Polite Dissent

Strange
J. Michael Straczynski& Sara Barnes, writers
Brandon Peterson, penciler

I’m confused. I simply do not understand the underlying timeline in the Strange book. In the best case scenario, Dr. Stephen Strange never finished his residency; in the worst case scenario, he never any started it and should not be holding a medical license.

After earning their medical degree, doctors attend a residency program in a specific medical field. Residency lasts from three years (for primary care — such as pediatrics, internal medicine, or family practice) to five or more years (surgery). The more specialized the care, the longer the residency. At the very least, a doctor must complete the first year of residency (the internship) to earn a full medical license.

When we first meet Stephen Strange, his pal Devon refers to himself and Stephen as medical students. Later, Stephen tells Dr. Milius that he would like to return to Tibet after his internship. Since internship is the first year of residency, this also implies that Strange is still a medical student at this point. (Strange does tell the old man that he’s a doctor, so he’s either lying or speaking in a very broad sense).

Next time we meet Stephen Strange, it is three years later and he and Devon are hanging out in a fraternity house hitting on the women on campus. Devon refers to the fact that he is graduating second in their class behind Stephen. Dr. Milius shows up and tells Stephen that he is disappointed that Stephen was taking a high-paying fluff job instead of returning to Tibet.

If Stephen is hanging out in a fraternity house on campus, it’s implying that he’s just finishing medical school now. If that’s the case, then how is he getting this high paid plastic surgery job without the benefit of a Plastic Surgery residency (or a full medical license)?

On the other hand, Strange could be entering the work-force after three years of residency and is just hanging out on campus for old-times sake. (If that’s the case, then why is Devon whining about his grade point averages?) If this is indeed the situation, then Strange is leaving his Plastic Surgery residency before he should and will never be “board eligible” or “board certified” – and no big name clinic would hire him.

Generally, physicians attend a four year medical school after finishing four years of college. There are a few combined programs in the U.S. where a student can graduate with an undergraduate degree (in “general science”) and a medical degree in six years. It appears that it is this type of school that Stephen and Devon attended since twice refer to listening to Milius lecture for “six years”. Again, this leads to the question of how Strange is getting a high-paying plastic surgery job without completing (or apparently even starting) a residency.

It’s also interesting to note that Stephen’s pal Devon, who had the identical medical training as Strange, seems to be a primary care physician at a clinic for the homeless. Apparently to Straczynski and Barnes, primary care medicine and plastic surgery training are interchangeable. This is yet another situation when writers incorrectly believe that all advanced medical training is equivalent. (I just may have vented about this topic before.)

Finally, let me point out that Strange did a very bad job placing the cast on Wong’s right arm. In short arm casts, the wrist needs to be immobilized.