The Galaxy Class Medical Deck That Wasn't

For a ship that is supposed to carry a crew of one thousand, the Enterprise-D’s sickbay, with its four biobeds and one surgical theater, could hardly be the only medical facility on board.

Indeed, “Tapestry” reveals there are three sickbay wards. “Ethics” makes reference to private recovery rooms. Other episodes mention a diagnostics center, medical labs, a morgue and a nursery.

Some of these spaces were shown on screen. “Transfigurations” notably featured a separate biosupport unit and a physical rehabilitation bay. But — for budget reasons — no larger medical set was built.

“Remember Me” places sickbay on Deck 12. So does Rick Sternbach in the Star Trek: The Next Generation USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D Blueprints. His floor plan has two identical sickbays, called intensive care units, surrounded by larger recovery bays, isolation wards and dedicated treatment facilities.

What could have been

In 2005, we got a glimpse of what could have been when Andrew Probert, Sternbach’s predecessor on The Next Generation, designed a Galaxy-class medical deck for Perpetual Entertainment’s Star Trek Online.

Galaxy-class medical deck concept art — Medical deck lobby

Galaxy-class isolation ward corridor concept art — Isolation ward corridor

Galaxy-class isolation ward concept art — Isolation ward corridor

Probert sketched out an entire “Medical and Sciences Deck” with laboratories, offices and a mortuary.

Some of Probert’s designs were brought to live by Gareth John Williams. Two of his artworks are reproduced here.

5 comments

I believe the sickbay complex on the Enterprise-D was located on Deck 12. This is always shown on the door signage for the show and all of the blueprints I’ve ever looked at.

Justin Laffoon (Feb 6, 2017)

I agree with deck 12. I am watching the episode “Starship Mine” and Beverly comes out of sickbay to talk with Picard and the transporter lift Picard enters after their brief chat is on Deck 12. Maybe there were other medical facilities on multiple levels of the ship. That could make since for different situations that may arise.

Anna Sloan (Mar 21, 2017)

It’s on Deck 12.

Daryl Brown (Jul 8, 2017)

You’re all correct, apologies for the typo!

Nick Ottens (Dec 8, 2018)

Seeing this now… I’m surprised they never just went with a “hospital deck”.

Dean L Norton (Jul 28, 2019)

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