By 2379, there were approximately 575 EMH Mark I's remaining from a total of 700 brought online between 2371 and 2373. Destruction of Sickbays, Sickbay computer systems, or starships/outposts claimed approximately forty of them. The remaining EMH's functioned until their matrices degraded beyond restoration (Drs. Lewis and Mark Zimmerman would say that these unfortunate holograms were worked to death). Only a handful were actually pressed into fulltime service due to circumstances which incapacitated the assigned physicians. Many initially sent to work in waste purging didn't last for very long, and so the remaining holograms had their matrices reinforced for long-term use. The rest were allowed to continue working despite any malfuction which could have befallen them. Often, they fell in clusters of twos or threes, as though the tragic fate of one impacted upon its partner.

Much of this information was not common knowledge to Starfleet, who distributed the programs. Federation departments in charge of environmental maintenance had dibs on the Mark I's, as these projections could exist where organic beings normally could not. The remaining Mark I's were sold off to the highest bidders, predominantly mining interests (all they need do is affix portable emitters into a cavern and set the holograms to work).

Starfleet's position is that had details as to their treatment been more readily apparent, not to mention the circumstances under which many became nonfunctional, they would have most certainly intervened sooner. Enlisting both Zimmermans and Lieutenant Barclay, plans were under way to rescue the Mark I's and welcome them in as useful members of society.

The EMH Recovery Program - or EMHRP - was created with just that in mind. It was determined that reprogramming wasn't enough to improve their social skills. The Mark I's would discuss the nuance of social etiquette with an instructor. Then, they each would practice one-on-one through an array of scenarios.

Instructors in all stages of the program reported that although the Mark I's looked identical and spoke with the same voice and inflection, they were fairly easy to tell apart just from their behavior.

Several counselors were assigned to the EMHRP area and had their hands full. Each hologram was required to meet with a counselor prior to beginning the program for a routine mental evaluation. However, over half of them were scheduled for regular sessions for the duration of the program.

Dr. Mark was far more accepting than Dr. Lewis of the observation that Mark I's as a whole were inherently neurotic to begin with. It was determined that instances in which multiple breakdowns occurred were the result of mental distress. Dr. Mark cited an incident in 2374, in which grief over a lost crewman was so great he was unable to function properly. The crew rewrote his program, eliminating all memories of the deceased and related events. Approximately eighteen months later, the information was uncovered. When the same thing ensued, Captain Janeway ordered that a counseling method be applied as treatment. In just over two weeks, he recovered and their doctor resumed his duties. He was certain that if it hadn't been for the crew, he would not have made it back home with them. The Captain's Logs from USS Voyager's archives corroborated his story, as did those of several bridge officers.

Conditions diagnosed among those holograms who participated in the EMHRP varied from mild neuroses to serious emotional disorders. Reports indicated that the more severe cases were those holograms which served as EMH's extensively before reassignment. When this information was presented to the holotechnicians responsible for reconfiguring the Mark I's several years earlier, they insisted that the holograms should not have had any memories of their original assignments. Each counselor responded that most of their patients recalled specific incidents aboard ship while serving in a medical capacity.

The EMHRP takes on thirty holograms per trimester. Candidates are chosen at random from a special vault. There, data storage devices - each containing one hologram - are kept under high security clearance.

The staff says that each group is different from the previous, and they look forward to the challenges. "It doesn't bother me at all that they have the same face," said one instructor, "you get used to it. By the end of the season, we have thirty individual men, all of whom are ready to start a new life for themselves. It's a great feeling, very rewarding."

Those who mastered the social graces and proved capable of exhibiting proper bedside manner were granted entrance to a special remedial semester at Starfleet Academy. As with the mandatory portion of the EMHRP, preprogrammed knowledge of regulation and procedure were put into actual practice. By the end of their academic season, the Mark I would be evaluated and assigned a rank. Career placement would take over from there. Those who did not pursue the Academy training were also eligible for job placement, only they were more likely to be assigned as medics. For some reason, a few took the latter route.

To set an example, Dr. Mark Zimmerman - Voyager's former EMH - became the first hologram to graduate Starfleet Academy, earning the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He was the only Mark I to be given such a high distinction from the start. With all his achievements during his eight years of activation, it was determined that the privilege was certainly forthcoming. Anything less would have been an insult.