I'm a doctor, not a...

I'm a doctor, not a... is a famous and used in Star Trek. Originally used by Dr. Leonard McCoy in , the phrase lived on in various other incarnations of Star Trek and was used by both Julian Bashir and The Doctor, among others. Dr. McCoy's original delivery of the phrase varied with emotional intensity, from extreme frustration to lighthearted sarcasm. Subsequent uses in later series also mirrored this performance, though with multiple humorous variations. This iconic phrase has also appeared in other media as both a parody and homage to the show. Very often, it was just the way of Dr. McCoy and subsequent characters to prevent criticism in case of failure, but also often, the "not a…" ability was successful, especially in dire needs.
The line has been misquoted in media as "Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor…" although McCoy never used this expletive in the series. However, this version of the line was eventually used by the alternate reality .
== Usage ==
=== Dr. Leonard McCoy ===
* "What am I, a doctor or a moon shuttle conductor?" ()
* "My dear girl, I'm a doctor. When I peek, it is in the line of duty." ()
* "I don't know, Jim. This is a big ship. I'm just a country doctor." ()
* "Me, I'm a doctor. If I were an officer of the line…" ()
* "What do you mean what sort of work? I'm a doctor." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer." ()
::…to which Kirk replies, "You're a healer. There's a patient. That's an order."
* "I'm a surgeon, not a psychiatrist." ()
* "I'm not a scientist or a physicist, Mr. Spock…" ()
* "Look, I'm a doctor, not an escalator." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not an engineer." ()
::…to which Montgomery Scott immediately replied, "Now, you're an engineer."
* "I'm not a magician, Spock, just an old country doctor." ()
* "I will not peddle flesh! I'm a physician." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a coal miner." ()
* "I'm not a mechanic, Spock…" ()
* "I'm a doctor, Spock … a doctor! Get us beamed aboard!" ()
=== Dr. Leonard McCoy (alternate reality) ===
* "I don't need a doctor, damn it, I am a doctor!" ()
* "I'm a doctor, , I'm busy!" ()
* "Damn it, man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist!" ()
* "Damn it, man, I'm a doctor, not a torpedo technician!" ()
* "Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a fu –" (beamed out) ()
=== Dr. Julian Bashir ===
* "Garak, I'm a doctor, not…" meaning a spy or an investigator, but Garak interrupts him. ()
* Garak says "I'm no more a spy than you are…" Bashir interrupts, saying "A doctor." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a botanist." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not an historian." ()
* Variation as Julius Eaton: "We're writers, not vikings." ()
=== The Doctor ===
* "I'm a doctor, Mr. Neelix, not a decorator." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a bartender." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a voyeur." ()
* "I shouldn't have to remind you: I'm a doctor…"
::…interrupted by Torres: "…not an engineer. Right, but…" ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a performer." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a counterinsurgent." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a database."
::…to which Henry Starling responds: "I'd say you're a little bit of both." ()
* "I am a doctor, not a peeping Tom, there's nothing I haven't seen before." (when catching Torres in the sonic shower) ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a battery." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a dragonslayer." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a zookeeper." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not an engineer." ()
* "I said "escort." I'm a doctor, not a butler." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not an exorcist." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not an assembly line." ()
* "I'm a doctor, not a covert operative." ()
=== Dr. Phlox ===
* "I'm a physician, not an engineer." ()
=== Dr. T'Ana ===
* "I'm a doctor, not whatever the this is." ()
=== Starfleet EMHs ===
* EMH Mark I: "I'm a doctor, not a doorstop." ()
* EMH Mark II: "I am a doctor, not a commando." ()
=== Variants ===
===== The Original Series =====
;James T. Kirk:"That's a supposition, Doctor, not a fact." ()"I'm a soldier, not a diplomat." ()
:"You keep saying that. Are you a doctor, or aren't you?" ()
:"These are people, not robots." ()
;Carl Jaeger:"I'm a scientist, not a military man." ()
;José I. Mendez: "But this is a court of space law, not a theater." ()
===== The Next Generation =====
;Jean-Luc Picard:"For these negotiations to succeed, I must be a mediator, not an enforcer." ()
;William T. Riker: "This is geology, not malevolence." ()
; Katherine Pulaski:"He is a boy, not a sword." (referring to Wesley Crusher) ()
; K'Vada:"This is a military vessel, not a pleasure craft." (regarding his Bird of Prey) ()
;V'Sal:"I'm just a barber, not a miracle worker!" ()
===== Deep Space Nine =====
;:"I'm a weapons dealer, not a soldier." ()
;Cardassian security officer:"This is a jail, not a hotel." ()
;Dukat:"That's justice, not malevolence." ()
;Julian Bashir:"I'm going to a medical conference, not on vacation." ()
;Crewman : "I'm sorry, Captain, but I'm an engineer, not a magician." ()
;Gilora Rejal: "We're scientists, not diplomats." ()
;Martok:"Why? You're a bartender, not a warrior." (, to Quark)
;Miles O'Brien:(Garak:) "Maybe you're not a soldier anymore." (O'Brien:) "You're right. I'm an engineer." (his jury-rigged explosive detonates) ()"Are you sure you're a captain, not a counselor?" (, to Lisa Cusak)"I'm an engineer, not a philosopher." ()
; Odo:"I'm a security chief, not a combat pilot." ()"This is work, not recreation." ()"I'm a changeling, not a solid." ()"I'm not a God, I'm a security officer." ()
;Benjamin Sisko:"This is not a request, it's an order." ()"He's not a detective, he's an engineer." (, about Miles O'Brien)
;Douglas Pabst:"I'm a magazine editor, not a crusader." ()
;Julius Eaton:"Calm down, dear boy. We're writers, not Vikings." ()
;Worf: "I am a warrior, not a murderer." ()
;Quark:"You're asking me? You're the terrorist, I'm just a bartender." (, to Major Kira)
=====Voyager===== 
;The Doctor:"This is a sickbay, not a conference room." ()
:"They're Klingons, not kittens." ()
:"This is sickbay, not an arsenal." ()
:"This isn't a research station. It's a three... ring... circus." ()
:"She's a counselor, Lieutenant, not an engineer." referring to Deanna Troi ()
:"This is a sickbay, not a dormitory." ()
:"But this isn't just sickbay, it's my residence." ()
:"This is a Federation starship, not the Barge of the Dead!" ()
:"It's not justice, it's revenge." ()
;Diagnostic hologram
:"I'm a diagnostic tool, not an engineer." ()
:(said of The Doctor): "It wasn't programmed to be a tenor, it was programmed to be a physician." ()
; Tom Paris:"I'm a pilot, Harry, not a doctor!" ()
;B'Elanna Torres:"I'm an engineer, not a costume designer." ()
;Harry Kim: "They're scientists, not soldiers." ()
;Neelix: (Quoting Captain Janeway, referring to her as "the warden") "This is punishment, not shore leave." ()
;Chellick:"We're healers, not killers." ()
; Kathryn Janeway:"This is a starship, not a nature preserve." ()
;Nechani magistrate:"I'm an official of the government, not a spiritual leader." ()
;Kejal:"I'm not a Cardassian, I'm a hologram." ()
===== Enterprise =====
;Jonathan Archer:"We're visitors, not spies." ()
:"You're a doctor. He's your patient. Find a way to help him." ()
:"This is a starship, not a luxury liner." ()
;T'Pol:"This isn't shore leave, this is a research mission." ()
;Phlox:"I need to think like an engineer, not a physician." ()
;John Frederick Paxton:"I need a scalpel, not a bludgeon." ()
;T'Pau:"He doesn't need a physician, he needs a priest." ()
===== Discovery =====
;Danby Connor:"We're explorers, not soldiers." ()
;Nhan:"You're an engineer, not a surgeon." ()
;Jett Reno:"I'm just a gearhead, not a farmer." ()
:"I'm an engineer, not a poet." ()
;Hugh Culber:"I know I'm a doctor, not a physicist." ()
===== Lower Decks =====
;D'Vana Tendi:"It's a starship, not heaven!" ()
;T'Ana:
* "You want me to see a doctor? I AM the doctor!" ()
* "I'm a doctor, not whatever the #$*% this is!" ()
; Brad Boimler:(impersonating T'Ana) "Holy ! I'm a doctor, not an !" ()
;Elim Garak (alternative version): "I am a surgeon, but not 'just'."()
===== Prodigy =====
;Jankom Pog:"Jankom's not just an engineer. He's a miracle worker." ()
;Dal R'El:"I fly starships, not Nazamon." ()
;The Doctor:"I'm a doctor, not an exorcist." ()
===== Picard =====
; William T. Riker:(said of the ) "...that's not a starship, it's a guillotine." ()
===== Strange New Worlds =====
;Engineer (in Scottish accent):"I'm an engineer, not a miracle worker, Mr. Spock." ()
==== Star Trek:Section 31 ====
; to Quasi: (Regarding Mecha dysmorphia) "It’s not a diagnosis. You’re not a doctor." ()
== Apocrypha ==
;DeForest Kelley: "How should I know? I'm an actor, not a doctor." (used in a 1992 commercial for Trivial Pursuit 10th Anniversary Edition, in which the question is asked, "How many chambers are there in a Human heart?") 
;Quark:"You're a doctor, not a gambler." (The Big Game)
;Kira Nerys:"I thought you were a doctor, not a hacker." (Proud Helios, p. 260)
;Miles O'Brien:"Dr. Bashir, you're a doctor, not a first contact specialist." (, p. 19)
;McCoy:"You're a doctor, not a Horta." (The Return, p. 268) talking to Bashir.
; EMH:"I'm a doctor, not a computer." (Avenger, p. 350)
;EMH as McCoy:"I'm a doctor, not an interior designer." (Avenger, p. 351)
;McCoy:"I'm a doctor, not a target." (Star Trek: Judgment Rites)
; McCoy:"I'm a doctor, not a sideshow." (Avenger, p. 354)
;McCoy: "I'm a doctor, not an engineer!" (Star Trek Online) Series 2 – Episode 4: Everything Old Is New Again
;McCoy:"I'm a doctor, not a magnet!" (Star Trek vs. Transformers, Issue 3, p. 19)
;EMH: "I'm a doctor, not an archaeologist." (War Stories, Book 1, p. 17)
;EMH: "I'm a doctor, not a concierge." (A Time to Sow, p. 135)
;EMH:"I'm a doctor, not a space marine!" (Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force)
;EMH:"I'm a doctor, not a bullseye!" (Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force)
;EMH:"I am an Emergency Medical Hologram, not a miracle worker!" (Star Trek Online) During Khitomer Crisis Mission after character creation
;EMH Mark II:"I'm a doctor, not a quantum mechanic!" (Spectre, p. 212)
;Marcus Refelian: "I'm a command officer, not an engineer." (Star Trek: Away Team)
;Brex:"Damn it, Jim, I'm an engineer, not a conversationalist!" (Star Trek: Bridge Commander)
;Jean-Luc Picard:"I'm an explorer, Donald, not a warrior." (The Buried Age, p. 97)
;Q: "Well, what did you expect? He's a doctor, not a security officer." (Star Trek: Borg) referring to Dr. Thaddeus Quint
;Sarlit Arminta:"We're soldiers, not engineers." (Star Trek: Resurgence)
;Portal 63:"There is so little I can tell you. I'm a portal, not a scientist but I'll certainly do my best." (Star Trek: Resurgence)
== Prior art ==
While the character of Dr. McCoy arguably made the phrase "I'm a doctor …" part of the common lexicon, he was not the first fictional doctor, or even the first character on the big screen, to use the phrase. In the 1933 American film , Dr. Doremus, the coroner at the scene of the titular crime, states "I'm a doctor, not a magician" and "I'm a doctor, not a detective" within five minutes of his first appearance. The latter line was also uttered by Dr. Fortescue, played by , in the 1949 version of . It is unclear whether these particular dialogue artifacts were progenitors of McCoy's famous phrase.
"I'm a [whatever] not a [whatever]" is also a Yiddish idiom, most commonly "I'm a [whatever,] not a rabbi."
==Related topics == 
* 47 references
* Star Trek parodies
* He's dead, Jim
== External links ==
* 
* - TV Tropes page showing the phrase's influence outside Star Trek
cs:Jsem doktor, ne ...
de:Ich bin Arzt…
es:"Soy un doctor, no..."
ja:私は医者だ。～じゃない。
pl:Jestem lekarzem, nie...
it:Sono un dottore, non...
Category:Star Trek and pop culture
 7