Back-Alley Doctor: Difference between revisions

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He's often the only medical recourse available to criminals, who may make up his entire clientele, due to legitimate doctors having to report gunshot wounds and other wounds inflicted by violence to the police. A [[Back Alley Doctor]] funded by organized crime might have as good or better equipment and practices than a legit doctor.

On the other hand, he may feature in [[Dystopia]] where he fell afoul of the [[Obstructive Bureaucrat]] at best. His poverty may be the only problem in getting the best in medical treatment -- well, that and the danger of getting busted. Where abortion is illegal, women may turn to this doctor unless they are [[Screw the Rules I Have Money|incredibly wealthy]], though [[Rule of Cautious Editing Judgement|statistics show this was not the norm]].

On the other hand, he may feature in [[Dystopia]] where he fell afoul of the [[Obstructive Bureaucrat]] at best. His poverty may be the only problem in getting the best in medical treatment -- well, that and the danger of getting busted. Where abortion is illegal, women may turn to this doctor unless they are [[Screw the Rules, I Have Money|incredibly wealthy]], though [[Rule of Cautious Editing Judgement|statistics show this was not the norm]].

If more skilled, the [[Back Alley Doctor]] may provide plastic surgery as a means to hide the character's identity.

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Undoubtedly [[Truth in Television]].

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

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* Dr. Tenma of ''[[Monster (Anime)|Monster]]'' comes across a teenage girl serving as one of these for a poor community of Asian immigrants who would otherwise be unable to afford medical care.

** Otto Heckle also had plans to manage Dr. Tenma as a back alley doctor (albeit more competent than others listed here). Seeing as the aforementioned neurosurgeon is an idealistic [[The Messiah|messiah-type]], that idea didn't work out too well (Back-alley doctors, after all, aren't supposed to refuse the money or convince their patients to turn themselves in).

* ''Ray'': The title character herself is one of these, made easier by her X-ray vision. Ironically, she was raised in an organ farm. Her childhood mentor was Black Jack, who made a [[Lawyer Friendly Cameo]] in the manga and appeared outright in the anime (since the animation studio owned the rights).

* ''Ray'': The title character herself is one of these, made easier by her X-ray vision. Ironically, she was raised in an organ farm. Her childhood mentor was Black Jack, who made a [[Lawyer-Friendly Cameo]] in the manga and appeared outright in the anime (since the animation studio owned the rights).

* In one manga which involved a [[McNinja|wandering freelance doctor]] a la ''[[Black Jack (Manga)|Black Jack]]'', an [[A Cup Angst|insecure teen girl]] goes to a back alley surgeon for breast augmentation. He actually does it competently, but the implants are so cheap and faulty they start leaking, making her sick. In the end, her insecurities and desperation to look "big" lead her to keep the implants anyway, despite the [[Crazy Awesome|mercenary surgeon]] pointing out she'll probably die from complications soon.

* ''Injection Girl'': A preteen girl this time, who wants to become an idol singer, gets black market breast augmentation procedure from a back alley surgeon. As with the above, the ''operation'' goes fine, but the ''results'' were undesirable... not because they leak, but because they started [[Breast Expansion|swelling out of control]] a few weeks later and he ends up turning her into his S&M slave at the end.

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** ''The Abortion'' was written pre Roe v. Wade, so this might be something of an aversion.

* In ''[[The Dresden Files]]'', coroner Waldo Butters plays this role for Harry, especially when the hospital isn't a safe option.

* Brawne Lamia and Johnny {{spoiler|actually the cybrid of [[John Keats]]}} in ''[[Hyperion]]'' (section "The Detective's Tale") visit one in one of the more [[Wretched Hive|Wreched Hives]] on Lamia's native [[Heavyworlder|Lusus]], as part of their adventures in trying to [[Who Dunnit to Me|figure out who killed Johnny]].

* Brawne Lamia and Johnny {{spoiler|actually the cybrid of [[John Keats]]}} in ''[[Hyperion]]'' (section "The Detective's Tale") visit one in one of the more [[Wretched Hive|Wreched Hives]] on Lamia's native [[Heavyworlder|Lusus]], as part of their adventures in trying to [[Who Dunnit to Me?|figure out who killed Johnny]].

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* ''[[Star Trek Deep Space Nine (TV)|Star Trek Deep Space Nine]]'' reveals that back alley doctors still exist in [[Star Trek (Franchise)|Star Trek]] society. At least some of them are engaged in [[Bio Augmentation]] (which is banned in Federation), often with [[Gone Horribly Wrong|very bad]] results.

* In one episode of ''[[NYPD Blue]]'', the murder victim was a [[Back Alley Doctor]]. He was killed by a disgruntled patient over a [[Shout Out|badly botched]] [[Hedwig and The Angry Inch|sexual reassignment surgery.]]

* ''[[~~Thirty~~ Rock (TV)|Thirty Rock]]'': "Dr." Spaceman is a bad enough doctor that he is legally required to put quotation marks around his "doctor" title.

* ''[[30 Rock (TV)|Thirty Rock]]'': "Dr." Spaceman is a bad enough doctor that he is legally required to put quotation marks around his "doctor" title.

* ''[[Babylon 5 (TV)|Babylon 5]]'' features a couple operating in [[The City Narrows|Downbelow]] from time to time. Even Dr. Franklin, the station's chief medical officer, runs a small clinic down there.

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[[Category:Doctor Index]]

[[Category:Back Alley Doctor]]

[[Category:Trope]]

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