Doctor Gottlieb was a physician who practiced at Mercy Hospital in San Francisco, California during the late 20th century.

In 1986, Gottlieb got into an argument with fellow physician, Dr. Weintraub regarding the proper course of action for an ailing patient. Gottlieb was adamant about the use of image therapy, however, Weintraub said that radical chemotherapy was the only way the patient would survive. An observing intern to the discussion thought the two were going to "punch each other out" over the argument.

23rd century physician Dr. McCoy, who overheard the conversation, thought the discussion was altogether unbelievable. He added that he thought "it sounded like a goddamn Spanish Inquisition" to him, regarding the primitiveness of both procedures. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)