History Main / MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate

** It is pointed out that the Guild of Assassins is not ''just'' an educational institution offering the usual school-level stuff to pupils aged eleven-to-eighteen. It also trains for, and confers, advanced degrees including a PhD, the Doctor of Assassination title. What a degree in Assassination entails, let alone the postgraduate track, is left undescribed. Assassins who can legitimately call themselves "Doctor" are therefore to be more than usually feared.

* The facility in which the entire story of ''Roleplay/RubyQuest'' takes place in, known as The Metal Glen, was--in a nutshell--built out of an odd, isolated, geological-formation from out in the middle of a secluded loch [[spoiler:for the specific purpose of doctors and medical researchers practicing/ testing treatments[[note]](treatments that would likely be deemed as "unconventional" by most)[[/note]] without the need of the proper permits, license, or the possibility of criminal prosecution.]]

* Given ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'''s setting there are many scientists who act... questionably, the Nazis in particular.
* Doctor Mordenheim of Lamordia in the ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' campaign, an {{Expy}} of [[Literature/{{Frankenstein}} Victor Frankenstein]]; a FlatEarthAtheist whose experiments in the creation of life were perceived by the gods as blasphemies, and was cursed by them. He's not the Darklord of Lamordia (his monster, Adam, is the Lord) but he shares the same IronicHell.
* The ''TabletopGame/SavageWorlds'' plot point campaign TabletopGame/NecessaryEvil features Dr. Destruction as the leader of Omega and includes lesser villains like Dr. Devolution. The entry for the last one lampshades the fact that so many supervillains had doctorates.

* From ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} Fantasy'' the Skaven scientists mostly make hideous mutants and terrifying war machines.
** Often at the same time.

* Sugita Genpaku from ''VideoGame/{{AkaSeka}}'' may genuinely care for the well-being of his patients, but he is also a MadDoctor who will try to operate on anyone he could find, even if their condition isn't that serious.

* From ''VideoGame/{{Battleborn}}'':

* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'': Dr. Mercer, Challus: {{Evil|utionaryBiologist}}, [[MoralEventHorizon evil]], ''[[KnightTemplar evil]]'' bastard. [[MadDoctor Who passed this guy in medical school?]]

* In ''Literature/HomeIsTheHangman'', Dr. Leila isn't evil, per se, but [[spoiler:she uses her patients for her own ends to run an extra-legal errand, resulting in her death]].

* Dr. Balfour and Dr. Neis from ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', who between them created [[CloningBlues fomicry]] in the form we currently know it. They split sides into good and evil when Balfour [[spoiler:who had since been adopted by the Curtiss military family and taken their surname]] gave up his research and declared a ban on fomicry, but Neis refused to do the same [[spoiler:and joined the God-Generals so that he'd have the resources to continue]].

[[caption-width-right:299:His Doctorate is in EVIL.]]

* Dr. Johannsen (from the video game ''VideoGame/{{XIII}}''). Evil member of the XX conspiracy. Incidentally, arguably a harder boss than the next six bosses or so -- apparently doctors can be total killing machines.

*** Dr. Steinman: Lethally experimenting on people in order to satisfy his twisted perception of beauty. Evil and [[AxCrazy completely out of his mind]].

** From the SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''; Dr. Litchi Faye-Ling: Good, compassionate, medical doctor, but corrupted with the Boundary, [[spoiler:and currently amongst the antagonistic NOL, with Hazama around and her morality is in danger whether it will plummet hard to complete evil thanks to Hazama's influence, or she will retain it and consider it a DirtyBusiness to save the one she loved and herself.]]
** Also from ''Blazblue'', Relius Clover. [[ForScience Relius.]] [[EvilGenius Freaking.]] '''[[AbusiveParents Clover.]]''' While never explicitly stated to have a doctorate he is a master of science and alchemy, creating clones and {{Magitek}} weaponry. He's also a complete sociopath willing to [[ColdBloodedTorture torture]] [[MindRape people]], kill his own wife and daughter and turn their corpses into living weapons, and kill God just to see what happens. He has no 'Doctor' title, but he does have [[ColonelBadass another]].

'''Sheldon:''' Yes, the [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]] to my [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Mr. Fantastic]]. The [[Characters/MarvelComicsOttoOctavius Doctor Octopus]] to my ComicBook/SpiderMan. The Dr. Sivana to my [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]... You know, it's amazing how many supervillains have advanced degrees. Graduate schools should do a better job of screening those people out.

* In a subversion, MadScientist and BigBad Caulder/Stolos from ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars: Days Of Ruin'' was revealed to have been a doctor, but he doesn't use the prefix -- he was kicked out of the medical academy for ethical violations. He's just THAT evil.

** And he is also revealed to be one of the leading scientists who [[spoiler:spent some time re-engineering the genophage, an incurable genetic disease that causes massive rates of miscarriages in pregnant krogan to keep the numbers of the species low. He's aware that the bioweapon was ethically reprehensible, but does not regret his actions.]] He mentions that he started the clinic in Omega specifically so that he could do something less morally ambiguous in his twilight years.
** He then completely redeems himself in ''Mass Effect 3'' by [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice taking the elevator to the top of an exploding weather control tower]] to release the genophage cure over Tuchanka, humming his song from the previous game ''"[[MajorGeneralSong I am the]] [[ScienceHero very model of a scientist Salarian]]..."'']]
** Also, Dr. Saleon. Need spare organs? Grow them in the natural environment of a subject's body!

* In addition to being a hilariously over-the-top SpyFiction game, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' deals a lot with questions of ethics in extreme situations. As a result, the series has lots of scientists with highly morally ambiguous pasts and presents.

* Another Mercer for the list: Dr. Alex Mercer of ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'', [[spoiler:The real one]]. Equally evil as Challus.

* Dr. Zomboss, from ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies''. He has a doctorate in Thanotonology.
* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'': Dr. Loboto, who harvests the brains of young psychic children and [[spoiler: attempts to put them in psychic-powered tanks.]] His [=PhD=] is in dentistry, however, which makes one wonder why [[spoiler: Coach Oleander]] has him working with brains.

* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri'': Dr. Prokhor Zakharov: Not evil, but [[TrueNeutral completely, utterly amoral]].
** Dr. Shen-Ji Yang: LawfulEvil

* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'':

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': The villain Doctor Ruthless. She doesn't go for the medical doctor slant as she is covered in armor, but no attempt is made to address whether she actually has a doctorate.

** Doctor Byron Orpheus: Good, but obnoxious and [[LargeHam overbearing]], and not above mind-wiping his own daughter repeatedly so she'll forget that her closet is the doorway to the underworld. He has a degree in Women's Studies but accredits his doctor title to a higher power.

** ''Film/{{Shivers}}'': Dr. Emil Hobbes is crazy. Dr. Roger St. Luc is okay until he turns into a rape zombie. Yes, you read that right. ''Shivers'' is a screwed-up movie.

* ''WebVideo/DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog'': Dr. Horrible repeatedly informs us he has [[CatchPhrase "a Ph.D. in Horribleness"]], even though he is a TechnicalPacifist who pretty steadfastly refuses to endanger children and balks at killing.

* The Literature/{{Discworld}}-set fics of Creator/AAPessimal expand on the canonical concept that the Guild of Assassins also trains for, and confers, advanced degrees including a [=PhD=], the Doctor of Assassination title. Education for Assassin schoolpupils does not end at the age of eighteen. Optionally, or by invitation, an exceptionally talented pupil may return to follow a University level track, studying for undergraduate degrees (B.Ass), the Masters degree (M.Ass) or even for a fully-fledged [=PhD=]. It therefore follows on that there are a lot of Doctors on the teaching staff, something bright pupils are wary of. Even if the doctorates were conferred by other institutions for other reasons, such as Doctor Smith-Rhodes having her PhD in Zoology, or - after much trying over two decades - Doctor Alice Band getting hers for Archaeology and History.

* The Literature/{{Discworld}}-set fics of Creator/AAPessimal expand on the canonical concept that the Guild of Assassins also trains for, and confers, advanced degrees including a PhD, the Doctor of Assassination title. Education for Assassin schoolpupils does not end at the age of eighteen. Optionally, or by invitation, an exceptionally talented pupil may return to follow a University level track, studdying for undergraduate degrees *B.Ass), the Masters degree (M.Ass) or even for a fully-fledged PhD. It therefore follows on that there are a lot of Doctors on the teaching staff, something bright pupils are wary of. Even if the doctorates were conferred by other institutions for other reasons, such as Doctor Smith-Rhodes having her PhD in Zoology, or - after much trying over two decades - Doctor Alice Band getting hers for Archaeology and History.

** In the sequels by Creator/DeanKoontz, Victor is indeed a doctor. Also, evil. Also, insane.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' has Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik: Evil. Nobody has any idea what Ivo's doctorate is in. Probably engineering, if the robots he designs are any indication.

%%* Creator/VincentPrice's character in ''Film/DrGoldfootAndTheBikiniMachine'': fairly evil.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO0kRE5OTZI Dr. Tran.]] Not only is he a REAL DOCTOR (from AMERICA), he's a dashing secret agent with a [=PhD=] in '''KICKING YOUR ASS!'''

%%* ''WebAnimation/YouTubePoop'': Doctor Rabbit: Evil as sin. Also, he is an actual doctor. Well, a dentist, but still...

* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'': Valentine combines this with BattleaxeNurse. She is frequently seen wanting to experiment on some of the cast's most unusual characters and her fighting style involves a liberal use of medical equipment. She's also one of the most unambiguously evil characters in the game.

* ''VideoGame/{{Skullgirls}}'': Valentine combines this with BattleNurse. She is frequently seen wanting to experiment on some of the cast's most unusual characters and her fighting style involves a liberal use of medical equipment. She's also one of the most unambiguously evil characters in the game.

* Dr. Shuu Iwamine from ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'' is often described as creepy by other characters, and with good reason. It turns out that his crimes vary from [[spoiler:murdering various students, to forcing Nageki to murder innocent humans against his will, to ''[[KillAllHumans plotting the extinction of the human race]]''.]] He very nearly succeeds at that last one, too...

Compare MadScientist, which is often synonymous with this, as is EvilGenius. When they're NotThatKindOfDoctor, there's overlap with AristocratsAreEvil, in that the ''title'' is an indicator.[[note]]Given that UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates eschewed the title system, this may well ''be'' their replacement trope.[[/note]] The DrJerk may or may not be this, but is almost always a medical doctor who is a {{Jerkass}}. If they had a medical license but lost it due to ethics violations, they had a DoctorsDisgracefulDemotion.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': Doctor Yatsubiyashi is introduced at a medical clinic treating Akira's injuries while trying to sell him medicine with a SicklyGreenGlow. He later sets up a MadScientistLaboratory looking clinic [[WrongSideOfTheTracks in the slums of Kugamayama]], where he offers the poor residents two choices: pay, or be subject to PlayingWithSyringes in exchange, in order to circumvent having to go through official trials. Even later, Yatsubiyashi sets up a field clinic in a warzone where he gives seriously injured hunters three options: Pay way more than what the treatment should cost, do favors for him, or hobble through the war-zone to the nearest base. And then there's [[spoiler:striking a DealWithTheDevil to make and plant EvilKnockoff hunters to act as AgentProvocateur during the assault on Tsubaki's sanctum, in exchange for data on LostTechnology.]]