Chapter 46: Is it getting harder? (2)

"Let's go! Director! I'll lead the way!"

Exactly two hours later, Suhyuk appeared, his face brimming with unprecedented confidence as he shouted to Director Lee Hyun-jong.

Seeing this, Director Lee Hyun-jong felt a bit complicated.

'Oh right... This kid is a bit strange.'

Once, Hyun-jong had run away from Suhyuk, who was always on the streets.

He was afraid that Suhyuk might suddenly snap and do something drastic.

Then, he ended up here after receiving a notice at the golf course.

Now, seeing Suhyuk's extraordinary appearance again, he felt a bit uneasy.

Director Lee Hyun-jong wasn't just showing this unease for no reason.

He had actually witnessed his professor during residency being stabbed with a knife.

By a senior who was a fellow and a doctoral student.

'I'm not as cruel as that professor, right? ...Right?'

Of course, that professor was as bad as the devil incarnate.

Compared to him, Hyun-jong was an angel.

Absolutely, he was on the cruel side.

Anyway, what Hyun-jong was most concerned about now was the bulging pocket of Suhyuk's gown.

"Um, what's in there? A scalpel? Scissors?"

"No, no, it's not."

"Oh, take it out... Ah, it's a pad?"

"Yes. It's small, so it fits in the gown pocket. I found it useful when making lecture materials before."

"Ah, I see. Good. I'm relieved."

"Huh?"

'What's there to be relieved about?' Suhyuk's face showed this question, but Hyun-jong deliberately ignored it.

"No, no. Let's go. The students are waiting."

"Yes!"

The medical school was just a 10-minute walk from the hospital building.

This was because the main campus of TaeHwa University had moved the medical school separately to the side of the hospital, except for the pre-med years.

It was possible because, except for the pre-med years, medical students had to follow a fixed curriculum like high school.

"It's been a while."

After entering the hospital, Suhyuk started walking down a path he hadn't walked since his internship, his face showing a nostalgic expression.

"Is this your first time coming to the hospital?"

Lee Hyun-jong responded immediately, partly to break the silence and partly because he felt a bit embarrassed about his earlier unease.

"Yes, I hardly ever had a reason to leave the hospital."

"Indeed. Our hospital's internship is quite tough. But back in my day..."

And soon, he made Suhyuk regret ever starting the conversation.

It was a spicy trip down memory lane, and Suhyuk was still stuck in his third month of internship even as he entered the fourth-year lecture room.

"I'll tell you the rest later."

[Please say no. Please.]

Even Baruda was rolling his eyes.

Suhyuk also completely agreed with Baruda's opinion but knew he couldn't do that.

To Suhyuk, Director Lee Hyun-jong had become a father-like figure.

"Yes, Professor. I'm really looking forward to it."

"Good. Everyone liked my stories."

His words made one wonder if Suhyuk would have reacted the same way even if Hyun-jong wasn't the director.

But instead of voicing this thought, Suhyuk sat down at the computer next to the lecture room.

It was the seat where residents often sat when following the professor.

Of course, he wasn't there to give a lecture.

He was there to flip the PPT slides.

For a doctor to do such a menial task.

One might think it's a waste of talent.

But such things are common in university hospitals.

"Ah, senior is here?"

Just as Suhyuk was connecting his pad to the monitor, Woo Ha-yoon, sitting in the front row, spoke up.

She seemed to be very studious, as if to prove she wasn't the professor's daughter.

"Ah, yes."

"But Professor Lee Hyun-jong always comes alone. What's today's lecture about?"

"Ah..."

Suhyuk tilted his head, unsure of what to say.

Then, Lee Hyun-jong interjected.

"Tsk! No cheating!"

As usual, he cut off the conversation abruptly.

Ha-yoon, who had no idea what was going on, was startled and moved back.

But she wasn't scared.

She had known Director Lee Hyun-jong since she was young and knew his personality well.

"Cheating?"

"Yes. No cheating."

Still, she had no idea what he meant.

One thing was clear.

It was difficult to have a proper conversation in this state.

Lee Hyun-jong was that kind of person.

Whirr.

Meanwhile, Suhyuk's pad screen was connected to the monitor, and the monitor was connected to the projector.

The PPT title that appeared on the screen was as follows:

"A 63-year-old male patient who presented with dyspnea for the past 3 days."

Seeing this title, Professor Lee Hyun-jong smiled faintly.

'Of course. A first-year... It's hard to make a proper case.'

The title was too similar to the PBL problem Suhyuk had solved over the weekend.

Only the duration of dyspnea and the age were different.

So, with a slightly less enthusiastic voice, he began.

"We'll discuss the PBL from the weekend in the next class. For the third class, let's do a PBL on this case. Are you sitting in groups now?"

"No, Professor."

The class representative raised his hand and responded.

At this, Lee Hyun-jong waved his hand.

"Then sit in groups. Right now."

"Yes, Professor."

By the time students reached their fourth year, they were no longer just students.

They knew how much power hospital professors had through their clinical practice.

Moreover, Lee Hyun-jong was not just a professor but the director.

The seat change was carried out in a manner that perfectly fit the phrase "swift and orderly."

"Good. Let's start. Read through the given case and discuss what tests should be done. Ah, today's PBL will be led by Resident Suhyuk. You know, he's a senior."

"Yes!"

Not many, but a few nodded.

Among them was Ha-yoon, of course.

"Alright, let's start. Suhyuk, go ahead."

"Yes, Professor."

At the director's words, Suhyuk slowly stood up, leaning on his cane.

Some who had heard the rumors started murmuring.

"He was in an accident, right? It's true."

"Wow... His leg... Can he still be a resident?"

"He can, that's why he's a first-year."

Of course, the murmurs weren't loud enough to disturb Suhyuk's lecture.

"First, the current medical history."

Suhyuk moved to the next slide of the PPT.

A very dense page appeared.

"The patient has been taking oral hypoglycemic agents since being diagnosed with diabetes 20 years ago. Two weeks ago, he had a cough, sputum, and a runny nose, which improved without any specific medication after a week. Three days ago, he started experiencing dyspnea even at rest, and one day ago, he developed dyspnea when lying down, leading to his visit to our emergency room."

"Hmm?"

Director Lee Hyun-jong, who had expected something similar to the previous PBL problem, tilted his head unconsciously.

The current medical history was too different.

'Diabetes... There was an infection, and now dyspnea?'

Moreover, he was giving out clues that piqued interest.

Naturally, Director Lee Hyun-jong turned his body, which had been facing the students, to look at the screen.

"The patient has been taking Vildagliptin and Gliclazide for diabetes. You might not know much about these medications yet, but to put it simply, they are both types of insulin secretagogues. Ah, Vildagliptin is mainly used in patients with reduced kidney function."

The explanation was concise and accurate.

Thanks to this, the students, as well as Hyun-jong, began to immerse themselves in the case.

The medications used were so realistic.

"At the time of admission, the patient complained of dyspnea and orthopnea, but no chest pain or palpitations."

At this point, the students nodded in understanding.

But Professor Lee Hyun-jong had an idea of what problem Suhyuk was trying to present.

'There's a trap.'

No chest pain or palpitations.

Upon hearing this, there were a few diseases one would want to rule out immediately.

Myocardial infarction, angina, or arrhythmia.

The most serious conditions related to the heart.

Anyway, the screen moved on, and Suhyuk continued.

"Physical examination revealed crackles in the lower lobes of both lungs and edema in both calves."

At this point, any doctor would normally think of at least one disease.

Of course, the students sitting here were none other than fourth-year students of TaeHwa Medical School, so a few nodded.

They all had one diagnosis in mind.

'Pulmonary edema?'

Suhyuk, anticipating that they might be thinking this, moved to the next slide.

The screen, contrary to the students' expectations, was empty.

"Alright, if this patient came in, what tests would you want to do? Please submit your answers in groups within 5 minutes."

"Yes!"

These were students who were passionate about studying, so they immediately started discussing.

Each group had a leader, and Woo Ha-yoon was one of them.

"First, the lungs. There must be fluid in the lungs. Let's do a chest X-ray."

"We should also do blood tests. What about BNP? It should be significantly elevated if it's pulmonary edema."

"Ah, right. And let's do the basic tests."

This was the typical discussion in each group.

[Was it a bit difficult?]

'You'll see.'

Suhyuk nodded slightly and smiled.

Director Lee Hyun-jong seemed