A tip electrode for a medical device (201; 301; 401; 501; 601; 701) comprising: an electrically insulative substrate (505, 507; 613; 721, 751) comprising an inner lumen (533; 645; 725), an external tip surface (531; 723), and a plurality of channels (515, 517, 519; 625, 627, 629, 631; 727) extending from the inner lumen (533; 645; 725) to the external tip surface (531; 723); a plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615), and a plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733); wherein each of the plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) and each of the plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) are laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion (227, 229, 231, 233, 239; 325, 337; 433, 439, 455; 527, 529; 635, 637, 639; 731), wherein each of the spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) and each of the segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) are electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace (443, 445, 447; 545, 547, 549; 651, 653, 655; 713), and wherein each of the plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) is disposed within the lateral confines of an ablating electrode segment, wherein each of the plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) is separated from the other segmented electrodes by a longitudinally extending non-conductive portion (227, 229; 323, 335; 437; 639). an electrically insulative substrate (505, 507; 613; 721, 751) comprising an inner lumen (533; 645; 725), an external tip surface (531; 723), and a plurality of channels (515, 517, 519; 625, 627, 629, 631; 727) extending from the inner lumen (533; 645; 725) to the external tip surface (531; 723); a plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615), and a plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733); wherein each of the plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) and each of the plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) are laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion (227, 229, 231, 233, 239; 325, 337; 433, 439, 455; 527, 529; 635, 637, 639; 731), wherein each of the spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) and each of the segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) are electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace (443, 445, 447; 545, 547, 549; 651, 653, 655; 713), and wherein each of the plurality of spot electrodes (215, 217, 219; 325; 419, 421, 423, 425, 429; 521, 523; 619, 621; 733) is disposed within the lateral confines of an ablating electrode segment, wherein each of the plurality of segmented electrodes (205, 207, 209, 211; 323; 409, 411, 413, 415; 511; 615) is separated from the other segmented electrodes by a longitudinally extending non-conductive portion (227, 229; 323, 335; 437; 639). <EOS>