Emergency Medical Holographic program
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The Emergency Medical Holographic program (EMH) was a sophisticated hologram used on most Federation starships in the late 24th century that was designed to provide assistance to medical staff in times of emergency. It was developed by Dr. Lewis Zimmerman on Jupiter Station and was formally known as EMH Program AK-1 Diagnostic and Surgical Subroutine Omega-323. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume"; VOY: "Projections", "Lifesigns")
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[edit] Mark I
The Mark I was based on their designer, Dr. Zimmerman, both physically and psychologically. This produced an arrogant and irritable hologram that became notorious for its less than gracious bedside manner, which saw some doctors try to avoid activating the program. (Star Trek: First Contact; Star Trek: Swiftfire: "The Darkness Within")
The first vessel equipped with the Mark I was the USS Voyager. (VOY: "Realitivity") The Doctor, as it was known on Voyager would also become the most notable Mark I due to its continuous operation over several years and it evolving from a purely short-term emergency protocol to a critical and important contributor to the crew of the USS Voyager during its years stranded in the Delta Quadrant. (Star Trek: Voyager)
The Mark I would eventually be declared "defective" and replaced by newer models. The Mark Is were transferred to undertake menial tasks such as dilithium mining and scrubbing plasma ducts. (VOY: "Message in a Bottle", "Life Line")
[edit] Mark II
The EMH Mark II was the designation for the second instalment of the Emergency Medical Holographic program, which became standard equipment aboard Federation starships starting in 2374. The Mark II prided itself as superior to its predecessor, the Mark I, whose appearance and personality were modeled after project designer Lewis Zimmerman. (VOY: "Message in Bottle")
Although the EMH Mark II was programmed with a better bedside manner than the Mark I, USS Lambda Paz chief medical officer Aurellan Markalis found that ship's Mark II to be just as rude as its predecessor. Its standard greeting to individuals with whom it was unfamiliar was "What the hell are you doing in my sickbay? I am programmed to identify every member of this crew. You are not one of them." As of the launching of the Lambda Paz, the program had not been updated to identify Limis Vircona and the other Maquis aboard as members of the crew, and so regarded the captain as an intruder when the two first met. (Star Trek: Lambda Paz: "Revenge a Dish Best Served Cold")
[edit] Later versions
By 2376, a Mark III and Mark IV of the EMH program had been developed. (VOY: "Life Lines") Additionally work was started on a variant known as the Long-term Medical Holographic program. (DS9: "Doctor Bashir, I Presume")
[edit] Background Information
- The EMH-Mark I was played by Robert Picardo.
- The EMH-Mark II was played by Andy Dick in VOY: "Message in a Bottle".
[edit] External links
- Emergency Medical Holographic program article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Emergency Medical Holographic program article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
