SCALPEL received his medical degree from a very prestigious university, but his practical experience came from working in a clinic that treated the poor and disenfranchised. He joined Cobra not for the money, but also for the chance to help on a broader scale. His patients have a very high survival rate, and all of them appreciate SCALPEL's kind bedside manner. There have been several comments about "that warm smile he has when he's working." Unlike some doctors, SCALPEL is willing to pick up a weapon and join the fight if innocent lives are on the line. As far as he is concerned, it means fewer patients for him if he saves people from injury, even if he is above all else a man abhors violence and lives only to heal.