The Butcher's Bill: A Defense of Medical Work in the World of Warcraft

[rentreality]

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

Allow me to re-introduce myself, as I have been away for some time now: I'm rentreality, best known for playing Doctor Elliott Mansfield, and, more recently, the Dwarven explorer Cadmael Cairnsmith. While I have no medical training in real life, I am a passionate student of the history of medicine, and the role it has played in the advances of human culture and civilization.

I thought I would introduce a discussion today here on the forums after overhearing an interesting conversation in GMI. The position I heard, to boil it down, was that there was little to no reason for the classic elements of the medical profession (doctors, surgeons, etc) to exist in a world with magical healing. I'd like to politely, but firmly, disagree -- and it is my intention in this post to point out why. I apologize in advance for the length of this document.

Allow me to note that, while I won't be touching at any great depth on "game mechanic" reasons for the existence of doctors, et al, in this post, I would like to point out that there are a few examples that suggest that more traditional methods of healing do exist in-game, i.e. First Aid, the Alliance Trauma Certification and its Horde counterpart, and a number of NPCs with some variation of Doctor in their name or title, aside from the Troll witch-doctors. No, the majority of my points in this will be based on the niche role that traditional medicine can play in a magical world.

To begin on a somewhat blunt note, the magical healing we see from the classes in WoW -- Paladin, Priest, Druid, etc, etc -- is essentially a very crisis-oriented form of medical treatment. It is very much like a game of whack-a-mole: as a problems appear, you bludgeon them until they go away. While blatantly effective at treating trauma, it lacks the depth and power of traditional medicine in one serious way, summarized in the well-known maxim, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Magical healing cures the symptoms of the disease, but may not truly cure the root issue.

Allow me to explain myself by relating a bit of medical history: the story of physician John Snow. Dr. Snow was one of the original founders of the theories of Epidemiology, and he got this status through his work combatting cholera. Dr. Snow stopped a deadly epidemic of the disease not by curing each patient individually, but by attacking the root cause of the problem: the pump that linked the citizens of London to the cholera-contaminated water supply.

This is where the role of the physician, rather than the blessed healer, comes to the forefront. There can be no denying that a Paladin will do a cleaner, faster job of closing a wound, or purging the deadly cholera from a patient's body -- but where that Paladin may fail is in the ounce of prevention. Lacking the training of the physician in identifying the source of disease, he may be stuck in an endless game of whack-a-mole, cleansing the lines of patients, while a doctor could end the epidemic in one move. While there is a thrill in the ideas of surgery and treatment, it is in this aspect of play that a player doctor truly has the chance to shine.

I hope that this will help convince you that the position of a doctor in the World of Warcraft is far from an idle or silly proposition. It is an opportunity for your character to explore a depth and wealth of roleplay opportunities that are rarely tapped -- whether as the doctor or the patient.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Also, I can only imagine how deadly it would be to have to magically regrow a fractured bone. Bone shards could still be everywhere, which is why a Surgeon would be needed, to remove those wayward fragments. Regardless, liked.

[rentreality]

Also, I can only imagine how deadly it would be to have to magically regrow a fractured bone. Bone shards could still be everywhere, which is why a Surgeon would be needed, to remove those wayward fragments. Regardless, liked.

Certainly, and there's more along the same lines. Does an arrowhead snapped off in the target get removed by the healing spell, or, more likely, does the healing spell simply close the flesh around it, leaving a prime source for infection, cancer, and other illness stuck deep inside the body? There are hundreds of similar scenarios.

[Wuvvums]

I'd like to see a paladin or priest try to do other things as well, like dentistry, or being a midwife. Those aren't exactly things you can fix by throwing the Light at it.

[Binkleheimer]

But the main disease afflicting those who require the healing of Paladins, Priests, Shamans, etc. is called Stabbedshotburneditis.
It's a common affliction to adventurers.
It's rather hard to treat at the source.

[Hexproof]

I'd like to see a paladin or priest try to do other things as well, like dentistry, or being a midwife. Those aren't exactly things you can fix by throwing the Light at it.

I'd like to see a paladin or priest try to do other things as well, like dentistry, or being a midwife.

like dentistry

"I BLESS YOUR TEETH WITH THE SPARKLE OF NAARU!"

In all seriousness, though, it's a very nice post and I agree with what has been said. Magical healing is, even if you look at mechanics, the sort of thing that seems to exist a lot more for the purpose of "Get him on his feet! We need that guy to stab this Lich!" than for true, long term healing.

[Kaghuros]

Were I a Paladin dentist, I'd cleanse those blasted teeth right out of peoples' mouths.

[Dragonbeard]

I would purge those teeth in the name of Lordaeron!

[kindle135]

There are societies that lack magical healing in Warcraft too, Gnomes and Forsaken, Gnomes could arguably just go to Ironforge and say "loop doop heal me, Boop" then Boop heals them, but I imagine they would have done -some- surgical research out sheer curiosity. The Forsaken don't really need healing, but I would think an extensive anatomical research would come from the Royal Apothecaries, you know, abominations and such.

Also Goblins probably need to know how to pick out shrapnel.

[Grakor456]

Magical healing doesn't remove shrapnel or arrows. Magical healing doesn't work in areas with no magic. Most importantly, though, magic isn't something everyone can use. The number of people in the world of Azeroth that can use *any* form of magic, let alone the types that allow magical healing, is a very small amount compared to the population of the world itself.

Also, mana runs out.

[Beltharean]

Also, mana runs out.

Even though people seem to ignore that, it's very true.

[hiddengecko]

I think Kidnapped illustrated very well the need for actual doctors.
Grakor's character showed it very well indeed.

[Kiffles]

I like this very much, but you already knew that. Actually, I think alchemists could also benefit from some of the same ideas, considering a lot of the potions they make are more derived from natural (or unnatural) ingredients like herbs, roots, flowers, animal parts, etc.

That being said, it's great grounds for evil doctors as well as good ones. You can instill chaos and fear and mass mayhem without having to wave your hands and summon demons. Just poison a town's water supply! :U

[Binkleheimer]

I think Kidnapped illustrated very well the need for actual doctors.
Grakor's character showed it very well indeed.

Bean bag cannonball to the leg, goooooo!
:3

[shotzy]

Actually, I think alchemists could also benefit from some of the same ideas, considering a lot of the potions they make are more derived from natural (or unnatural) ingredients like herbs, roots, flowers, animal parts, etc.

I don't agree. Potions are in the same boat as magical healing, as they quickly heal people.