Random Trek thoughts

[Nobody700]

So I never threw in my own random Trek thought here, and while I made my thoughts that everyone but 5 are officers, here's another problem I have with the Federation. Doctors.

In TOS, they have TWO doctors, and several nurses. I say that's pretty small but probably how it works, and who knows if a reserve doctor doesn't exist. On TNG... well, who knows. We have one doctor and a bunch of other nurses, MAYBE others exist... perhaps a civilian doctor exists but I doubt it. Voyager... I will let pass, perfect explanation. Lower Decks, pretty small crew, two doctors, nurses, feels right. Than we come to the wild ones. DS9, the full on way station, nothing works here, full on garbage till halfway the show... FULL ON MEDICAL STAFF. Yes, because we have ONE engineer and his assistants, but have EVERYTHING FOR MEDICAL! Holy god, the competency is WEIRD. Than, Enterprise. ONE DOCTOR. NO NURSES. WHAT?! Even for a crew that small, one doctor for so many men and women in active threat situations is INSANE! Lastly, we come to Strange New Worlds. Oh sure, we have what seems to be a full medical team... but given the doctor and head nurse have a bunch of secret drugs and a whole ass girl hidden, excuse me, WHAT?! Discovery... I wonder why they had a doctor given we never saw them do anything. Ever.

So here is the interesting thing about the Enterprise-D: It actually has three sickbays. Two in the saucer, one in the stardrive. I'm certain that we never see them because there is only one sickbay set. It also has 20 transporter rooms which makes ''transporters off-line Captain'' both hilarious and ridiculous. But anyway, that implies that there must be a sizeable medical staff that we do not actually see.

The Enterprise-E has two sickbays. Although interestingly we do actually see them this time. One in First Contact that is obviously the Voyager set, and one in Nemesis.

Judging by the uniforms, I think most Bashir's huge medical staff is actually Bajoran affiliated which makes sense.

The NX-01 really does seem to be just Phlox. It is a very deserved running joke of Chuck's. I mean, you can perhaps make an argument for it in early season 1 but imo the ''we rushed out of spacedock'' excuse wore thin very quickly. If I was Admiral Forrest, I would be like ''good work on returning that Klingon and dealing with the Suliban. Now turn your ship around so we can actually finish it. I mean - ha! - only a fool would want to fly around without his phase cannons fitted and only one doctor.''

Okay, fair on D for having more, I just question if they had a civilian doctor at all. Also man I'd had to be head doctor of sickbay 3... the loser sickbay.

Yeah, could see that, but a lot look human.

It IS just Phlox. That's a plotpoint. Not even a nurse. Even VOYAGER recognized they needed nurses, and their doctor is a hologram that never tires or needs rest and has all medical info in the Federation. Phlox looks like he'd pass out if I asked him to jog for 3 minutes!

[hammerofglass]

Discovery's doctor seemed to be more of a ship's counselor than anything. He built the synth body for Gray and supervised the transfer, but I don't remember him ever doing anything actually medical otherwise.

[McAvoy]

Discovery's doctor seemed to be more of a ship's counselor than anything. He built the synth body for Gray and supervised the transfer, but I don't remember him ever doing anything actually medical otherwise.

If I recall he did I think during Season 1 at least. Tbh, I only watched the show once and it will be a long time before I muster up the courage to re-watch it.

Like I can't remember when he came back too.

[stryke]

Phlox looks like he'd pass out if I asked him to jog for 3 minutes!

Oh don't be silly, Phlox doesn't jog. He'll even have a leisurely walk when on the way to treat a burn victim.

Yeah they really should have had a better medical unit on Enterprise.

[clearspira]

The Phlox situation really is kind of weird from a meta perspective. All they needed to do was to have a couple of extras in the background.

I keep thinking about Crewman Cutler. It just highlights how absurd the whole situation is when the ship's entomologist(!) was drafted in as a nurse. After her actress sadly died, there really was no one. At least Paris had field medic training.

The MACOs did not seem to bring a medic either which is just as strange. Although Reed may have had something to say about a MACO doctor "pushing out" Phlox. God - i hated that plotline so much. Reed comes off as a petty baby with his Alpha male macho BS. I never got that impression from Hayes at all. If that was the intention, fire with fire, it never came off that way imo.

[McAvoy]

I agree. Phlox should have had dedicated nurses at the very least, but realistically one more doctor. Phlox goes down and that is it.

Especially in the series and definitely for Season 3. You go into a seriously dangerous place and go in with just one doctor. One bad attack and Phlox could be killed. Not like you can go back and grab another one.

I guess the reasoning is that the ship only has 80 people on board. The ship is cramped. Whatever. You still need more personnel in that sickbay.

When it came to the other Enterprises, like the D. I could buy that we only saw the main sickbay where Crusher as Chief Medical Doctor worked. But there were other doctors on board. Dr Selar for example. They were just under them.

Its just the way Star Trek is structured. You want the main cast together and episodes will mainly deal with them. Not the NPCs. Like bridge crew would definitely be setup where Picard would be on the bridge about half the time during the day, whether in the chair or in his ready room. Riker could take up part of that day too. But there has to be someone during the night shift taking that position in the chair.

We just never saw who was it unless it was Crusher or Kim on Voyager. Having Lt Commander John Doe on rotation with perhaps Lt Commander Jane Doe. But who cares about them right? It would have been nice.

Like an episode where there was a minor crisis not big enough to wake up Riker or Picard and they have to handle it. A Day on Night Shift.

But I think it was implied that Data does this anyway.

[m4a2000]

If I remember right in Data's Day it is shown that Data takes the night shift. Also from what I remember The D was on a four shift rotation, Jellico wanted three shifts. That mean either Data covered two shifts in the chair, or most Likely Picard and Riker covered half a shift each before Crusher took the command test.

Hypothetically speaking I think LaForge also took the command test some time after becoming chief engineer. Heck he went from Lieutenant Junior Grade to Lieutenant Commander from season 1 to season 3.

[McAvoy]

If I remember right in Data's Day it is shown that Data takes the night shift. Also from what I remember The D was on a four shift rotation, Jellico wanted three shifts. That mean either Data covered two shifts in the chair, or most Likely Picard and Riker covered half a shift each before Crusher took the command test.

Hypothetically speaking I think LaForge also took the command test some time after becoming chief engineer. Heck he went from Lieutenant Junior Grade to Lieutenant Commander from season 1 to season 3.

I know DS9 did 26 hour days but we can assume Enterprise-D did 24 hour shifts. Also I did remember Sisko and Kira talking about going from three shifts to four shifts.

24 hour shifts would mean basically let's say a 7 hour rotation total for each shift if it was four. Half of hour of pass down in the beginning and the end of each shift. 9 hours for a three rotation.

It does make sense for Data to basically give Data a 24 hour shift since doesn't need to sleep or get mentally or physically tired. But he does get time off though.

In a perfect world with Star Trek written smartly, then you would have Picard, Riker, Data and then two or three command level officers take over. Worf and La Forge shouldn't due to their own rank and their own responsibilities unless it was absolutely necessary.

Also as a matter of fact, senior officers shouldn't be Lt at all. Minimum they should be Lt Commanders or more. In fact on modern aircraft carriers, even the XO is a Captain in rank. The Chief Engineer is a Captain. The officer in charge of the air wing for the carrier is a Captain as well. Then each squadron is commanded by a Commander.

So in reality, Picard, Riker, La Forge would be Captains. Data and Worf would be either Commanders or Lt. Commanders. Crusher would be roughly a commander but Medical the rank is kinda meaningless. Troi? A civilian with no power whatsoever.