order to help them and, in return, win their trust.
Overall, this was a wonderful watch that made me laugh, get teary-eyed and think about everything that entitles a child's happy life. I really recommend it!
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