Chapter 59: A Promising Day at Tuyu Hospital

Overall, it’s quite impressive.

Although his Injection Technique and Debridement Technique were a bit lacking, they still met the residency standard. Every other skill had already reached the level of a resident physician. The standout was his Hemostasis ability – it soared ahead in performance, leaping to attending physician status.

For a resident to wield an attending-level Hemostasis skill is nothing short of intimidating.

Even for doctors nearing the three-year mark, having Hemostasis at a mid-level resident standard is considered outstanding.

In truth, most residents finish their training with their surgical skills firmly at a residency level.

It’s common to see resident doctors call in a superior for even the slightest mishap. Don’t laugh – nearly all new residents are at this stage.

They have painfully little experience and their skills are still very raw. When faced with a slightly severe case, their hearts truly race.

What if they misdiagnose or make a fatal mistake?

Wouldn’t that ruin their entire career?

So they’d rather be chastised by their superiors than appear like overgrown babies. They consult an attending, then the department head…

At least once a superior has checked over, everything is more certain.

“The future is bright. Keep it up!”

After reviewing the recent improvement in his medical skills, Zhou Can felt a surge of hope.

He guessed that within a month or two, several skills would be upgraded to the attending level.

By then, he might well become the most capable resident in the Emergency Department.

Like a diamond, he’d be snatching cases left and right.

Time was running out – clear the surgical debris, shower, and hit the sack.

Jin Mingxi had long been snoring like thunder, deep in sleep.

For a man in his mid-thirties, the body inevitably starts to decline; his energy no longer burned as fiercely as that of a youngster.

Women, however, seem to age even sooner; after thirty, their physical prowess noticeably wanes.

They start to see a little belly, gain weight, develop spots, and lose vigor, among other things.

That’s why many big companies not only set academic criteria but also prefer recruits under thirty-five.

Companies chase efficiency, not charity. Hiring someone over 35 means a few years of training before they hit forty – by then they can hardly keep up, and their learning curve isn’t as steep as that of their younger counterparts. Naturally, fresh graduates in their twenties are favored.

Being labeled a mid-lifer at 35 isn’t without reason in the eyes of the internet.

……

The next morning, after waking up, Zhou Can found he still had a bit of time and pulled out a medical textbook to read.

A wealth of reading often acts like a divine boost during the diagnosis of various ailments.

Jin Mingxi, on the other hand, went out for a run as soon as he got up.

Although Zhou Can also had a habit of exercising, he’d been too busy preparing for his residency exam and honing his skills to find time for a workout lately.

Around 7:40, Jin Mingxi returned.

By then, Zhou Can had gone through two case studies.

His diagnostic experience slightly increased by 0.2.

Not much, but

reading medical books not only bolstered his experience, it mainly enriched his medical knowledge.

It was undeniable that compared to Gao Jian and Du Leng, his theoretical knowledge still lagged behind. Skill improvement mostly comes from practice, while accumulating medical knowledge depends on reading, learning, and thoughtful reflection.

“Hey, good morning!”

Jin Mingxi greeted him with a smile.

“Morning! I didn’t know you had a habit of morning workouts. Let’s do it together from now on!” Zhou Can replied with a smile.

Now that he had his residency qualification, he could easily spare some time in the mornings to exercise.

Being a doctor is a high-risk career, and daily exercise is absolutely necessary.

“That sounds great – I was just wishing for a workout buddy!”

Jin Mingxi had been looking for any chance to get closer to Zhou Can; running together was exactly what he had been hoping for.

Seeing that time was short, the two headed off to work at the hospital.

They chatted idly about everything on the way.

Jin Mingxi brought up the state of healthcare in his hometown county. The quality among doctors varied widely; even the best county hospital couldn’t handle slightly complex cases.

They had no choice but to opt for conservative treatment or refer patients to higher-level hospitals.

He expressed his frustration at the matter.

Though it seemed like anyone could treat patients, the education they received in school only scratched the surface – there were invisible technical barriers.

Every hospital had its own specialty, a sort of secret expertise.

That was their ‘signature dish.’

These exclusive techniques were not easily shared. To learn them, one needed to join the hospital and work in the relevant department.

For example, take a patient with stage II gastric cancer.

Doctors at a county hospital would take one look and say, “Oh dear, the cancer cells have already spread; it’s hopeless.” They’d then administer routine chemotherapy to ease the patient’s suffering.

In short, they’d leave it to fate.

But this patient had responsibilities – parents over seventy to care for and two minor children to support. He wasn’t ready to die!

So after some inquiries, he ran straight to the Gastrointestinal Oncology department at Tuyu Hospital.

“Hey, you’ve come to the right place this time,”

because the doctors in that department specialized in gastrointestinal tumors – from causes and pathology to treatment and prognosis.

The department head performed an endoscopy and explained that the tumor had only spread to the stomach wall – there was still hope.

He then laid out a comprehensive treatment plan.

It involved tumor removal, chemotherapy, nutritional support, and specialized drugs to consolidate the treatment.

After following the full regimen, the patient was eventually cured.

It turned out that cancer wasn’t the true enemy – the real danger was not finding the right doctor to treat it.

This little tale clearly highlighted the vast gaps in treatment standards between hospitals.

Jin Mingxi’s determined move to work at Tuyu Hospital was undoubtedly a wise choice.

Even a few techniques learned there could revolutionize treatment protocols back at the county hospital.

After finishing breakfast, Jin Mingxi headed downstairs to the milk tea shop.

“I’m off to grab two cups of milk tea!”

Zhou Can paused in surprise.

“What are you thinking? I’m buying these for those two little nurses.” Jin Mingxi grumbled; he had been joked with by the nurses yesterday due to his cheeky remark and ended up getting nickeled-and-dimed by them.

That reminded Zhou Can of his promise to treat Qiao Yu to milk tea.

“Haha, I’ll get a cup too!”

Because if he didn’t, the young lady would surely remind him again.

Recalling how Jin Mingxi had been strong-armed by the nurses over milk tea made him chuckle.

“Make me one strawberry-flavored and one pu-erh rose milk tea,” Jin Mingxi ordered, following the nurses’ instructions.

Zhou Can, however, was stumped by the many available flavors.

Qiao Yu never mentioned what flavor she liked!

“Miss, could you tell me which flavor girls in their twenties usually prefer?”

The charming shop owner shot Zhou Can a sidelong glance.

With a slightly odd smile, she said, “Is this the first time you’re treating her to milk tea?”

“Yes!”

“How does she usually style herself? Does she prefer heavy makeup or a natural look?”

“She’s more on the natural side.”

Zhou Can strained to recall Qiao Yu’s face – it seemed almost makeup-free.

“Then why not surprise her with a cup of coconut milk tea? I’m sure she’ll love it.”

“Alright!”

Zhou Can nodded nonchalantly.

Carrying the milk tea, he headed towards the Emergency Department.

Just then, he saw Qiao Yu emerging after changing out of her nurse uniform.

“Miss Qiao, here’s your treat!”

Zhou Can smiled as he handed her the drink.

“Hehe, you actually bought it! Thanks!” Her expression lit up with a hint of surprise.

“Wow! Qiao Yu is known as the most elusive girl in our Emergency Department. Many male doctors have tried and failed to win her over. Even Dr. Zhou managed to snag her within just three days on the job – impressive, huh?”

At that moment, Ye Tingting happened to pass by. Noticing the situation, she immediately came over to join the conversation.

Being on good terms with Zhou Can, she didn’t hold back with her teasing.

“What’s this? Is this Dr. Zhou’s bribe for me? Ting Jie, don’t go playing matchmaker on us!” Qiao Yu blushed deeply and quickly explained.

Ye Tingting’s almond eyes immediately lit up.

After all, gossip was in a woman’s nature.

“Really? What bribe? Come on, tell us more.”