Competition (5)
“Because there was no one to send to the higher system.”
Smith said clearly.
Among the residents he had observed so far, not a single one met his standards.
Even those recommended by professors.
“If we promote a clumsy person early, it will only bring disrepute to our general surgery department.”
Smith continued, looking at Choi Ki-seok’s expression.
“It looks like you want to use the hire system.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Bold.”
A faint smile appeared on Smith’s lips.
There was silence for a moment, but Choi Ki-seok spoke first.
“I have one more question.”
“say it.”
“The professor said they don’t use the higher-up system because there aren’t enough people. So, if they become the right people, they’ll give them an early promotion?”
“Of course. I won’t say it twice. But is it possible?”
“I don’t see why it’s impossible.”
Choi Ki-seok answered without blinking.
I didn’t want to lose the fight.
Treating superiors well and building pride as a doctor are two different things.
“Do you have a bad memory? I told you that no doctor in training has ever used the Hier system.”
“I guess there weren’t any suitable doctors in training.”
When Choi Ki-seok responded to what Smith said, Smith held his stomach and laughed.
“It’s been a long time since you showed such enthusiasm. Moreover, this is a resident who has only been in the hospital for less than a week.”
“….”
“Okay. If you can, give it a try.”
The moment Smith finished speaking, an alarm rang.
Tiring!
[You have obtained the new mission ‘Get Smith’s Recognition.’]
[Mission Completion Conditions: You must meet the necessary conditions to receive Smith’s approval. You need to obtain material items and increase some stats.]
[Dark Seal: 0/1]
[Reputation raised to level 4: Current value 2/5]
[Jonathan’s Praise: 0/1]
[Patient’s Genuine Smile: 0/ 2]
[When you complete the mission, you can use the Hier system and receive a unique gem.]
‘What is this again?’
Choi Ki-seok confirmed the mission and frowned.
I have never seen a mission with so many requirements. Even at first glance, the level of difficulty was not that easy.
“Why did I suddenly lose confidence?”
“Oh… no. I just remembered something.”
“If you have any more questions, please ask. There aren’t many opportunities to talk to me alone.”
Smith rested his chin on his hands.
“I wonder what kind of person Professor Paul is.”
“Paul… Come to think of it, Mr. Choi went into surgery for Paul’s stomach cancer today, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“How was the surgery? Just tell me what you saw.”
“Well… umm…”
Choi Ki-seok hesitated, avoiding Smith’s gaze.
If he talks about what he feels, it will seem like the resident is badmouthing the professor. However, it would be a lie to say that the professor’s surgery was perfect.
Any answer right now is just difficult.
“You don’t have to say anything. I think I know roughly.”
He waved his hand as if he had become a Smith.
“Paul. He’s a good example of how a surgeon can be broken.”
Smith’s explanation continued.
Smith and Paul are classmates.
Even when he was a general surgery resident, Paul surpassed Smith with overwhelming skills. He was able to handle any surgical scrub with ease and performed most surgeries himself.
However, a problem arose during the fellowship period.
A patient treated by Paul died during surgery.
Due to mental shock, Paul lost confidence, made a series of mistakes, and his skills gradually decreased. And in the end, without being able to overcome the scars from that time, I ended up having only a low-difficulty surgery.
“It’s a shame. The guy who was said to be a genius collapsed in an instant.”
“….”
“Mr. Choi, please be careful from now on. Once you mess up, you can’t come back.”
“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”
Choi Ki-seok talked with Smith some more and then left the office.
“Phew…”
I relaxed my stiff body as I walked down the hallway.
It seems like he was overly nervous without realizing it.
‘Shall I see you again?’
Ki-Seok Choi opened the status window and looked at the new mission again.
I understood three out of four mission completion conditions.
All you have to do is raise your reputation, which was reset when you came to the U.S., and receive sincere smiles from patients and praise from Jonathan, the head of colorectal surgery.
The problem is the dark seal.
I couldn’t figure out how to get this.
While I was deep in thought, I arrived at the station.
The family of Jace, a patient who had just been hospitalized for liver cirrhosis, was standing in front of the station.
“Did you hear the entire hospitalization explanation?”
“Oh yes. The nurse spoke very kindly.”
The patient’s wife pointed to David.
“This is my first time being hospitalized, so of course it should be. If you have any questions in the future, please visit me at any time.”
“thank you.”
The two people smiled at each other, and Choi Ki-seok stared at David with a disapproving expression.
David’s kindness is limited only to white people.
When a person of a race other than white is hospitalized, there is often a ticking effect.
“If it’s okay, can we talk for a moment?”
“sure.”
Choi Ki-seok chatted with the family of a cirrhosis patient on a nearby bench.
Jace’s wife’s name is Julie and his son’s name is William.
The family’s circumstances were good, but it is said that Jace made a lot of money through business when he was young.
“Does your husband usually drink a lot?”
“Yes. I like alcohol, and there are times when I have to drink it for business. And…”
Julie paused before continuing.
“My drinking got worse two years ago. My second daughter passed away in an accident. From then on, I just lived with a bottle of alcohol.”
“….”
“It was ultimately my fault that my husband broke down. I couldn’t stop him from drinking.”
Julie sighed and lowered her head.
“Why is it Mom’s fault? It’s Dad who keeps drinking. Besides, if I stop you from drinking, Mom…” “
William. Let’s stop talking about that.”
“But…”
William, feeling Julie’s gaze, closed his mouth.
“Teacher. What will happen to my husband in the future?”
“We will first observe the progress today and undergo a full-scale examination starting tomorrow. We will have to look at the detailed examination results, but it appears that liver transplant surgery will be necessary.”
“Is there no other way?”
“Yes. Probably so.”
“Doctor, but in order to perform a liver transplant, doesn’t someone have to donate the liver?”
William joined the conversation.
“In many cases, it is received from a brain-dead person or donated by family members or relatives.”
“Mom, I’m telling you clearly, I can’t give my liver to Dad!”
“William! What do you mean? It’s your dad!”
“If you give it to a drunkard, he’ll just drink again anyway.”
As the voice went up, the attention of the surrounding patients was focused.
“Both of you, calm down.”
Choi Ki-seok barely managed to dry his hat.
“There is no need to argue about this anymore. We need to check the test results and listen to the patient who is conscious. Did you understand?”
“….”
“First, cool down, take the necessary items for the patient, and come back.”
“All right.”
“yes.”
Julie and William left the ward.
Choi Ki-seok watched the two people and entered Jace’s hospital room. But Jace, speechless, was sitting on the bed.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Blood dripped from the back of my hand.
He removed the IV line with his own hands.
“W… where am I?”
Jace asked with unfocused eyes.
“This is Meijo Clinic. The patient was brought unconscious and brought into the ambulance.”
“Well, that’s how much I drank it.”
“Patient. I will give you fluid again, so please lie down quietly. You need rest now.”
“Rest? I don’t need any, so bring me a drink. I think I’ll be able to sleep soundly if I just have one more drink.”
“I cannot grant such a request.”
“What are you, you bastard? Do this and do that!”
Jace lost his temper and swept away the items on the drawer with his hands. Necklaces, watches, cell phones, etc. fell to the floor.
At this, two patients in the same hospital room looked frightened.
“Bring me a drink quickly. I’ll keep quiet. Can’t you? Then I’ll get it for you.”
Jace got up from the bed and started walking.
The appearance was as dangerous as a child learning to walk.
“Don’t be stubborn, just lie down.”
Ki-Seok Choi hurriedly helped Jace and laid him on the bed. But every time, Jace cursed and tried to get up.
“Dr. Choi. What’s going on?”
A nurse passing by came into the room.
“The patient’s condition is not good. Please bring a restraint belt and Ativan One ampoule.”
“yes.”
Eventually, three nurses, including David, came and tied Jace’s arms and legs.
Jace, who had been making a fuss, calmed down only 30 minutes after administering Ativan.
“You made a mess. A mess.”
David wrinkled his face and stared near the bed.
Jace’s personal belongings were scattered around.
“Please re-administer the fluid to the patient. If there is anything unusual, please contact me immediately.”
“All right.”
Choi Ki-seok left the hospital room, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Then, I found a necklace that had fallen in front of the door.
The necklace was rough and had scratches here and there.
When I picked up the necklace and opened the case, I saw a small photo.
A woman who looked to be in her twenties was smiling brightly as if she had everything in the world.
Choi Ki-seok took the necklace and headed to the duty room.
* * *
That evening.
Choi Ki-seok was lying on the bed in the dormitory, wringing his hands.
People might think I’m talking in my sleep, but I’m actually training in the training room.
“5-0 prolene.”
Gigigigigeek.
Choi Ki-seok wrinkled his face while tightening the suture needle with a needle holder.
A virtual disinfection nurse handed over a strange suture. Not only the type of suture but also the thickness of the thread was wrong.
“Not this, this. Okay?”
When Choi Ki-seok pointed out the necessary sutures, only then did the nurse hand him the correct sutures.
Followed by CABG surgery.
Even though it was the surgery I was most confident in, it was slow.
This is because I chose to check the skill level of the surgical staff before entering the training room. I had no choice but to struggle because the virtual staff performed clumsy treatment or caused bleeding.
How much time has passed?
Ki-Seok Choi completed the surgery after much struggle.
[CABG surgery was successful. Overall rank B.]
[CABG surgery mastery has increased by 1 level (4/5)]
[I am ambidextrous skill has reached level 3]
[You can enter the training room (2/3)]
After a flood of notifications My vision returned.
‘If you lower the staff’s skill level from next time, they won’t even be human.’
Choi Ki-seok gritted his teeth as he looked back on his CABG surgery.
I felt like my lifespan was shortening every time the virtual staff made a mistake. Since the mistake was covered up with past experience, if it wasn’t a disaster, the patient would have died on the operating table.
‘Wait a minute, now that I think about it, OPCAB (open heart-lung coronary artery bypass grafting) is also possible!’
I looked blankly at the ceiling and snapped my fingers.
OPCAB is a surgery that cannot be practiced.
Whether it is an animal or a person, the procedure must be performed while the heart is beating, but realistically, such a situation cannot be created. However, OPCAB is also possible in training mode.
Sutures in a throbbing heart.
I was excited about practicing OPCAB.
smart. Knock.
As I was about to enter the training room, I heard a knock.
“Can I come in?”
