The MD-series medical specialist droid was a line of medical droids manufactured by Industrial Automaton as a counterpart to the 2-1B surgical droid, to which they bore a strong cosmetic resemblance. The MD medical specialists were a common sight throughout the galaxy, and while not as advanced as the 2-1B, the MDs were highly respected on medical centers of less-civilized planets, where their low cost and high levels of specialization on specific medical fields were a big help for local physicians. They were also liked for their lower prices, as a standard unit would normally cost around 2,000 credits.
The fact that most MD units were kept in clean medical bays meant that the droids did not need a lot of maintenance, and if proper care was provided they could last for centuries.
The series had different models that were identified with numbers ranging from the MD-0 up to the MD-10. The differences between these models were their special skill subroutines and specialty tool mounts; these two things made each model a specialized medical assistant for a specific field while keeping their external looks largely the same.
The most common models were the MD-0: Diagnostic, the MD-2: Anesthesiologist, and the MD-4: Microsurgery. The MD-5 was a generic multipurpose medical droid.
Other popular models were the MD-1: Lab technician, and the MD-3: Pharmacist
MD units served aboard the Death Star I.
An MD-5 medical droid was used by the High Lord of House Calipsa, Weston Warsheld of the Tapani sector. Another MD-5 unit by the name of Emdee served ersatz Emperor Trioculus during the period where he was used as a figurehead of the Grand Moff coup attempt.