A lot has happened in the field of medicine, since the first human cut his leg and wrapped some leaves around it to stop the bleeding or since the first shaman mixed a potion that restored his men's vigor. Biotechnology is the momentary climax in this field. It combines the use of virology, genetics, chemistry, medicine and luck to evolve the human body far beyond its inherent powers. Biotech lets you run farther, heal faster, and even do astonishing things like absorbing cyber implants into your body.

Although the normal grunt has a  pack of painkillers and hypo sprays for treating  wounds, a fully trained medic has a vast array of serums, gadgets, and cures at hand. A medic is also endowed with the knowledge of preventative medicine; so that even before moving to the battlefield he can prepare himself by mixing viruses, antidotes and drugs.   

A medic is handy for curing injuries inflicted on others during combat. There is nothing comparable to having  a good combat medic around to mend broken bones after a major battle in the Valley of the Urks. Medics can field all types of useful gadgets, ranging from  laser scalpels to skin regenerators, which all help to rebuild lost strength and add vigor to the medics themselves and their companions. The luck of finding new cyberware in an alien laboratory is more than double when you have a medic at hand to recalibrate and install it on the spot; rather then waiting to get some expensive surgery done by the autodoc back in the colony.   

The only thing better then a medic bandaging your wounds is a medic bringing you back from the dead. That doesn't only save you the journey back to your corpse, it also keeps you on the go and lets you acquire the experience that otherwise would also have been lost to you.. As in all things, this process has its downside, too. If it should happen to fail you will even be worse off than before. So be cautious and never trust a medic using a crude defibrillator or a second hand syringe filled with cheap synthetic adrenaline. 

Medics also have outstanding knowledge in the field of drugs, but here too it is wise to be aware of its ups and downs and the inherent danger its use might propose. Combat drugs definitely lend the missing edge to anyone who dares to use them, but after the rush comes the drain, which is at least as hard as the positive effects were powerful. Continuous use of drugs can even lead to addictions that are accompanied by  never ending withdrawal symptoms that can only be momentarily cured by injecting another dose or getting real treatment.

But a medic is not only intended to help others he can also inflict severe harm. Viruses can’t only be cured but can also be used to infect aliens and humans alike. The effects vary from life draining to slowness or even greater vulnerability to weapons.