Doctor Observation

[Six of Twelve]

I've always wondered why a back up copy of the Doctor wasn't made in case he was lost on an away mission or to simply have available to those on Voyager when he was away on such a mission. Seems like an oversight on the part of the writers.

After all, Tom's status as a half trained medic would have been insufficient for more serious medical issues, especially those which required some research.

Theoretically, Seven of Nine would have made an adequate doctor, as I'm sure the Borg had assimilated many doctors, but it seems it would have been easier to have a copy or two of the EMH program available.

 

[Tosk]

Sometimes they said the Doctor couldn't be backed up. Other times he could. Depends on the episode needs.

 

[Finn]

Oversight? no

Like Tosk said, it depending on the plot. They even tried to make a backup mid-series. I can't recall the episode.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Oversight? no

Like Tosk said, it depending on the plot. They even tried to make a backup mid-series. I can't recall the episode.

In Ship In A Bottle, when Doc was on the Prometheus, Tom talked Harry into trying to make a new version.

 

[Tracy Trek]

Didn't Living Witness establish there was a back-up of the EMH?

 

[Triskelion]

Lifeline established that his matrix was more of a discreet, unique entity; you can back up the data, but the "living being" depended on having one stable matrix. This is why Tom and Harry were not able to recreate the EMH; and why Kes had to stabilize his matrix with a graft of the diagnostic hologram. They may just be digital data - but you have to know how to structure the subroutines in order for them to function together correctly, and not break down with errors and bugs. I suppose that infers that creating a matrix is also something of an art, since it is not a static program but an interactive, adaptive one. Perhaps prone to creating new bugs all the time unless you maintain it right.

Zimmeran's admonishment that his program was meant to be used as a short term supplement indicates the increasing risk of program errors with prolonged use. Keeping the EMH on all the time - indeed, letting him learn and change constantly - can't just be glossed over as an "individual right" - it is actually burning out his candle. Wishful thinking doesn't change the engineering reality. So great, he turned out OK but he just as easily could have been a used up resource.

Why, on a ship with limited promotion opportunities, no one took it upon themselves to attend holographic medical school is something of a mystery to me. Kim was an idiot. He deserved to push buttons all day. Like a good Ensign.

 

[Sophie74656]

Lifeline established that his matrix was more of a discreet, unique entity; you can back up the data, but the "living being" depended on having one stable matrix. This is why Tom and Harry were not able to recreate the EMH; and why Kes had to stabilize his matrix with a graft of the diagnostic hologram. They may just be digital data - but you have to know how to structure the subroutines in order for them to function together correctly, and not break down with errors and bugs. I suppose that infers that creating a matrix is also something of an art, since it is not a static program but an interactive, adaptive one. Perhaps prone to creating new bugs all the time unless you maintain it right.

Zimmeran's admonishment that his program was meant to be used as a short term supplement indicates the increasing risk of program errors with prolonged use. Keeping the EMH on all the time - indeed, letting him learn and change constantly - can't just be glossed over as an "individual right" - it is actually burning out his candle. Wishful thinking doesn't change the engineering reality. So great, he turned out OK but he just as easily could have been a used up resource.

Why, on a ship with limited promotion opportunities, no one took it upon themselves to attend holographic medical school is something of a mystery to me. Kim was an idiot. He deserved to push buttons all day. Like a good Ensign.

Tom did have some medical knowledge and did train with the doctor. Before she left Kes was also training with him so people were studying medicine to help/possibly take over

 

[KelisThePoet]

I know they discussed the possibility of backing up or duplicating the doctor multiple times, but is "Living Witness" the only instance where we see a functioning back-up doctor? Or is that supposed to be the one-and-only doctor, making "Living Witness" an episode that takes place outside the regular continuity?

Or is the presentation of a walking, talking back-up doctor just a historical misunderstanding featured in the Kyrian and Vaskan history museum revealed at the end of the episode? Is that museum's presentation of Quarren's interaction with the doctor as inaccurate as the presentation of the Voyager crew in Quarren's museum?

 

[Triskelion]

What, 2 assistants? In 7 years? And the rest, on call EMTs who disappeared back into the woodwork once they've delivered a patient? Oh, and one Cardassian hologram?

And not one promotion? Everyone was content to remain at their job for seven yeas with zero personal vocational development? Even the fresh graduates? No Maquis training to become an actual officer? No one picking up a new job until somebody bought the farm?

There was no reason someone couldn't advance all the way to doctor, even CMO in 7 years - with veto power over even the captain, let alone the senior staff who were only in their 20's and 30's.

Mind you - content to go 70 more years as an Ensign pushing buttons?

 

[locutus101]

Yeah, they have really weird computers in the future.

 

[2takesfrakes]

Funny thing is ... you could have Bones from TOS operating on you, in the holodeck, if you wanted. I never really got the dependence of the EMH, specifically.

 

[Paradise City]

Backing him up creates another individual though doesn't it? That's the problem with this hologram-being-alive stuff; you open up a can of worms.

 

[Finn]

Like making babies or clones?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Backing him up creates another individual though doesn't it? That's the problem with this hologram-being-alive stuff; you open up a can of worms.

If they could back him up every week, he'd only be as different as the experiences of the last week.

 

[The_Baroness]

There really isn't any reason the doctor couldn't be backed up.

The doc's been in the holodeck, running through it's systems so many times it MUST be capable of generating it's own version- and we know it can create sentient holograms from the moriarty fiasco on the Enterprise. and we know the mobile emitter works on any old hologram or Davinci wouldn't have run off with it.

To be honest, they could have just taken a hologram of Bones, Bashir or Crusher and stuck the emitter on it if the doc went bye-byes and have the same result. A walking talking medical database is all he started out as after all.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

There wouldn't be enough space in the ship's database for two times his ego.

 

[locutus101]

Backing him up creates another individual though doesn't it? That's the problem with this hologram-being-alive stuff; you open up a can of worms.

Unless they tuvix the two doctors.

 

[locutus101]

There wouldn't be enough space in the ship's database for two times his ego.

That must be it.

 

[Kahless the Unforgettable]

The simple answer is the creators and writers have no idea how a computer program works.

The biggest laugh was when they transported the Doctor to the Prometheus. Apparently, they decided to not only send a copy of his program, but delete all traces of it from their system. I mean... just... what? XD

 

[Sophie74656]

The simple answer is the creators and writers have no idea how a computer program works.

The biggest laugh was when they transported the Doctor to the Prometheus. Apparently, they decided to not only send a copy of his program, but delete all traces of it from their system. I mean... just... what? XD

what would have stayed behind? They were very short on time and had to transfer him fast so they couldn't stop to make a copy of him