Doctor Karen Nico Patterson, a red-haired female human, was a medical doctor and scientific researcher in the 23rd century. In medical school, Patterson shared three or four classes with Leonard McCoy (whom she called "Lenny"). She was brilliant and always correct about diagnosis, but her bedside manner was bad enough that McCoy recommended that she go into surgery where her people skills would be less important. A few years later Patterson wrote to McCoy saying that she had moved into private research and was much happier for it.