Leonard McCoy

"I signed aboard this ship to practice medicine, not to have my atoms scattered back and forth across space by this gadget."

- McCoy

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Leonard H. McCoy, MD, was a noted physician and scientist of the 23rd and 24th centuries. An accomplished surgeon, physician, psychologist, and exobiologist, he was also considered an expert in space psychology. As ship's surgeon and chief medical officer, he served aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Enterprise-A for a combined 27 years.

Leonard McCoy was born in the "Old South" region of North America on Earth, in 2227. He was the son of David McCoy.

McCoy was attending the University of Mississippi during the mid-2240s when he met the joined Trill Emony Dax, who was visiting Earth to judge a gymnastics competition. Dax thought McCoy "had the hands of a surgeon" and had a feeling he would become a doctor.

While there is no direct evidence, the way Jadzia Dax spoke of their encounter to Benjamin Sisko hinted that they might have had some sort of relationship.

While in medical school, McCoy and his friends used to play practical jokes on each other all the time. For example, they would substitute real drinking glasses with trick drinking glasses, causing the target drinker to spill on their shirt.

He graduated in or before 2245, and took

up his practice.

Leonard McCoy's graduation date from medical school is never confirmed in a Star Trek production, but with four years of pre-med followed by four years of medical school, McCoy would normally have received his medical degree in 2253, assuming he started college at the age of 18 in 2245. Kirk's statement in 2270 that McCoy had spent "25 years as a doctor" seems to support this.

In 2251, McCoy led a massive inoculation program on planet Dramia II, where he saved a Dramian colonist, named Kol-tai, from a strain of the Saurian virus. Shortly after McCoy departed, Dramia II was struck by a plague which killed nearly all of the colonists.

By 2253, McCoy had developed a surgical procedure for the humanoid brain; grafting neural tissue to the cerebral cortex, followed by the creation of an axonal pathway between the tissue graft and the basal ganglia.

After promotion to lieutenant commander, McCoy was stationed at Capella IV where Capellan lack of interest in medical aid or hospitals ensured a short visit, lasting only a few months, before eventually joining the USS Enterprise's five-year mission in 2266. The knowledge of Capellan customs he acquired on this mission would prove valuable.

Joining the crew of the USS Enterprise, already underway in 2266, McCoy replaced Dr. Mark Piper as the starship's Chief medical officer and ship's surgeon. His assigned quarters were "3F 127" on Deck 9, section 2.

Kirk liberally used the nickname, "Bones" (short for "sawbones", the ancient description of a surgeon) for his doctor from this point on.

McCoy frequently displayed a very bipolar attitude towards technology. Although he was a great believer in the body's own natural ability to heal and felt that a little suffering was good for the soul, he also held 23rd century medicine in high esteem and frequently lamented how barbarous medicine used to be in the past.

He also distrusted other highly technological devices, especially the transporter.

While technically only lieutenant commander in rank, McCoy was still the only person on the Enterprise who could talk back to the Captain and get away with it. Although not without apology when wrong, he displayed a unique individuality and plain-spoken character which certainly clashed with the service, considering himself a doctor first and an officer second. This pugnacious attitude surfaced on a number of missions.

McCoy was not above kicking back with a good drink with the Captain now and again, regularly keeping stashes of vintage saurian brandy and other libations with the controlled substances in sickbay.

Displaying a fondness for the native alcoholic beverages of his region of Earth, such as Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, his favorite drink was believed to be the mint julep.

His closest friends aboard the Enterprise included Captain Kirk and, begrudgingly, Spock. McCoy's friendship with Kirk dated back well before Kirk took command of the Enterprise, and he often served as a sounding board and voice of conscience for the young captain.

His legendary feud with the half-Vulcan science officer (borne more from dispute over the merits of emotion versus logic rather than true prejudice) camouflaged the genuine mutual respect and friendship the two had. Over time, the three appeared to form nearly a single personality, with McCoy ever emotional and passionate, Spock ever objective and logical, and Kirk the focus, direction and driving force combining the best of the other two.

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From: Memory Alpha

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