Medical division captain in ST: IV?

[Cyfa]

This has been bugging me on and off for a few years now: Is this a Starfleet medical division officer with the rank of captain at Starfleet Headquarters in Star Trek IV? [Seen here leaning over the "pool table" next to Admiral Cartwright with rank insignia clearly visible; and here talking to the Federation President with green-looking collar, cuffs, and insignia straps - links to TrekCore images] If so, is this the highest ranking, uniformed medical officer we've seen in Star Trek (discounting Admiral McCoy in TNG: "Encounter At Farpoint" as he didn't appear to be in uniform)?
I'm somewhat colourblind so can't tell if the collar & cuffs are medical green. They aren't white, and don't look grey, but I'm unsure if they're green as the subdued lighting is flummoxing my optical sensors

 

[Tenacity]

Looks green (or perhaps more olive) to me, althought not the best lighting.

Don't see any reason there couldn't be a medical division officer with the ranking of captain, why such a person is in a situtaion room during a time of crisis might be strange. Possible he is a personal assistant to the president?

 

[Mysterion]

Not so strange for there to be a high-ranking officer with medical corps in the sit room in this crisis. There was the possibility of potential casualties on a mass scale. Perhaps this officer was the person who would be working to coordinate rescue and other medical relief services.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Maybe it was a senior staff officer in the Starfleet Medical Corp. advising on best methods of triage and treatment of a mass casualty situation? That's just one of dozens of plausible scenarios as to why a Medical Division Captain might be around for a crisis situation.

 

[Cyfa]

Looks green (or perhaps more olive) to me, althought not the best lighting.

- That's good enough for me! (as long as you're not colourblind, too...)

Perhaps this officer was the person who would be working to coordinate rescue and other medical relief services.

- Makes sense. I would expect to see someone doing such a job. In fact, Doctor Chapel was there, apparently doing just that. Perhaps he's her boss and/or liaison to the President (similar to what Tenacity said)?

Maybe it was a senior staff officer in the Starfleet Medical Corp. advising on best methods of triage and treatment of a mass casualty situation?

- Another good suggestion. He's clearly someone of importance (a flag officer?) as his uniform jacket is trimmed in gold just like Admiral Cartwright's.

On a somewhat related note, I think it's a bit of a shame that we didn't see Beverly Crusher promoted to Captain when she became head of Starfleet Medical.

 

[Mysterion]

On a somewhat related note, I think it's a bit of a shame that we didn't see Beverly Crusher promoted to Captain when she became head of Starfleet Medical.

I would expect the head of Starfleet Medical to be a flag-rank officer. My take is the position is roughly the equivalent of the US Navy's Surgeon General of the Navy who is a Vice Admiral (three-star rank). Never made a lot of sense to e that Dr. Bev was in charge of all of that as just an O-5 Commander.

 

[Therin of Andor]

- Makes sense. I would expect to see someone doing such a job. In fact, Doctor Chapel was there, apparently doing just that. Perhaps he's her boss and/or liaison to the President

Star Trek IV cue card for Majel Barrett by Ian McLean, on Flickr

 

[Tenacity]

I think it's a bit of a shame that we didn't see Beverly Crusher promoted to Captain when she became head of Starfleet Medical.

I (imho) really don't think Beverly was ever "the head of Starfleet medical," and that that was her friends teasing her after she returned to the ship. More likely she was a senior doctor in a ward.

Being the head of Starfleet medical is probably a admirals slot.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I (imho) really don't think Beverly was ever "the head of Starfleet medical," and that that was her friends teasing her after she returned to the ship. More likely she was a senior doctor in a ward.

Being the head of Starfleet medical is probably a admirals slot.

Interesting theory. I just double checked the script for "Evolution," the first TNG episode to bring back Dr. Crusher, and she just says she was "at" Starfleet Medical. She doesn't say anything about running it.

CRUSHER: Well, it's nice to be together again. I was at Starfleet Medical for a year. I missed about two inches of him.

 

[Mysterion]

Interesting theory. I just double checked the script for "Evolution," the first TNG episode to bring back Dr. Crusher, and she just says she was "at" Starfleet Medical. She doesn't say anything about running it.

True, she does not say so in that episode. However in the first episode of Season 2, The Child, Picard explains her absence thusly:

PICARD: Ensign. I'm sorry this mission will delay your reunion with your mother.
WESLEY: That's all right. That will give me the time to finish some projects I have to do. It's going to be hard leaving the Enterprise.
PICARD: Mixed feelings for all of us. It's always difficult leaving any ship, just as it was for your mother
PICARD: When she left to become head of Starfleet Medical. But going from one assignment to another is part of the life which you are choosing.
WESLEY: I know, but this isn't any ship.
PICARD: How true.

 

[Timo]

But what is Starfleet Medical? "Endgame" would have us believe it is a hospital on Earth, a bit like Bethesda in Maryland.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Medical?file=Starfleet_Medical.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Reed_National_Military_Medical_Center

The commander of "the Walter Reed NMMC" as the place is more officially known is but a Captain...

The commander of Starfleet Medical Division might be a bigger boss. As perhaps would the commander of Starfleet Medical Academy. But Crusher need not have bossed over either of those.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

But what is Starfleet Medical? "Endgame" would have us believe it is a hospital on Earth, a bit like Bethesda in Maryland.

https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Medical?file=Starfleet_Medical.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Reed_National_Military_Medical_Center

The commander of "the Walter Reed NMMC" as the place is more officially known is but a Captain...

The commander of Starfleet Medical Division might be a bigger boss. As perhaps would the commander of Starfleet Medical Academy. But Crusher need not have bossed over either of those.

Timo Saloniemi

I've long suggested that the senior Medical Corps flag officer would be the Surgeon General, in common with modern practice and that the "Head of Starfleet Medical" is the commander or chief of staff for either or both of the Starfleet Medical Academy and the associated(?) Starfleet Medical Center San Franciso. However, it's at least vaguely plausible that there are SMC facilities in other cities, and even more likely other member worlds (Ares City, ShiKahr, Leran Manev, Lor'Vela, New Samarkand etc) lead by senior medical officers.

 

[Tenacity]

PICARD: When she left to become head of Starfleet Medical. But going from one assignment to another is part of the life which you are choosing.

A little joke on Picard's part, in a otherwise serious conversation.

 

[Timo]

...She left with a goal in mind, and never scored? Might work.

Anyway, we might rule out her aiming at Surgeon General of Starfleet right there and then, since that terminology was not used.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mysterion]

A little joke on Picard's part, in a otherwise serious conversation.

Not how it comes across in the scene as aired.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

We probably shouldn't analyse the "head of Starfleet Medical" thing too closely. At the time that line was written for "The Child," they assumed that they were writing Gates McFadden out of the show forever, so what the hell, you might as well give the character a promotion. If they'd known they were going to be bringing Dr. Crusher back in a year, they probably would've done something different.