Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 171

Dr. A Doctor Who Sees a Fresh Future – Episode 171

#171 The Place He Heads To (2)

October’s first day.

The days are getting shorter, and dawn is barely breaking.

I headed to my new workplace with Geun-wook.

Step, step—

We walked side by side down the hallway leading to the main building, bickering.

“You annoying jerk. Are you following me around?”

“Who’s talking.”

“We’re roommates, and this is the third time we have the same schedule. What are the odds?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Oh, maybe we’re~ in a complicated relationship~”

“Stop it.”

I raised my hand to block Kim Geun-wook from singing in his sweet voice.

This month.

I ended up rotating in the same department as Geun-wook.

Originally, we had different schedules, but after some shuffling, we overlapped once again.

It was strange that such a coincidence happened among over 100 interns.

“Still, it won’t be boring for a month!”

“Either way, you and I are in counter wards [covering each other’s duties during shifts], so we’ll be taking turns being off, right?”

“But we’ll still see each other a lot, going back and forth, right? If I have any difficulties, I’ll call you, Seon-han, so help me out!”

“No way. Get lost.”

“I am~ your eternal friend~”

Kim Geun-wook starts singing sweetly again and tries to cling to me.

Disgusting, man!

I quickly moved away from him.

“But seriously, help me out. I’m in a crisis in my hospital life these days.”

“Why?”

“How should I put it… I’m getting used to intern jobs, and there’s nothing new, so… I’ve lost sight of what kind of doctor I wanted to be, should I say?”

“Mannerism?”

“Yeah, that.”

Geun-wook snapped his fingers at my words.

Mannerism.

Originally, it was a term used in art history.

It refers to the phenomenon of becoming fixed and lacking new stimuli due to being accustomed to routine.

Geun-wook seemed to be caught in such mannerism right now.

“I was taken aback when I went to do an ABGA [arterial blood gas analysis] last month. I saw myself trying to draw blood like a machine without much conversation with the patient and immediately leave. My skills have become much faster, but at some point, my initial desire to become a humane doctor was disappearing.”

I smiled bitterly and felt like I could understand Geun-wook to some extent.

Isn’t that how work is?

Everyone starts with *chosim* [初心, original intention] at first.

However, people change.

At some point, as work becomes more familiar, they become negligent in the basics.

They get swayed by work, and sometimes they get devoured by it.

Eventually, they reach the point of asking, ‘Why was I doing this again?’

Although still an intern, it was something that could happen enough, having experienced many things intensively in a year.

“*Mulmangchosim* [勿忘初心, Always keep the original intention]…”

Geun-wook hummed the end of his sentence like an old man.

“Still, we enter a new department every month. This month is especially a new world, so let’s adapt well.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Exactly.”

.

Commonly known as the children’s department. One of the major departments: internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics.

In other words, it’s a rotation that many interns inevitably have to go through.

‘Maybe this month will be the most challenging.’

I steeled myself.

Because the interns who had gone through pediatrics so far had all said the same thing in their reviews.

As they said, it doesn’t seem easy at all.

However, on the other hand, I was looking forward to what kind of experience I could gain, as pediatric care was said to be a completely different field.

Ding—

Geun-wook and I got off the elevator on the same floor and split up.

I went west, and Geun-wook went east.

“Good luck!”

“Yeah, you too.”

I headed to my new workplace.

9th floor, West ward, pediatrics.

The decorations and colors of the ward station were different from the adult wards.

Anyone could tell as soon as they entered the ward.

“Hello!”

“Yes, hello.”

As always, I gave a brief greeting to the nurses in the ward and sat down.

There were already several tasks listed in the intern task window that I checked after logging into the EMR [Electronic Medical Record] system.

‘These are the things I need to prioritize today.’

Dressing.

EKG [Electrocardiogram].

Accompanying MRI examination.

Assisting with Spinal tapping [Lumbar puncture].

etc.

I quickly checked the piled-up tasks.

At that time, the resident doctor appeared with a cheerful voice.

“Good morning~!”

Pediatrics 3rd year, Dr. Kang Ha-ni.

A youthful face.

Overall, she had a gentle impression, but I could also feel a firm energy like a pebble.

I quickly got up and greeted her.

“Hello!”

“Yes, hello~!”

Her voice is unique.

How should I describe it…

A kindergarten teacher? An amusement park worker?

She was a doctor with that high-tension tone ingrained in her.

“I’m this month’s intern, Shin Seon-han.”

“Wow, Dr. Seon-han! I’ve heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you~!”

She said that and reached out her hands to shake mine.

…What is this feeling?

I suddenly feel like I’ve regressed to a kindergartener.

It was exactly that pose from children’s programs when they say, .

“Did you receive the handover well?”

“Yes, I heard that I’ll be assisting with a bone marrow biopsy at 8 AM, and after that, I can take care of the piled-up task list. And I was told that I need to respond quickly to calls because the examination accompaniment needs to be done while the child is asleep.”

“Wow, that’s right! Good job~!”

…What? Is this something to be praised for?

Dr. Kang Ha-ni was someone who had big reactions ingrained in her, even for trivial things.

Is it because she’s been dealing with young patients for a long time?

Of course, not all pediatricians are like that, so it’s probably just this doctor’s personality.

“Then, intern doctor, do your best this month. Fighting!”

“Yes, thank you!”

I feel like I can work enjoyably this month for some reason.

With Dr. Kang Ha-ni’s energetic support, my pediatrics intern life began.

* * *

This is a phrase written on the first page of the textbook ‘Hong Chang-eui Pediatrics,’ which every medical student and doctor in Korea has seen.

Translated directly, it means .