Starfleet Medical

Starfleet Medical is the department of Starfleet that deals with all medical and clinical matters. The main facility is located in San Francisco on Earth, though it is unclear if there are any other facilities elsewhere. It has existed at least as early as 2151, as a part of the United Earth Starfleet and is aligned with the Starfleet Medical Academy where it trains doctors and medical personnel for all bases and starships in Starfleet.

In the 23rd century, the office of the Starfleet Surgeon General held command authority over Starfleet Medical, which directed all operations, and had the power to relieve starship medical officers for incompetence. From 2258 until, at least, 2265, Harris Eggleton served as the Surgeon General. (TOS - My Brother's Keeper novel: Constitution; TOS episode: "Turnabout Intruder")

Responsibilities[]

Starfleet Medical is equipped with many diagnostic and treatment wards which contain some of the most advanced medical technologies in the Federation. Medical also has a number of long-term facilities which were available for seriously ill patients. (VOY episode: "Endgame")

It is also responsible for all medical research activities in the Federation. Researchers are required to obtain approval from Starfleet Medical before proceeding with new treatments and medications. A lot of research is also conducted "in-house", where a number of researchers are assigned to work on developing various vaccines and treatments. (TNG episode: "Ethics"; TOS - My Brother's Keeper novel: Constitution)

Starfleet Medical also maintains the largest database of medical information available to Starfleet personnel. (TNG episodes: "Realm of Fear", "Genesis")

Starfleet Medical was also responsible for sending out medical relief teams to the more primitive friendly planets that were encountered by Starfleet. The teams would attempt to teach the natives about Federation medical techniques and how to improve their lives. (TOS - My Brother's Keeper novel: Constitution)

History[]

In 2151, Starfleet Medical cared for a Klingon named Klaang, who had crash-landed on Earth following a fight with a group of Suliban. One of the doctors responsible for treating Klaang was Phlox, a Denobulan assigned to Medical through the Interspecies Medical Exchange. Soon after, Phlox accompanied Klaang as he was taken aboard the Enterprise (NX-01) for transport back to Qo'noS. (ENT episode & novelization: Broken Bow)

Dr. Leonard McCoy was assigned to Starfleet Medical in the early 2260s after he requested a transfer to Earth so that he could be near his ill father. Following his death, McCoy participated in an medical relief mission to Capella IV, but found the Capellans rather resistant to the Federation's medical sciences. (TOS - My Brother's Keeper novel: Constitution)

In late 2364, Dr. Beverly Crusher accepted the post of Head of Starfleet Medical, remaining there for just over a year, before returning to the USS Enterprise-D in early 2366. (TNG episodes: "The Child", "Evolution") Crusher later returned to the post in late 2379, but transferred back to the USS Enterprise-E a short time later. (TNG novel: Death in Winter)

Dr. Toby Russell had submitted a request to test the genitronic replicator on humanoids three times by 2368. Each time, Starfleet Medical refused to allow use of the technology. (TNG episode: "Ethics")

Odo visited Starfleet Medical in 2372, where they performed medical tests on him to gain information that could be used against the Founders. It was during this examination that Odo was infected with a morphogenic virus by the covert intelligence group, Section 31. (DS9 episodes: "Homefront", "Paradise Lost", "When It Rains...")

In 2374, Starfleet Medical hosted a conference on Casperia Prime. (DS9 episode: "Inquisition")

A Starfleet Medical type-7 shuttlecraft in 2375.

Odo contracted the morphogenic virus in late-2375, that had already begun killing the Founders of the Dominion, Starfleet Medical was unwilling to assist Julian Bashir in his research for a cure and refused him access to Odo's medical file, believing Bashir was trying to help the enemy. When Benjamin Sisko requested the file, they sent a copy of Mora Pol's medical file on Odo, taken decades previously, in an attempt to hinder Bashir's efforts. (DS9 episode: "When It Rains...")

Species 8472 recreated Starfleet Medical as part of their Earth simulation in 2375. (VOY episode: "In the Flesh")

In 2381, it was known that Starfleet Medical was experimenting in the development of a new method of drug delivery systems through the use of non-invasive means that made involved the usage of transporter technology. (TOS novel: Captain's Blood)

In an alternate timeline, where it took the USS Voyager 23 years to return to Earth, Tuvok was sent to live at Starfleet Medical, having succumbed to a mental condition while aboard in 2378. The Doctor was working at the medical facility in 2404, and was helping Tuvok, as well as working on the project to develop chronexaline. (VOY episode: "Endgame")