Chapter 147: Rising Through the Ranks

Status is earned piece by piece with real talent.

In this departmental consultation, Zhou Can’s diagnostic skills far surpassed even those of Dr. Zou and Tang Li. As for the resident doctors and graduate students, they hardly stand a chance against him.

No matter how much they talk, not a single word of theirs can match one word from Zhou Can.

This is truly how doctors treat patients and cure diseases.

Some physicians, lacking real skills, only regurgitate textbook knowledge and bombard patients with useless medical trivia, never hitting the mark.

All that chatter is nothing but hot air.

After all, patients need their disease foci located and their conditions precisely diagnosed, not a round of academic lectures at the hospital.

If patients want to learn about medicine, they can easily search sites like Zhihu, Baidu, or professional portals like ZhiXin and Mesi for in-depth medical knowledge.

Most of that info comes from medical journals or practical surgical content.

Ordinary folks would have a hard time deciphering it.

Zhou Can had been poached from the Operating Room by Director Wen, who initially only wanted to capitalize on his device implantation skills.

As for Director Wen’s promises to nurture him, they were merely lip service.

But when Director Wen witnessed Zhou Can’s impressive diagnostic prowess – coupled with how impeccably he flattered him moments before –

he finally decided to invest more in Zhou Can’s development.

Though it wasn’t so much genuine training as it was a calculated use of Zhou Can’s talents.

Director Wen’s team had no standout leaders besides himself. Zhou Can’s strong diagnostic skills helped reduce misdiagnosis and oversight within the group.

In contrast, back in Orthopedics, Dr. Shan had truly taken him under his wing by securing his login for the department’s system.

Director Wen, however, acted more like a profit hunter – only making his move when a target was in sight.

Patient in Bed 22 – with a second epileptic focus finally identified – now awaited a treatment plan.

“We have pinned down the cause of the epileptic aggravation. Given the circumstances, the cavernous hemangioma in the patient’s brain should be excised. However, considering that it currently poses no immediate life threat and is merely a hidden vascular malformation rather than a true tumor, subjecting the patient to a second craniotomy within a short span carries significant risks.”

“Thus, I propose we schedule the second craniotomy for two to three months from now, ensuring greater safety.”

Director Wen displayed utmost caution regarding the patient’s second surgery.

Every chief physician in the room approached the surgical plan with meticulous care.

Having endured too many scares, caution had become second nature.

In this profession, reverence for life demands both boldness and prudence.

Only then can our practice remain evergreen and accidents be minimized.

A cavernous hemangioma is merely a vascular malformation lacking an arterial component.

Its progression is generally quite slow.

A delay of two or three months poses little issue.

A rushed second craniotomy is usually a last-ditch measure.

More often than not, it follows a first craniotomy complicated by significant intracranial hemorrhage or pronounced cerebral edema, where a mass effect threatens life if not promptly addressed.

Major surgeries—craniotomy or otherwise—should not be performed in rapid succession.

Unless delaying the procedure would put the patient’s life in immediate danger.

A second operation entails tracheal intubation and general anesthesia through intravenous fluids.

This dramatically alters the internal environment, making heart and lung complications far more likely.

Additionally, if the interval between the two surgeries is too short, the patient risks developing anemia, electrolyte imbalances, and hypoalbuminemia.

The chance of lung and urinary tract infections also skyrockets.

Imagine, after enduring a major surgery when the patient is already utterly drained, a new series of severe complications could very well send them teetering on the brink of death.

For safety’s sake, we must do everything possible to avoid frequent operations.

Even for minor procedures like extractions, if several teeth need removal concurrently, the recommendation is to spread them out over multiple sessions.

“Tang Li, could you handle the communication with the patient’s family?”

Director Wen’s eyes turned to her.

The team had one female doctor who was particularly competent.

She not only lightened the mood among the doctors but also shouldered many tasks when needed.

“No problem. I’ll ensure the task is completed!”

She replied with a radiant smile,

exuding all the confidence in the world.

“Heh, you’re awfully confident!”

Director Wen chuckled warmly as he teased her.

“Honestly, if we hadn’t pinpointed the patient’s lesion, I wouldn’t even dare speak to the family for fear of being bashed. But now that we know the hidden lesion is our hospital’s finest handiwork, I can confidently argue for a scheduled operation. Unless the family is extremely brusque, most will definitely agree to delay the procedure.”

Her explanation elicited a burst of laughter from the team.

For doctors, joy is simple: successfully resolving a patient’s case brings immense satisfaction and genuine happiness.

……

After joining Director Wen’s team, Zhou Can’s treatment benefits had noticeably improved.

During rounds and shift handovers, hardly a doctor or nurse in the Inpatient Department dared show a cool demeanour in his presence.

He also found that the doctors in General Surgery were particularly pragmatic.

The news of him earning Director Wen’s favour wasn’t broadcast publicly at all.

Yet, as if sprouting wings overnight, every doctor and nurse in the Inpatient Department was in the know.

This clearly showed that within General Surgery, the physicians and nurses had their own cliques and intricate connections,

sharing crucial departmental information amongst themselves.

Now, only Dr. Zou appeared somewhat distant towards Zhou Can.

Zhou Can understood that Dr. Zou’s aloofness was due to a bruised ego.

But Zhou Can didn’t mind.

Nor would he intentionally hide his skills to please Dr. Zou.

He would seize every surgical opportunity and report patient details as needed.

Dr. Zou’s only role was to adapt.

The first day of General Surgery training wrapped up quickly.

Zhou Can’s gains far exceeded his expectations.

He had risen above twenty trainee doctors to earn the privilege of learning directly under a chief physician.

Perhaps because it was his first day in General Surgery, he wasn’t scheduled for a night shift.

After all, interns, trainees, and graduate students are typically prioritized for night shifts.

After work in the Apartment, he continued to hone his Rapid Surgical Technique, device implantation, and grasping skills – all advanced techniques.

Jin Mingxi ended his shift much later than him.

It wasn’t until nearly eight in the evening that he clocked out.

The moment he stepped into the Apartment, he collapsed onto the bed as if utterly drained.

“Oh man, I’m exhausted. The environment in General Surgery is brutal – they treat trainees like they’re nothing.”

Jin Mingxi, having rotated through two departments without ever complaining about fatigue,

found that his first day in General Surgery was especially grueling. The workload was truly enormous.

And it wasn’t just him—Zhou Can had it no better either.

His previous stint under Cheng Gang had him running around like a slave.

Thankfully, after showcasing his abilities he jumped to Director Wen’s team, which was a far more comfortable environment.

“If you want to master your craft, this is the way! Hard work makes you the best – you haven’t heard that before, have you?”

Zhou Can turned back with a laugh and said to him.

“Talk is cheap. Don’t think I don’t know that you’ve now caught Director Wen’s eye. Having a chief physician personally mentor you, how could you possibly understand the struggles of us lowly underlings?”

Jin Mingxi rolled his eyes dramatically.

There was a hint of envy in his tone.

“Ha, you sure do have the inside scoop.”

Zhou Can soared beyond his peers, enjoying privileges many trainees only dream of. If he weren’t so-minded by his age, he might have felt a bit too smug.

After all, every stage of life has its intrinsic qualities from infancy to old age.

To excel as he did without a trace of conceit would be the mark of a sage.

“Once your position is more secure, could you put in a good word for me? That senior resident upstairs is an absolute bastard – worse than the old-time tyrants who dumped all the dirty, hard work on me and then had the nerve to scold me when I was done.”

Jin Mingxi was no rookie in the workplace.

He knew all too well the weight of Zhou Can’s current standing.

With a chief physician backing him, his status in the department far outstripped that of the average resident.

A simple word from Zhou Can would keep that senior resident from exploiting him further.

“When you assign tasks, doesn’t Second Ward still have that trainee named Chen Hao? Does he not have to work, too?”

Zhou Can asked.

“Don’t even mention that guy. He’s a master of currying favor with the senior resident – in just one day he’s gotten on that guy’s good side. Meanwhile, I, with my tight lips and stubborn pride, end up with all the heavy, dirty work.”

Jin Mingxi’s tone was filled with bitter resignation.

After hearing this, Zhou Can burst into hearty laughter.

Everyone has their own way of surviving. Some thrive by flattering their superiors, while others bury themselves in work.

Even honest folks tend to get pushed around wherever they go.

Finding a patron like Dr. Xu is truly rare.

“What’s the name of that senior resident of yours?”

Seeing his good friend being mistreated, Zhou Can was determined to lend a hand if he could.

“Dai Wei.”

Zhou Can hadn’t heard of this resident before.

But as he was still new to General Surgery, he wasn’t familiar with everyone.

“Do you know who Dai Wei’s supervising attending is?”

Zhou Can thought that directly speaking to Dai Wei’s superior might yield better results.

Given his current position, he truly had that ability.

“I believe it’s Dr. Ou Xinjing. I’m not entirely sure, though—I only saw him briefing Dr. Ou.”

Jin Mingxi, too, was unfamiliar with the departmental hierarchy.

“Alright, I’ll do my best to help.”

“Hehe, you’re such a good mate. I knew you’d agree!” Jin Mingxi exclaimed happily.

When one’s status is low, a helping hand can make all the difference.

The benefits can be immense.

Without someone vouching for you, two grueling months in General Surgery would yield little skill and a whole lot of complaints.

……

The next day, Zhou Can arrived at the hospital by 7 AM.

According to protocol, everyone must be in their departmental area by 7:40 AM, giving them forty minutes to review the group’s cases.

He noted that the team was scheduled for three surgeries today.

Dr. Zou had one secondary surgery, and Director Wen had two.

He began with Dr. Zou’s secondary surgery—a trauma patient with a skull fracture needing reduction.

After a careful review of the CT and X-ray images, the fracture appeared minor, though the condition was serious.

There was a section of the skull that had collapsed inward, over 1 cm deep.

In other areas like the chest or abdomen, a 1 cm depression might be negligible.

But on the skull, a 1 cm depression is terrifying.

It could directly lead to a hematoma, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, epilepsy, coma, and other symptoms.

Zhou Can scrutinized the CT scans repeatedly. If he could participate in this surgery, his skills in fracture reduction using manual reduction techniques from Orthopedics would surely prove useful.

However, considering his current strained relationship with Dr. Zou, the idea of piggybacking on his case was quickly abandoned.

Next, he examined Director Wen’s two surgeries.

One was a brain operation for a car accident victim in a coma—a level four major surgery with severe injuries and a complex condition.

That the department entrusted this operation to Director Wen suggested that, as Zhou Can had suspected, his traditional surgical skills were top-notch, while his abilities in minimally invasive and endoscopic surgery lagged behind.

The reason might well be that Director Wen possessed innate talent for conventional surgery but lacked the flair for advanced procedures.

No matter what, any doctor promoted to associate or full professor at Tuyu Hospital must be exceptionally skilled.

They might each have their own shortcomings, but they were far from ordinary.

After nearly half an hour of reviewing, Zhou Can finally finished examining all three surgery cases for the day. With about ten minutes to spare, he turned his attention to reviewing pending cases and post-operative patients yet to be discharged.

The team’s doctors began to trickle in.

He wasn’t the only one burning the midnight oil.

Two graduate students were also remarkably diligent.

In contrast, three resident doctors and another graduate student arrived just on time.

“Dr. Zhou, you’re here early!” Tang Li greeted him with a smile.

“My skills are admittedly lacking – there’s so much to learn that if I don’t come in early, you lot might think less of me!” Zhou Can replied self-deprecatingly with a smile.

A soft giggle escaped her as she covered her mouth.

“Men’s words are as deceptive as tricksters. You performed exceptionally yesterday – you couldn’t honestly claim you’re mediocre, could you?” Her words, laced with playful flirtation, hinted at a level two rank higher than his.

Yet, this was entirely in line with her style.

She made the most of her femininity to cultivate close ties with the more capable male doctors in the team.

Why did she do this?

Because only when speaking with Director Wen, Dr. Zou, and Zhou Can did she adopt such a teasing, coquettish tone.

With the resident doctors and graduate students, however, her manner turned icy and professional,

clearly reflecting the authority expected of a senior physician.

“The word ‘excellent’ is truly reserved for you and Director Wen. I couldn’t possibly claim that for myself.”

Zhou Can’s high emotional intelligence allowed him to use a respectful tone that maintained the proper distance without offending her.

He couldn’t risk any ambiguous behavior with Dr. Tang Li.

After all, if Director Wen caught wind of it, he might well give him the cold shoulder.

Besides, he had a gorgeous and brilliant girlfriend, Su Qianqian. There was simply no room in his heart for anyone else.

Dr. Tang Li was attractive, but only moderately so, and at thirty-five or six,

Zhou Can was far too wise to be thrown off by a few flippant remarks.

“Quite lively, isn’t it? Have you both finished your rounds today?”

Director Wen hurriedly entered the office.