Jon T. Parish

Rank : Lieutenant Commander
Position : Chief Medical Officer  
Race: Unknown                                                    Complexion : White
Age : 30
Height : 5'11"
Weight : 175 lbs
Hair length : Short
Hair-color : Light Blonde
Eye color : Green

Medical Specialty:  Field Surgeon specializing in Emergency Medicine.  Has worked in war zones, performed surgery under live fire, and participated in numerous away missions.

Other Training:  3rd Level Dan (commonly referred to as Black Belt) in Shotokan Karate, Certified Tracker for Search and Rescue Operations

Hobbies:  Breeding and Racing Egyptian Arabians, Teaching Karate, Chess

Family: Adopted by Jeddidah and Claire Parish, of White Oaks Plantation in Chapel Hill, Georgia, Jon-T, as his friends know him, was literally found on the banks of the river that runs through the southern end of the family property.  That he is not human has been established to a medical certainty although planet/species to which Jon-T belongs is currently unknown to both civilian and Starfleet authorities. Jon-T grew up on White Oaks, along with four brothers (Jackson, Hudson, Tyler and Benny Ray) and three sisters (Reagan, Melanie and Lilly).  White Oaks is a working plantation that has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1763.  The Parish family runs a lucrative business breeding and selling Egyptian Arabians.  All eight of the children are accomplished riders who have competed as a means of showcasing the quality of their horses. The Parish family, which originally immigrated to Georgia from Ireland, maintains a tradition of military service.  Jackson and Hudson served in Starfleet and then returned home to take over the plantation when their father reached (and passed) retirement age.  Tyler, Benny Ray and Jon-T remain in Starfleet.  Reagan and Melanie went into research.  Reagan is a botanist and Melanie specializes in archeology.  Both sisters work for Starfleet in a civilian capacity.  The youngest daughter, Lily, has yet to decide the course her life will take. 

Personal History: As a child, Jon-T's life was fairly straightforward.  There was school extending as far as his mind could comprehend because his father had insisted that school meant college as well (Jon-T had asked why once.  "Because," his father said, "we are Parishes!  And Parishes go to college.  I can guarantee that you aren't going to be the first not to follow the tradition, son.)  So there was school.  Then too, because Jeddidiah Parish insisted that all of his children learn how to take care of themselves, all of the children, from the age of 6, were enrolled in Karate classes twice a week.  When they weren't in school or at the Dojo, the Parish children worked on the plantation doing any number of different chores.  For Jon-T, that meant mucking out the stables, grooming and exercising the horses, and competing in horse shows where he had the chance to ride the best bloodlines on the estate.  What little free time he had was spent running wild on the estate with Benny Ray, his older brother (by eight months) and best friend. Toward the end of high school, Jon-T and Benny Ray became interested in search and rescue work.  The boys signed up for classes and after several years became certified as trackers.  It was during one such search, when a four year old girl wandered out of her family's campsite, that life changed for Jon-T.  After three long days walking a search pattern, the boys found the little girl, who had gone to ground in a cave and was too weak to even call out.  The look on the faces of the girl's parents left an impression on the teenager; to this day, he still corresponds with the family.  Fairly quickly, Jon-T’s interest in rescue work led to an interest in medicine.  When he told his mother that he was thinking about becoming a paramedic, she smiled at him and asked only – “Why stop there?”  Good question.  So, Jon-T didn’t stop.  He worked his way through the obligatory college (pre-med) as a bouncer at his distant cousin's roadhouse.  He graduated with honors and came to the realization around dawn at the end of a three-day graduation celebration that he wanted to be a doctor.  To augment what the family provided, Jon-T earned money teaching Karate at a local Dojo.  He did his internship in Emergency Medicine and his residency in Surgery.  Upon completion of his residency, he applied and was accepted to Starfleet Academy.  Since joining Starfleet, Dr. Parish has specialized in Emergency Medicine.  He has performed numerous medical procedures under live fire, has performed surgery in battle situations, and has participated on countless Away Team Missions.   

Other Stuff: At first glance, you might think that Jon-T is better suited to Security than Medicine.  He moves with the grace and confidence of someone who knows how to handle himself in difficult situations.  Closer examination would reveal a lively intelligence behind his green eyes and a sharp mind that is not easily fooled.  He has a fully integrated photographic memory -- once it is learned, it can't be unlearned.  He is unusual in that he can access the information he remembers without requiring external triggers.  He sleeps on the average about three hours a night.