Doctor Crusher being chief medical officer of all of Starfleet?
- Thread starter drazzz52923849
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The explanations I have always had in my mind (not because I have any real canon basis for it, but because I really wanted to figure it out as well) was 1) that she was in the same mindset as Kirk in the first few films: She was promoted and assigned to a base somewhere and realized how boring it was compared to being on the ship and exploring the unknown universe.... and also probably missed her son and the crew.
She was probably promoted to Captain, but pissed the powers-that-be off by resigning so she was demoted back to Commander.
or 2) It was a temporary thing. She was good friends to the current head of medical who requested her to fill in for them while they took a year off for some reason like maternity leave or something.
She was probably promoted to Captain, but pissed the powers-that-be off by resigning so she was demoted back to Commander.
or 2) It was a temporary thing. She was good friends to the current head of medical who requested her to fill in for them while they took a year off for some reason like maternity leave or something.
The thing is, being boss to the entire Medical Division would not be realistically achieved by any Commander, no matter how good or popular or well positioned or generous in her bribes. Crusher wouldn't need just a promotion to Captain, she'd need a promotion to flag rank, and preferably high flag rank because there'd be others ahead of her.
Being boss to Starfleet's equivalent of Bethesda wouldn't require a promotion and a subsequent demotion, though. It would also be a job in line with her starship CMO career, so not a promotion or demotion in that respect, either. Just a bit of broadening of your horizons before you return to the typically longer-span deep space starship work.
OTOH, while a great many people might have ambitions to become the next head of SF Medical Division, most would probably view the Starfleet Bethesda as an assignment lesser (or at least more confining) than starship CMO post, and Crusher could easily get in and would readily move out. Others from other starships would be available in hordes to keep up the rotation...
Timo Saloniemi
Being boss to Starfleet's equivalent of Bethesda wouldn't require a promotion and a subsequent demotion, though. It would also be a job in line with her starship CMO career, so not a promotion or demotion in that respect, either. Just a bit of broadening of your horizons before you return to the typically longer-span deep space starship work.
OTOH, while a great many people might have ambitions to become the next head of SF Medical Division, most would probably view the Starfleet Bethesda as an assignment lesser (or at least more confining) than starship CMO post, and Crusher could easily get in and would readily move out. Others from other starships would be available in hordes to keep up the rotation...
Timo Saloniemi
Clumsily handled by TPTB, simple as that. She'd have been at least a captain, and prolly an admiral to head up Starfleet Medical.
Everything I've ever heard says that she did "head up Starfleet medical", as little sense as that makes.
The answer is obvious, of course. She did receive a major promotion and an appointment to the chief of Starfleet medical. But then she was caught in a scandalous position with the UFP president, Boothby, and the Bolian ambassador... simultaneously. The only way for all parties to save face was to demote her back to commander and ship her back to the Enterprise.
No wonder Picard was reluctant to get involved with her.
I'm sure this will all be covered in a future book.
Hahahaha, I like this idea!! She seems the type to get into a situation that is 'Unbecoming of a Star Fleet officer' lol
Also I have to say I liked Crusher (I wish it was Wesley who disappeared for a while), I didn't like Pulaski at all.
Clearly, Dr. Crusher becoming head of all Starfleet Medical makes no sense. That would seem to be a position requiring an admiral rank at the very least. It was an ill-advised line of dialogue in Picard's captain's log, IMO. Now, if they said, she was CMO of Starbase 100, that would've made more sense, because I can see a doctor with commander's rank taking over that position.
I think that was Maurice Hurley. Here's the Memory Alpha entry on him and that brouhaha, among other items.
I think that was Maurice Hurley. Here's the Memory Alpha entry on him and that brouhaha, among other items.
you know, I'd never read that whole story before, but if McFadden really got treated that shabbily by the show's producers, who not only didn't help her when she was being sexually harassed, but then she got fired because of it, I think it's amazing she'd want to come back to the show.
I'd have had nothing but anger and resentment toward the producers of the show if I were her.
I'd have had nothing but anger and resentment toward the producers of the show if I were her.
Was the cast on her side? Did they know about this? Did they atleast stick up for her?
I can buy this explanation, kind of like the U.S. Navy's Bethesda Medical Center -- but I think you need a high rank to be in charge of that hospital, too. It should've been, "Starfleet Medical One," or any such number like that.
I just assumed it was a Kirk-like scenario, where she took the "promotion", but then realized she hated the job. Flash forward one year, the CMO position on Enterprise opens up, and she asks for and receives her old job back.
Only one grade higher than commander, but we could say that either Starfleet is different than the U.S. Navy or that Crusher was briefly promoted to medical captain but voluntarily took a demotion in rank in order to return to the Enterprise.
The officer in charge of the Bethesda National Naval Medical Center is a two-star rear admiral.
--Justin
But he's not the chief of staff at Bethesda though--that person holds the rank of captain and oversees the day-to-day operations of the facility, IIRC...
Leadership at NNMC
The title is "Commander, National Naval Medical Center," who would certainly be the person "in charge." The title of "chief of staff" in the navy is basically a flag officer's executive officer, unlike a traditional hospital chief of staff. The chief of staff to the admiral at Bethesda is also the Deputy Commander and, because Bethesda is in the process of becoming a joint-forces medical facility, is currently an army colonel.
--Justin
I can buy this explanation as well. I can also see Beverly being temporarily promoted to full captain, then once she left that post, being reduced to commander again.
Which doesn't mean anything as far as Starfleet Medical is concerned, because it doesn't have to be run the exact same way (and likely isn't, IMO). As I said in my earlier posts, Starfleet Medical could be run like a traditional hospital with the chief of staff (which could have been Crusher) being the one in charge reporting to a board of trustees--which in Starfleet Medical's case, could be comprised of senior captains and admirals. The chief of staff could be considered the boss of a hospital, even if he or she has a boss of their own.
Past chief of staffs, however, have been navy captains, which was my real point there.
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