“You’re the latest graduate to report for duty this year. The previous two both completed their internships at our hospital and stayed on after graduation. You did your internship at the affiliated hospital in the provincial capital. You could have remained there, so what made you apply to come to our hospital instead?” Director Chen asked as he pulled documents from her file and flipped through them.
“I’m a native of Yuyang County. My family is all here…” Fang Yuan replied.
“I see from your records that you’re from a textile factory family. But the provincial capital isn’t that far from our county. Couldn’t you overcome such a short distance?” Director Chen closed the file, looked up, and fixed his gaze on Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was momentarily stunned. Yuyang County really was not far from the provincial capital. There was a direct bus every day that took about two hours. If she had a bicycle, she could get there in three or four hours if she rode quickly. At the time, she had chosen to return because the county hospital’s facilities and standards were not bad, and working close to home meant she could live with her family.
Without waiting for Fang Yuan to answer, Director Chen continued, “It’s commendable that you gave up better conditions to return to the county and work here. But as someone who has worked in medicine for many years, I hope young comrades can be more determined and not be afraid of hardship. Only then can they grow more quickly.”
A faint blush spread across Fang Yuan’s face. When she had applied for assignment to the county hospital on the grounds that it was closer to home, the university administration had also spoken with her. Because of her outstanding internship performance, the affiliated hospital where she had trained had strongly tried to keep her. Even the university leaders had sighed with some regret, saying that as a young woman, she ultimately lacked enough ambition in her career and relied too heavily on her family.
She knew Director Chen was reminding and admonishing her. For a moment, she did not know how to respond, and her face grew redder and redder.
Seeing her expression, Director Chen’s face softened. The hospital valued every new employee who joined its staff. Earlier, after receiving Fang Yuan’s personnel file and learning that a very young clinical medicine graduate, who was also a female doctor, would be assigned to their hospital, the hospital leadership had even held a meeting to discuss her work assignment.
Now that he had met her in person and found her to be such a delicate and youthful looking young woman, he could not help feeling concerned. He worried that she might not be able to shoulder or handle the heavy and unpredictable workload of clinical medicine.
However, seeing Fang Yuan’s expression, he decided not to say anything further. Instead, he planned to give her more help and guidance in her future work so that she could become a qualified medical worker as soon as possible.
He then stood up and extended his hand. “Student Fang Yuan, on behalf of the county hospital, I’d like to welcome you.”
Fang Yuan quickly stood up and shook his hand.
“Did you bring your assignment certificate?”
“I did, I did.” Fang Yuan hurriedly opened her bag and took out the graduation assignment certificate, academic credentials, and other documents issued by the university.
“You’ll spend this morning completing your onboarding procedures. I’ll have someone show you around the hospital. For the time being, you’ll work under Doctor Jiang in the surgery department. He’s one of our hospital’s attending surgeons with excellent skills. Learn from him well.”
Fang Yuan sincerely nodded. “Alright.”
After completing a series of procedures, the happiest moment came when she registered with the Finance Department and saw the salary grade listed on her payroll card. The person who left the deepest impression on her, however, was Doctor Zhang from the Logistics Department with her enthusiastic welcome.
Doctor Zhang, who was in her forties and responsible for staff protective equipment and medical supplies, warmly held Fang Yuan’s hand from the moment they met and eagerly asked about her personal background. After receiving two brand new white coats, Fang Yuan escaped as if fleeing for her life. If she had stayed any longer, Doctor Zhang would probably have questioned her about every member of her family back home.
Seeing this, Yao Hongying, whom Director Chen had assigned to help Fang Yuan complete the procedures, covered her mouth and laughed nonstop. “I heard she has a nephew and is looking for a wife for him. From the looks of it, she’s taken a liking to you.”
“Did she interrogate you too?” Fang Yuan replied with a grin.
Yao Hongying was a medical assistant in the Obstetrics Department and had also just been assigned to the hospital that year. She had graduated from the municipal health school with a specialization in midwifery. She had previously interned at the county hospital before staying on after graduation.
She was in her early twenties, with thick eyebrows, a round face, and a lively, straightforward personality. As soon as the two young women met, they felt they got along well, and their conversation quickly became relaxed and easygoing.
Hearing Fang Yuan’s teasing, Yao Hongying blushed and gave her a light pinch.
The two first went to the changing room. After Fang Yuan changed into her work clothes, they went together to the surgical outpatient clinic. Pointing to an office with a sign reading “Outpatient Room Three,” Yao Hongying said, “This is Doctor Jiang’s office. He’s probably seeing patients right now. I still have work to do in Obstetrics, so I won’t wait with you. I’ll come back later, and we’ll have lunch together.”
Fang Yuan nodded and told her to go ahead with her work.
As noon approached, the temperature inside gradually rose. After putting on her white coat, Fang Yuan immediately felt even hotter. Seeing several patients still waiting in the hallway, it appeared that Doctor Jiang’s morning clinic would not be finished anytime soon.
She had just thought about walking around when she saw Director Lin, whom she had met at the entrance that morning, walking over together with Director Chen. She immediately smiled and greeted them with a nod.
“Director Lin, Director Chen.”
Director Lin looked at Fang Yuan with a puzzled expression before turning to Director Chen.
“This is our new doctor, Fang Yuan. For the time being, I’ve arranged for her to train under Doctor Jiang,” Director Chen explained.
“So you’re Doctor Fang. Welcome, welcome.” After hearing the explanation, Director Lin smiled warmly and extended both hands in greeting.
Fang Yuan smiled as she shook hands with him. “Thank you, Director Lin. I hope you’ll give me plenty of guidance in the future.”
“Good, good.” Looking at the young doctor before him, her twin braids framing a face as bright and lovely as a blooming flower, Director Lin turned to Director Chen and said, “Our hospital brought in two female doctors this year, didn’t it? That has really increased the number of women doctors here. Excellent. It shows that more and more women are joining the medical profession, and that’s a very positive development.”
Director Chen nodded. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, though his stern expression remained unchanged.
“Doctor Jiang’s clinic still isn’t finished?” Director Chen asked as he noticed Fang Yuan already wearing her white coat and waiting there. It seemed she had already completed all of her onboarding procedures.
“I believe so. I just arrived as well.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the door to Outpatient Room Three opened. Three or four people came out. After giving a few final instructions to his patients, a man in a white coat looked up, noticed Director Lin’s group, and walked over with a smile.
“You still have a few patients waiting here?” Director Chen asked.
“My morning clinic has already finished.” Doctor Jiang glanced at the few patients waiting in the hallway. “Those patients have been transferred to Doctor Liu.”
“Good, then let’s go inside first.” Director Chen glanced at Fang Yuan. “You come in as well.”
The group entered Outpatient Room Three. As an attending physician, Doctor Jiang had his own office, which served both as his consultation room and a place to rest.
Doctor Jiang was a lean man a little over one meter sixty in height, with thick black hair and sharp eyes.
He invited Director Lin and Director Chen to sit down. Just as he was about to make tea, Director Lin stopped him.
“Xiao Jiang, you should sit down too. Director Lin and I came to discuss something with you. There’s no need to make tea.” Director Chen pointed at Fang Yuan, who was standing to one side. “By the way, this is Doctor Fang Yuan, who reported for duty today. She’s an outstanding graduate from the Provincial Medical University. The hospital is entrusting her to your guidance, so make sure you train her well.”
Doctor Jiang looked at Fang Yuan and gave a slight nod.
Before Fang Yuan could step forward to greet him, Director Lin frowned slightly and asked, “Xiao Jiang, do you know the patient named Liang Youtian who came for treatment yesterday?”
“Yes. He was admitted through Internal Medicine. Doctor Du showed me his examination reports. After our consultation, we initially suspected that the patient has a stomach tumor. We’ll need further examinations before we can make a definitive diagnosis. However, the upcoming tests are quite expensive, and I’m afraid the patient’s family won’t be able to afford them.”
Director Lin nodded. “I met the patient’s elderly father at the hospital entrance this morning. They’re members of a production team from Linguan Township. Farming families don’t have much cash on hand. A full set of examinations costs quite a lot, and they’re really struggling to make ends meet.”
“Some of the laboratory tests can’t be performed at our hospital and have to be sent to the provincial hospital. If it’s confirmed to be a malignant tumor, our hospital has never performed a gastrectomy before. The surgery would also have to be done at the provincial hospital. That’s why we recommended that the family take him to the affiliated hospital in the provincial capital for further examination,” Doctor Jiang said.
Director Lin nodded. “Your reasoning is appropriate. But a doctor’s heart should be compassionate. When patients come to us, they’re placing their hopes in our hands. We can’t simply push them elsewhere.
According to the patient’s family, they simply don’t have the money to go to a major hospital for examinations and treatment. If we refuse to treat them, Liang Youtian’s family will have no choice but to take him home.
Given his current condition, he has no more than ten months left to live. That would mean going home to wait for death. I’ve gone to see Liang Youtian myself. He’s only in his thirties, still so young…”
“Old Lin, we understand what you mean, but you also have to consider the hospital’s actual circumstances. The expenses from the last two emergency patients we admitted are still outstanding. After all, we’re a public hospital. If treatment didn’t require medicine or cost any money, all of us doctors would gladly contribute more of our own effort to treat patients free of charge without a single complaint. But in this situation, there’s really nothing we can do.” Director Chen rested his clenched fist on his knee as he looked at Director Lin with a somewhat dim expression.
The atmosphere in the office immediately became heavy. Fang Yuan quietly stood by the window, her own mood sinking as well.
Ever since the day she chose to study medicine, she had resolved to do everything in her power to save patients. Yet sometimes, before the realities of life, passion alone simply was not enough.
“Have the patient undergo further examinations. Any tests that need to be sent to the provincial hospital should be sent. If the diagnosis is confirmed, Xiao Jiang, you’ll perform the surgery. I know that before you came to our hospital, you had already performed this type of gastrectomy.
As for the medical expenses that Old Chen is worried about, have the patient’s family obtain a certificate of financial hardship from their production team. Then we’ll submit it to the county government, and I’ll personally take it to the county finance department for approval.
The People’s Hospital exists for the people. If our farming brothers become sick and our People’s Hospital turns them away to wait for death, can we still call ourselves the People’s Hospital? I believe both the county committee and the county government will understand. That’s settled. Notify the patient separately.”
After saying this, Director Lin stood up. Behind his black framed glasses, his eyes shone with unwavering determination as he opened the door and walked out first.
“Director Chen, this…” Doctor Jiang looked toward Director Chen.
“…We’ll hold a temporary meeting this afternoon to discuss it. Director Lin is leading this matter, but we’ll still need unanimous agreement from the Party Secretary and the heads of every department in the hospital. In the meantime, you should start preparing. If it’s approved, this surgery will still be entrusted to you.”
“Alright!” Doctor Jiang replied readily. As a surgeon, an opportunity to perform a major operation like this was exactly what he had been hoping for.
Director Chen let out a sigh. He looked at Fang Yuan and said, “Study well under Doctor Jiang.”
After Director Lin and Director Chen left one after the other, Doctor Jiang asked Fang Yuan about her internship experience and instructed her to begin working with him in the surgical outpatient clinic starting the following day.