Talk:I'm a doctor, not a...

A stretch
Some of these seem a little bit of a stretch. Does it really count as a reference every time somebody says "I'm X, not Y"? Worf's line "I am a warrior, not a murderer." certainly doesn't sound like a reference, but a legitimate distinction. Displacing it onto another person like Martok's "Why? You're a bartender, not a warrior." kind of breaks it down too.

I think the list needs a little cleanup. Maybe restrict it to instances where they either use the word doctor, or keep the cadence as close to the original as possible, etc.

Revert March 21
I have removed the following:

Trivia
Doctor Cottle, the physician in the recent remake of Battlestar Galactica'', once said "I'm a doctor, not a Viper pilot!"

Clearly not related to Star Trek. Jaz talk]] 00:16, 22 March 2006 (UTC)


 * If there are more like this, there should be a new section for the article. Something like, "Influences in other media." (Tyger 01:12, 22 March 2006 (UTC))
 * I'm not saying it doesn't belong in MA, just not on this page. Perhaps it can go somewhere in the paradoy/tribute pages. Jaz talk]] 02:59, 22 March 2006 (UTC)
 * oOo...better idea ^^(tyger 19:41, 30 April 2006 (UTC))
 * There do appear to be quite a few references in other media, such as Dr. Hibbert in an episode of The Simpsons saying "I'm a doctor, not a gardener". Marianne 17:10, 21 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Got another one. HK-47 in Knights of the Old Republic:  "Expletive: Damn it, master, I am an assassination droid... not a dictionary!'' StarSword 05:02, September 1, 2011 (UTC)

Book reference
I found this example but am unsure how to add it to the list, bearing in mind that it's non-canon and I can't seem to get the formatting correct. Kira : "I thought you were a doctor, not a hacker." - "Proud Helios"
 * Give the proper citation to the book (page, ed, etc., and character who said it) and list it under Deep Space Nine in italics at the bottom of the section. See "The Doctor" and "Bones" sections for examples. --tyger 15:47, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

formatting series quotations
is it necessary to list VOY, ENT, TNG, TOS, etc. if the quotation is already under the series category? (tyger 19:14, 14 February 2007 (UTC))


 * Technically, no, but we're in the process of converting most episode links into a standard format using a set of episode templates, which have both the series and the episode links. -- Renegade54 19:31, 14 February 2007 (UTC)

dubious references
i have removed the following quotations as they seem fairly dubious as references to "i'm a doctor not a...". objections, please. Deevolution 02:01, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

The Next Generation

 * V'Sal (or possibly Mot) : "I'm just a barber, not a miracle worker."-
 * Berel : "I'm just a physician, I don't know much about affairs of state."-

Deep Space Nine

 * Julius Eaton : "We're writers, not Vikings." -
 * Odo : "I'm not a god, I'm a security officer." -
 * Vic Fontaine : "But I'm a hologram, Nog. I'm not a person." -

Voyager

 * The Doctor :
 * "I may be a walking medical encyclopedia, but even I don't know everything." -
 * "Then I can begin my new career as a tricorder." -


 * Neelix : "I'm not a fighter. I'm just a cook who sometimes imagines himself to be a diplomat." -
 * Kathryn Janeway : "This is a starship, not a nature preserve." -
 * "This is punishment, not shore leave." -

Enterprise

 * Jonathan Archer : "This is a starship, not a luxury liner." -

I think these were intended to be variations of classic theme. Obviously they don't start with "I'm a doctor, not a..." but they do fall under the same concept as the original. I think "This is a starship, not a luxury liner." and "This is a starship, not a nature preserve" still fall under what is still remaining but not directly stated as "doctor, not a." Clearly this wasn't well enough explained. -Alan 02:20, 21 July 2007 (UTC)


 * i disagree, structurally these are similar but archer's is a real stretch when you consider the delivery of the line. "this is a ...not a..." is a fairly common phrase, you can't always attach a hidden meaning to it because it resembles "i'm a doctor, not a...".  Deevolution 06:32, 22 July 2007 (UTC)

Then using that logic, you should simply remove the rest of the non-"I'm a...not a..." references, especially: The latter reference is almost identical the other two I mentioned above that you disagree with. --Alan 07:23, 22 July 2007 (UTC)
 * "It's a sickbay, not a conference room." - (VOY: "Caretaker")
 * "This is sickbay, not an arsenal" - (VOY: "Bliss")
 * "This is a sickbay, not a dormitory" - (VOY: "Demon")
 * "This is a Federation starship, not the Barge of the Dead!" - (VOY: "Repentance")


 * not so. those lines were performed by the doctor who is notorious for using the "i'm a doctor..." bit.  and again, it stands mainly in the performance.  just using it as an examples, archer's line doesn't seem to resemble the rhythm used by the doctor or mccoy. Deevolution 23:17, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Then that, too, needs to be better explained in the article's introduction. Clearly you have your own set of rules for how this should be; there should be something on the page establishing limits so the above don't get readded for not having the same rhythm, soul or blues...--Alan 17:17, 25 July 2007 (UTC)


 * since you clearly disagree, a counter argument would be better than just dismissing it. all i'm saying is you can't take every instance as a reference to this phrase.  it doesn't require a disclaimer, just some common sense in maintaining the page.  i don't have my own set of "rules", i'm just trying to decipher the intent of the writers.  sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.  or whatever.  Deevolution 08:07, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

Removed One
I removed the following: Benjamin Sisko: "This is not a request, it's an order." -

I don't think its a reference because: Taken together, I think this rules it out. – Cleanse 03:15, 5 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Sisko is making a legitimate distinction, necessary in the situation.
 * The tone is different. I recall him giving it somewhat angrily, not flippantly like the "I'm a doctor, not a..." quotes. (Correct me if I'm wrong)
 * It's not distinguishing two professions.

Star Trek 2009 I'm a doctor, not a scientist
I believe McCoy said in star Trek 2009: I'm a doctor, not a scientist. Can someon confirm this? It was not on the list.

--Darth Stefan 23:01, 21 May 2009 (UTC)Darth Stefan

McCoy line removal
An anon added this line from today:
 * "i'm a Doctor, would you like to see how fast I can put you in a hospital?"

The line in the episode is actually more like


 * "Oh no, would you like to see how fast I can put you in a hospital?"

Either way, it doesn't really fix into the context of "I'm a doctor, not a..." stuff. -- sulfur 15:49, September 7, 2009 (UTC)

Friends
Joey Tribbiani says "I'm a doctor, not a mathematician", worth noting since it's probably a reference to Star Trek.
 * That would fit best on the Star Trek parodies article. -- sulfur 01:10, December 3, 2009 (UTC)
 * If there is evidence that it was a reference. I don't think every use of that in television is.--31dot 01:12, December 3, 2009 (UTC)
 * Agreed. The "I'm a something, not a something" has been around a lot longer than star trek. &mdash; Morder (talk) 01:20, December 3, 2009 (UTC)
 * Hazard to disagree. Joey's character, from what little I ever saw, wasn't a doctor, yet he still used "I'm a doctor, not a..." That seems more like an intentional reference. --OuroborosCobra talk 03:04, December 3, 2009 (UTC)
 * He was a doctor on "DOOL" when he was Doctor Drake Remoray! I think that's when he used the line, either "in character" or referring to his acting role. -- sulfur 03:14, December 3, 2009 (UTC)
 * "I'm (A), not (B)" has been around for years, but I think "I'm a doctor, not..." is sufficiently connected to McCoy (even though Bashir and The Doctor used it just as often) that it's pretty safe to assume that that's who they're thinking of.--Ten-pint 19:27, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm not saying it isn't, just that it would be nice to have some evidence of it.--31dot 19:29, December 4, 2009 (UTC)
 * There is also a reference in "TOW The Superbowl Part 1" where he says "I'm a doctor, I'm not god". It doesn't quite follow the pattern but is close enough to prove he uses the saying on more than one occasion. --212.159.91.17 10:10, April 30, 2013 (UTC)