An esteemed member of the Medical Profession, Psychologists work out of their offices in medical complexes in urban areas or, in sparsely-populated areas, travel from place to place as needed. Psychologists can be found wherever poor mental health or stress is; from the Government & Military, to private practice, research institutions, exploratory missions, etc.
Initial Training: Psychology 5, Interviewing 2, Medicine 1, Chemistry 1, Biology 1, Bureaucracy 1, Computer 1, Interviewing 1, Physics 1, Sensors 1, Writing 1.
Primary Skills: Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics, Psychology, Interviewing, Writing, All Intellectual Skills, Ground/Hover/Sea Vehicles.
Related Skills: All Other Academic Skills, All Other Vehicle Skills, Imaging, Sensors, Electronics, Mechanics, All Mercantile Skills.
Notes: Psychologists will have a Skill Level of Psychology 3, as well as Biology 0, Chemistry 0 and Medicine 0 upon leaving Medical School, whereupon they will conduct an Internship. It is not unusual to encounter Psychologists with higher levels of skill, especially if they have been in practice for some time. Doctors from the Core will often have been trained in Cortescan Operation (if sensitive), while Frontier Doctors will be more likely to have acquired Electronics and Mechanics (in order to keep any high-tech diagnostic equipment running) and some Vehicle Skill (although they are less likely to be needed as urgently as MDs). Psychologists specializing in the treatment of Alien Sophonts will have an Anthropology Skill Level equal to their Psychology Skill Level.
Anthropology skill may be useful to Doctors in dealing with cultures other than their own (such as knowing that Moslems are scandalized by standard nursing uniforms, with their bare arms, short skirts, and lack of facial veils for unmarried women). Physics is useful for X-ray and Psycho-Neural Diagnostics work, and both Imaging & Sensors may apply to MRIs or other scanning techniques. Mercantile Skills represent general Business knowledge such as getting drugs and medical supplies on the best terms.
Benefits: As an Academic Career, Psychologists get one language for free, and this will be Latin. Also, as members of Government/Civilian Careers, they will receive French. Other languages required for their practices may be learned via the Academic Linguistics skill, as usual. As with MDs, Psychologists working for the Military use their service's Benefits Table instead of the Psychologists, but lose any weapons/armor rolled. See Benefits Table.
Also, since Medical school will take a minimum of four years to complete, Doctors rolling less than that for their first term should roll to pass the next turning point. If unsuccesful, they will have to subtract the difference from some skill(s). Otherwise, four points should be subtracted from their first term, as they receive 16 Initial Training points.