A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 39

The Martial Surgeon – Episode 39

Chapter 8: Emergency Medicine (1)

Jun-hoo sat in a lotus position, practicing his breathing techniques.

Ever since he awakened to his life in the Murim world [a world of martial arts and cultivation, often depicted in Korean fantasy novels].

Breathing techniques had been Jun-hoo’s reliable partner.

Relieving physical fatigue and stress.

It also played a significant role in accumulating internal energy, a power that others couldn’t use.

Through several years of breathing exercises, Jun-hoo had accumulated a considerable amount of internal energy.

If he were to fully unleash his abilities, he would be considered a psychic by others.

However, that would obviously cause social disruption.

So, he was carefully controlling his power.

Jun-hoo finished his breathing exercises and sat at his desk.

On the desk was the red ginseng packaging he had used earlier.

These days, he was taking both nutritional supplements and red ginseng.

Red ginseng had the effect of enhancing internal energy, similar to the “Chongmyeongtang” [a traditional herbal medicine believed to enhance concentration and memory] he took in high school.

Jun-hoo threw away the red ginseng packaging and quickly scanned the anatomy files.

The files summarized the lessons from the Jianghu [another term for the Murim world, often referring to the community of martial artists], and were one of Jun-hoo’s treasures.

“Jun-hoo, come eat.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Jun-hoo heard his mother’s voice and went to the living room.

He had breakfast with his parents.

Even though it was an ordinary daily routine, he felt a strange sense of melancholy.

Every moment felt precious.

The meals he enjoyed with his parents would soon become an annual event.

Because the hospital is home to interns and residents.

But that didn’t mean he could give up his dream of becoming an excellent surgeon.

He couldn’t live solely for his parents just because they were precious to him, could he?

A fully grown bird must leave the nest.

That was the law of nature.

Instead, Jun-hoo kept his parents’ images deep in his heart.

So he could take them out and look at them anytime.

“It’s a shame we won’t be able to see your face often. Your patients’ health is important, but take good care of your own health too.”

“Call often and eat well.”

During the meal.

His parents regretted and worried about their separation from Jun-hoo.

“You too. Don’t skip your nutritional supplements just because I’m not there. Get a health checkup once a year. And tell me right away if you feel uncomfortable anywhere.”

“Look at this guy, nagging even on the day he leaves?”

“Who can stop Jun-hoo?”

Jun-hoo’s parents each had something to say about his nagging.

“I’ll be back. I’ll contact you as often as possible.”

Jun-hoo shared a hug with his parents and left the house.

As he left the apartment complex and waited in front of the station, a woman approached.

A high school classmate and college classmate.

Now, Ah-young, who had become an intern at the same hospital.

Jun-hoo had received a call from Ah-young last night, suggesting they go to work together.

“It’s good to see you’re still the same.”

“Huh? What?”

“Your unchanging love for bread.”

Jun-hoo chuckled and pointed to the bread in Ah-young’s hand.

Ah-young was eating a steamed bun instead of breakfast on her way to work.

“Love is always constant.”

“Don’t you like bakeries? Why steamed buns today of all days?”

“I suddenly wanted to eat steamed buns today. By any chance, Jun-hoo, what kind of steamed buns do you like?”

“If I had to choose, the ones with red bean paste?”

At Jun-hoo’s answer, Ah-young tilted her head. Her expression seemed to say, ‘What’s so good about red bean paste steamed buns?’

“Vegetable and pizza steamed buns are heretical. They’re steamed buns that have deviated from the norm.”

“Are you targeting me right now?”

Ah-young narrowed her eyes.

The steamed bun Ah-young was eating was a vegetable steamed bun.

“Targeting? I’m just stating my preference.”

“Jun-hoo, you’re the one who doesn’t know anything. If you’re going to eat red bean paste steamed buns, you should eat steamed bread, which is the superior version.”

“Then if you’re going to eat vegetable steamed buns, shouldn’t you eat dumplings?”

“What? Are you trying to fight me with bread?”

Jun-hoo bickered with Ah-young as they moved to the station.

Since it was the first day, the steamed bun debate didn’t last long.

The two people’s topic shifted to the brilliantly launched intern life.

The excitement, anticipation, worry, and anxiety of the first day of work.

Various episodes they had heard from their seniors.

The difficulties of dealing with patients, and so on.

Jun-hoo was mostly in the position of listening rather than speaking.

Jun-hoo’s feelings were not as complicated as Ah-young’s.

As a member of the Murim Alliance [a governing body or association of martial artists in the Murim world], he had experienced and overcome incidents as desperate and intense as those in a hospital.

After traveling for about 40 minutes, they arrived at Shinwon University Hospital.

Undoubtedly one of the Big 3 hospitals [the top three most prestigious hospitals in South Korea].

A public hospital and the hospital with the most patients in Korea.

The remodeled hospital building was fancy and sophisticated from the outside.

People working in different departments were flocking to the main gate like ants.

“We can do well, right?”

“No problem. With your skills and mine.”

Jun-hoo encouraged Ah-young and moved to the CSR (Central Supply Room).

After receiving his doctor’s gown and pager, he parted ways with Ah-young.

Interns rotate through various departments to explore their major, and Jun-hoo’s first department was emergency medicine.

* * *

Buzz.

As he approached, the emergency room door opened automatically.

The atmosphere in the emergency room was surprisingly peaceful.

There didn’t seem to be many patients waiting for treatment, and the staff seemed more relaxed than urgent.

Perhaps it was because they were exhausted from working all night.

However, due to the nature of emergency medicine, it was impossible to know when and what variables would occur and change the atmosphere.

The emergency room was like a dormant volcano.

You never knew when the lava would erupt.

‘Finally, I’m debuting as a doctor.’

Jun-hoo looked around the emergency room, filled with emotion.

He obtained his medical license.

Wore a doctor’s gown.

And finally started working as a doctor. Others wouldn’t know how long he had waited for this day.

Treat patients with sincerity.

Fully utilize the medical knowledge he had cultivated so far and the experiences and abilities he had accumulated in the Murim world, and so on.

Jun-hoo sharply focused his reason and emotion.

He also recalled his initial intention to become a surgeon.

Although he couldn’t help those who were painfully collapsing in the Murim world, he would save them all in the modern world.

“Hello. I’m an intern who will be working in the emergency department starting today.”

Jun-hoo moved to the nearest station (a desk where doctors and nurses work) and greeted the nurses.

“Hello, Doctor.”

“Wow, Doctor, you’re so handsome?”

One nurse directly praised Jun-hoo’s appearance.

It was Nurse Seo Min-jeong.

“Hahaha. I hear that often. I look forward to working with you.”

As he was greeting the nurses, a young man approached Jun-hoo.

A slender young man wearing glasses.

The young man’s gown read Yoon Seong-min, Emergency Medicine.

“Wow, the drunkard was our department’s first turn [the first intern to rotate through the department in a given period]?”

“Hello, Senior.”

Seong-min was a year ahead of him in medical school, and was one of the seniors who had passed out after drinking with Jun-hoo during orientation.

So he remembered his name and face.

“Aren’t you a little late for work? The friend you’re working with has already arrived.”

Seong-min pointed to one of the tables.

Myeong-hoon, a classmate from medical school, had already arrived and was looking at something.

“Take an example from your friend. Huh? He comes early and studies, how good is that?”

Listening to Seong-min’s words, Jun-hoo snorted inwardly.

Because his intentions were too obvious.

Come to work early and help with chores.
The previous worker will leave work early if you come to work early, and so on.

Seong-min was subtly trying to pressure Jun-hoo into doing more than his fair share.

“Yes. I understand.”

Jun-hoo answered casually for now.

It was the first day of his internship.

It was a priority to understand the working environment and the tendencies of the people he worked with.

Addressing the unfairness was something to do later.

Jun-hoo greeted Myeong-hoon and sat next to him.

“I won’t say it twice, so open your ears and listen carefully. Working in the emergency department is like this.”

Seong-min’s work explanation continued.

The intern’s working hours are 24 hours on duty, 24 hours off.

Patient care and patient classification.

Writing duty logs and handover notes.

He said that there were treatments for emergency room inpatients, and so on.

“Do you know what the most important task in the emergency department is? Jun-hoo, tell me.”

Seong-min pointed at Jun-hoo and asked.

His tone implied that he was displeased that he had come to work only 10 minutes earlier than his shift.

“Traffic control.”

“What is traffic control?”

“It’s the job of contacting the on-duty department according to the patient’s disease after seeing the patient.”

“Give me a specific example.”

“You shouldn’t call the thoracic surgery department unconditionally just because the patient says their chest hurts. Chest pain can also be felt due to reflux esophagitis or gastritis.”

“…….”

“In short, I think differential diagnosis is key.”

Jun-hoo’s answer was clear.

Since there was nothing to find fault with, Seong-min scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

‘Ha, this guy is not easy?’

“Yes. Jun-hoo, you’re right. The emergency department is where you get cursed if you don’t make the right on-call.”

“…….”

“Don’t call mindlessly, keep thinking. Think before you pick up the phone. Think after you pick up the phone. Think while you’re dialing the number. Got it?”

“Yes, Senior.”

“Yes, Senior.”

After the work introduction, Seong-min took Jun-hoo and Myeong-hoon around the emergency room.

He formally introduced the two to the emergency room staff.

After the introduction, Jun-hoo lightly tapped his cheeks.

He also smoothed out his gown, which was still stiff because it hadn’t been broken in yet.

Now he really felt like a doctor.

“Seo Jun-hoo, I’ll watch you from the side, so try your first treatment. Patient number 981024, patient Kim Soon-hee.”

“Yes.”

Before starting the full-scale treatment, Jun-hoo first checked the patient’s chart.

The patient had no history of hospitalization or outpatient treatment.

There was no record of emergency room visits.

It seemed that he would have to find out through questioning whether the patient had any underlying diseases or what their family history was.

Jun-hoo moved to Zone 3, where non-emergency patients were gathered.

A woman in her 60s was sitting on a bed, and a woman who appeared to be her daughter was by her side.

First treatment with the first patient.

‘I’ll solve it neatly.’

“Hello. Are you patient Kim Soon-hee?”

“Yes.”

“What’s bothering you that you came here?”

“I’m tired. I feel chilly and nauseous.”

“When did you start feeling sick?”

“I think it’s been about a week.”

Jun-hoo gradually collected information about the patient through questioning.

It was necessary to filter out some of the information, but the information coming from the patient’s mouth was often decisive.

“Excuse me. But Doctor.”

The guardian next to her suddenly joined the conversation.

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“Could the doctor behind you see her instead of you?”

The guardian’s gaze briefly lingered on Seong-min.

“You’re an intern, right? I’d like to be treated by a resident doctor if possible.”

The guardian seemed to know a little about the hospital situation.

There was a saying that you shouldn’t go to the emergency room in March.

This was because rookie interns often made mistakes while treating patients in the emergency room.

That was exactly what the guardian was worried about.

But Jun-hoo couldn’t back down like this.

If he took a step back here, he might have to keep backing down.

“I fully understand your concerns. I know you don’t trust me because I’m an intern.”

“…….”

“But there is no doctor who becomes a resident without going through an internship.”

“…….”

“According to what you’re saying, all Korean doctors might have to stay as interns.”

“I know that… but I’m still anxious.”

“The resident doctor behind me is watching. He will point out anything I do wrong right away.”

Jun-hoo persuaded the guardian with his unique way of speaking.

Although there hadn’t been much to stand out so far, Jun-hoo was also skilled in rhetoric.

What is one of the things that the Murim orthodox sects value?

Isn’t it justification?

Justification is a harmony of logic, evidence, and argument, and you had to be good at speaking in order to assert justification.

Jun-hoo, who came from an orthodox sect, was naturally good at speaking.

“Do you feel a little relieved now?”

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry. I was too rude.”

The guardian quickly bowed her head and expressed her apologies.

She was persuaded by Jun-hoo’s rhetoric.

Then all that’s left is to diagnose the patient and prescribe medication…

When Jun-hoo looked at it primarily.

The patient seemed to have a simple cold.

A slight fever of 37.4 degrees Celsius and body aches.

Symptoms such as chills and nausea were typical cold symptoms.

Considering that many patients visit the emergency room for colds, simple abdominal pain, and disinfection of wounds.

It was not strange for the patient to have a cold.

But Jun-hoo did not make a diagnosis easily.

[Assume the worst-case scenario. Doubt and doubt again. There is no such thing as being careless in dealing with life.]

A sentence from a medical essay he had read came to mind.

What diseases have symptoms similar to a cold but are more dangerous than a cold?

“Seo Jun-hoo, is this patient going to take that long? Hurry it up?”

Seong-min, who was watching Jun-hoo, nagged in a whisper.

He meant to prescribe medicine and send her away because she was a cold patient.

But Jun-hoo did not bend his beliefs.

He carefully checked the patient’s symptoms one more time and examined the patient’s face, skin, and body.

The effort was not in vain.

Jun-hoo discovered a crucial clue that the patient did not have a simple cold.