Chapter 37: A Trainee’s Ascent in the Emergency Department

I don’t know much about Dr. Xu’s past since I’ve only been at Tuyu for five years. All I know is that he wields considerable influence in the Surgical Department – many attending surgeons hold him in high regard. Some vice directors and chief surgeons speak to him with utmost courtesy; even Director Lou and Deputy Director Han from the Emergency Department hesitate to show him too much deference.

So it seems Dr. Xu might once have been a surgical powerhouse.

Perhaps he offended influential figures or made a grave mistake that relegated him to the ‘cold palace’ of the Emergency Department.

Zhou Can mused to himself.

“There’s one particularly intriguing incident. Once, the Emergency Department admitted a critically injured patient needing immediate surgery. Several specialist-level attendings arrived, but in the end, it was Dr. Xu who handled the most crucial part of the operation.”

This was yet another earth-shattering revelation.

Any specialist attendings are capable of being the stars of a city hospital.

Yet they couldn’t manage that segment of the operation, and Dr. Xu swooped in to fix it.

What kind of talent does Dr. Xu, famed for his legendary scalpel skills, possess?

Zhou Can’s curiosity about him only grew.

“Although Dr. Xu can be strict, he’s genuinely kind and highly skilled in many areas of surgery. I even considered apprenticing under him two years ago, but he remarked that my talent was lackluster and that staying in the Emergency Department wasn’t so bad. Occasionally, he’d share a surgical tip or two with me. Unfortunately, my grasp is limited and my surgical thinking isn’t nimble enough, so my progress has been slow. Still, I can tell that in these two years, both my surgical and diagnostic abilities have leapt forward thanks to his guidance.”

Dr. Lin said this with a satisfied smile.

For someone with modest talent, such progress was more than enough.

“Dr. Zhou, forgive my frankness, but I see Dr. Xu holds you in high regard. You should seize this opportunity to learn under him. Your talent far exceeds mine, and a few years under his mentorship will surely bring great achievements.”

Dr. Lin spoke sincerely.

“Thank you for your wise words, Dr. Lin. Rest assured, I’m not the type to be recklessly ambitious. Ever since I joined the Emergency Department, I’ve been determined to work hard here. Having a mentor like Dr. Xu is my greatest fortune, and I’ll cherish it.”

Zhou Can considered it a blessing in disguise that although he ended up in the so-called ‘cold department’ of the Emergency, he found himself mentored by a superior whose skills rivaled those of surgical chief surgeons.

He couldn’t ask for more.

Even if he were assigned to a more prestigious department, his academic background would never command the same attention from chief surgeons.

……

Back in the Emergency Department, only Dr. Lu, Jin Mingxi, and Tang Ling were operating in the Operating Room.

The patient’s palm had been sliced by a sharp instrument, and they were busy with debridement and suturing.

Without an attending present, Dr. Lu could only perform a Level 1 surgery.

“Dr. Zhou, you’re back! Your mentor sent you to the resuscitation room—there’s a comatose pregnant woman needing immediate care,” Tang Ling announced.

“Dr. Xu is merely his superior—not someone who’s taken him on as a disciple. Don’t go putting words in his mouth.” Dr. Lu, clearly a bit jealous though unable to say so directly, took a jab at Tang Ling.

In the Operating Room, the chief surgeon’s word was final.

When the tiger is away, the monkey becomes king.

In Dr. Xu’s absence, Dr. Lu was top dog.

He led the operation.

Although he could only oversee a Level 1 surgery, he still carried an air of authority.

Tired of his chatter, Zhou Can turned and left the Operating Room.

He made his way to the resuscitation room.

There, an elegantly dressed, regal elderly lady stood anxiously by the door, peering inside.

Upon entering, Zhou Can saw Director Lou and Dr. Xu, along with two other senior doctors whose faces he found vaguely familiar.

He remembered seeing them a few times during his internship in the Emergency Department.

The thin, tall, slightly hunchbacked middle-aged man was Deputy Director Han Changqing, the Emergency Department’s internal medicine chief. Though unremarkable at first glance, he wielded significant authority.

Of course, this internal medicine chief might have seemed less formidable in some respects.

But having earned his title in Tuyu, any shortcomings were hardly noticeable.

The other was a medium-built, slightly portly middle-aged woman with curly brown hair, serving as the Emergency Department’s general attending.

What does ‘general’ mean? She could handle cases from internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, and pediatrics.

However, with limited energy, it’s nearly impossible for one doctor to master every specialty.

She was likely a jack-of-all-trades but master of none.

So many chief and attending doctors gathering in the resuscitation room was rare—it meant the patient’s condition was extremely critical.

“Hello, Director Lou! Hello, everyone!”

Zhou Can greeted them cheerfully.

Deputy Director Han Changqing shot him a disapproving glance and frowned, “How come even a trainee made it in?” His tone hinted at displeasure.

With the pregnant patient in critical condition and little progress in treatment, he was already on edge.

A trainee arriving only added to the chaos.

“I was the one who called him,” Dr. Xu replied evenly.

Even when facing a departmental deputy, Dr. Xu remained immovable as ever.

Zhou Can suddenly thought that if you truly had skill, even an attending could be impressive.

Whether Dr. Xu casually called Deputy Director Liu on the phone, earned the admiration of orthopedic attendings, or confronted a department deputy with his icy tone—each instance was inspiring.

It stirred something within him.

“He’s named Zhou Can. I picked him up yesterday—he topped the trainees in overall performance. Since joining the Emergency Department, his work has been stellar. Involving him in the diagnosis is part of nurturing new talent!”

Director Lou also spoke in Zhou Can’s favor.

Even Deputy Director Han, who had barely acknowledged him before, now scrutinized this trainee who had earned the favor of two influential figures in the Emergency Department.

“So, you’re Zhou Can?”

Deputy Director Han asked in an almost clueless tone.

Director Lou had already introduced him.

Yet he still pressed on—a display of arrogance aimed at reinforcing his status as the department’s deputy director and internal medicine chief.

It was nothing more than haughty posturing.

“Just call me Zhou, please,” he replied.

Having just joined and still learning, Zhou Can wouldn’t risk offending a deputy over trivial matters.

Staying humble is a mark of high emotional intelligence.

Soon enough, when he matured, it would be Deputy Director Han who would look up to him.

“I heard you performed impressively yesterday—truly a fine specimen! With Director Lou and Dr. Xu’s backing, you’ll get an up-close chance to observe our diagnostic process. Cherish it—most resident doctors never get this opportunity!”

Deputy Director Han’s words dripped with condescension and arrogance.

He came off as exceptionally self-important.

Zhou Can didn’t feel like engaging with him; he simply nodded and moved to stand behind Dr. Xu.

“Here, take a look at these records,” Dr. Xu ordered.

Dr. Xu brusquely grabbed the files and shoved them into Zhou Can’s hands.

This action prompted both Deputy Director Han and the general attending to eye him once more.

“Heh, it seems Dr. Xu really cares about this new trainee!”

“The kid’s timid. Without handing him the files, he wouldn’t dare approach you all on his own,” Dr. Xu explained coolly.

Zhou Can quickly began reviewing the patient’s records and X-ray films.

With so many senior doctors around, he couldn’t hog the files for long.

Time was running short.

“Patient: Female, 36 years old, 24.5 weeks pregnant, with a history of hypertension. While riding a taxi from home to her parents’ place, she suddenly complained of discomfort, gradually lost consciousness, and then fainted. Upon arrival at the hospital, tests revealed a heart rate of 180, blood pressure of 192/120 mmHg, and weak fetal heart monitoring…”

A hypertensive patient is already considered high-risk.

But a hypertensive pregnant patient is even more perilous.

Furthermore, being over 35 makes her an advanced maternal age case.

All these factors would alarm even the most seasoned medical professional.

A systolic pressure above 180 qualifies as stage 3 hypertension—the most critical form.

Her systolic blood pressure was as high as 192.

It was almost miraculous that she even made it to the hospital alive.

They had already carried out preliminary ultrasounds of her chest and abdomen, along with a head CT scan. Blood tests, routine for critically ill patients, were still pending.

The urinary catheter hadn’t been inserted yet, so no sample was available.

After reviewing all the records, Zhou Can returned the files to the table in the resuscitation room.

This measured, timely act earned him a bit of goodwill from the senior doctors. Had he kept the files for himself, it likely would have irritated them.

After all, he was merely there to learn.

Frankly, he was just a supporting character.

No one expected him to make a major contribution to the diagnosis.

Deputy Director Han was the Emergency Department’s sole internal medicine chief and the decisive force in this diagnosis.

At that moment, he had circled the resuscitation bed three times, still seemingly perplexed.

Director Lou was the first to lose patience.

“Old Han, you’re the only one in the Emergency Department with deep expertise in Internal Medicine. Do you see any clues as to what’s going on?”