Starfleet Medical

[Shamrock Holmes]

Something that bugged me even at the time about s2 of TNG was Beverly Crusher (a Commander before and after) was explained as being Head of Starfleet Medical during her absence from the show.

Canon is a little contradictory as to what that post involved. Given that she wasn't IFAWK promoted to flag rank or even Captain for the assignment, then it seems unlikely that Starfleet Medical is the equivalent of "Medical Corps of the USN" (the existence of a separate "Starfleet Surgeon General" ("TOS: Turnabout Intruder" also supports this), but rather a medical treatment and research facility (acting as a combination of the US National Naval Medical Center and the CDC).

Although her rank is still a little low (the NNMC Commander is a RADM with a CAPT as Deputy) it would be even more out of proportion to suggest that her position placed her in charge of every doctor in the fleet (The last two Surgeon Generals of the US Navy were VADM and at least two previous ones were RADMs).

Any thoughts anyone?

 

[Finn]

A commander was in charge of the starbase by a wormhole leading to an entire unexplored quadrant. It is a bit of a stretch but she still probably had those higher than her at Starfleet Medical.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

An interesting and valid point (certainly backing the idea of Starfleet Medical being equivalent of a starbase), but Sisko was only responsible for the junior officers and enlisted personnel on the base itself at that rank, whereas if the Head of Starfleet Medical is the OiC of all Starfleet medical personnel then that runs into the thousands, if not tens of thousands minimum.

Shamrock

 

[BolianAuthor]

A commander was in charge of the starbase by a wormhole leading to an entire unexplored quadrant. It is a bit of a stretch but she still probably had those higher than her at Starfleet Medical.

Yeah, but I always got the impression that Sisko was never intended to be the permanent CO of DS9... I always felt that Starfleet just sent him there to "clean up the mess on Bajor, and get those Bajorans in line, and on board with us", and once that was done, and the situation stabilized, the station would be handed over to a full Admiral and such.

Of course, then he became the Emissary, and well... yeah.

 

[neozeks]

Since many times we do get the sense that Starfleet Medical refers to an entire medical corps, I think the best explanation is that there exist both a Starfleet Medical Corps/Command and a Starfleet Medical Center (subject to the Corps) and Starfleet Medical is used as a shorthand for both, depending on the context. Crusher would then clearly be the head of the center.

In fact, this pic from VOY "Endgame" seems to confirm that a Starfleet Medical Center does indeed exist: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/File:Starfleet_Medical.jpg

 

[Holdfast]

Since many times we do get the sense that Starfleet Medical refers to an entire medical corps, I think the best explanation is that there exist both a Starfleet Medical Corps/Command and a Starfleet Medical Center (subject to the Corps) and Starfleet Medical is used as a shorthand for both, depending on the context. Crusher would then clearly be the head of the center.

I've never thought about it all tht much, but this explanation makes sense to me.

 

[DanCPA]

Maybe it was an interim assignment where they needed an outsider given that those slug like things had taken over from within.