Medical Division

CMOs aboard a starship or starbase were directly in charge of the sickbay or infirmary, commanding medical department personnel and activities. The CMOs' primary duties were the oversight and maintenance of the overall health and physical fitness of crew and passengers. Furthermore as standard medical procedure, the CMO had full medical authority over any patient officially admitted into their care in their facility, including superior officers, until they were formally released from care. Officers likely to be assigned as the CMO over long-duration missions of exploration had scientific training in disciplines outside of medicine, allowing them to take on major, extended research projects, or to better participate in a wider variety of encounters. (TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome"; TNG: "Clues", "Suspicions") Medical authorityEditIn addition to the normal duties of an officer, the CMO also had the power to relieve an officer or crewman, including a superior one, of their duties if in the CMO's professional judgment, the officer in question was medically unfit. Typically, the CMO was expected to have the support of a senior command officer or detailed medical documentation to justify this course of action.