Star Surgeon

"Star Surgeon" by Alan Edward Nourse is a science fiction story focused on Dal Timgar, a Garvian alien, as he tries to become a doctor in a universe mainly controlled by Earth humans. The story starts with Dal's difficult trip to Hospital Seattle, the most important medical center in space, where he deals with unfair treatment because he is an alien and he deeply desires acknowledgment from other physicians. The beginning shows Dal hurrying to catch a space shuttle to Hospital Seattle. This shows the internal conflict from his feelings of being alone to anxiety over an important interview that will decide if can have a future in medicine. Once he gets to the hospital, he knows his spot there is not secure; his application is under review by a group that may not want him because he is not from Earth. The early parts of the novel show Dal dealing with feeling not good enough due to discrimination, and a longing to be welcomed in an environment where he is treated like an outsider, while also giving clues about political issues in space medicine that suggest the struggles he will encounter.