Doctor
Best as the stable bridge class
Doctor is a strong mid-game class because it gives dependable healing-based sanity recovery and helps stabilize runs before you are ready for the best free endpoint.
Class Comparison
Doctor vs Surgeon in Animal Hospital
This comparison matters most when you are close to an upgrade decision. The useful answer is straightforward: Doctor is the safer bridge, but Surgeon is the stronger destination.
If your coins are still tight or your runs are still messy, Doctor usually gives value sooner. If your basics are stable and you want the best free endpoint, Surgeon is the better class to build toward.
Cheaper step
Doctor
Better endpoint
Surgeon
Safer now
Doctor
Stronger later
Surgeon
Surgeon
Best as the stronger free destination
Surgeon is the higher-value long-run class because healing pace and sanity recovery scale better once your runs are already holding together.
Buy Doctor first if...
You need a cheaper stabilizer now and are not ready to wait for the strongest free class.
Buy Surgeon first if...
You can already afford it and your real goal is the strongest long-run free payoff.
Skip both for now if...
Your runs still fail at intake, route memory, or basic anomaly reads more than class power.