QUOTE (Link @ May 28 2009, 09:32 PM)

Biotech is great, it adds some tactical spice where seeking a short interlude in combat for first aid can substantially affect the outcome by removing damage and TN mods, especially coupled with some edges and cyber/bio/nanoware. The availability of healing magic depends whether your mage thinks they're a magic user or a cleric.

I seem to recall this issue, of casting spells at excessive force because physical drain is potentially faster to recover, has cropped up on DS before though I've never had problems with it.
As for healing thyself, SR3 suggests it's not possible while SR2 gave no insight.
[ Spoiler ]
USING BIOTECH
For the times when you need medical attention and you just can’t wait for the DocWagon team, a professional doctor or even a trip to the local pharmacy, the Biotech Skill is your best friend. (Actually, the team-mate who has Biotech is your best friend.) Using Biotech Skill means applying first aid to possibly reduce the damage level of Light, Moderate and Serious wounds, or stabilize Deadly wounds until the character can be taken to a doctor. Biotech Skill only helps heal Physical damage. Stun damage can only be recovered by taking the night off and sleeping in.
In order to be effective, the character must use Biotech on the injured character within one hour following an injury. Regardless of its success, Biotech cannot help once magical healing has been applied.
I'd allow a character to treat themself though with perhaps +1 or 2 to TN for the obvious difficulties that may arise with access etc. Injury modifiers would also apply.
I'm pretty used to mages taking the heal spell at least at force 3, except in the rare cases where it is impossible or makes no sense for the character. Both IC and OOC, the heal/treat spells have so many uses that this makes sense. Healing magic is something most people would have had easier access too than most other kinds, and plenty of personal motivation to learn, whether for combat or non-combat use. I suppose I can imagine someone coming from the game which shall not be mentioned and not wanting to be treated like a cleric though.
I read the same rules you did, and I noticed both portions you bolded, and neither one really outright says you can't use first aid on yourself. Though it is clear that the rules sort of assumed you'd be patching someone else up, I'm not seeing a problem with letting people patch themselves up. Still, the TN from being wounded thing could be a problem, especially if you've already got the bad conditions and patient is awakened modifiers. Part of the problem is that the TNs can start pretty high already. Even someone unwounded, treating a moderate wound on someone with a body as high as 6, in the usual shadowrunning conditions, is looking at a tn of 6, or 8 if the patient is awakened. Add 2 for being injured yourself, and you're already looking at tn 10. Adding another 1 or 2 to this for a hypothetical 'first aid on self' penalty seems like overkill, even if performing first aid on one's self can be difficult.
I've got a second question. If someone takes three different light wounds, how does first aid work? Is that one moderate wound, or three different rolls to remove each light wound, for one box of healing each? I'm pretty sure the heal spell treats that like a Moderate wound, but first aid might treat it as 3 light ones.