Chapter 9: Genius (3)

At Suhyuk's words, the two people in front of him looked at him with expressions of confusion, wondering what he was talking about.

Psittacosis was an extremely rare disease.

It is a respiratory disease that infects humans from birds like parrots, and if not properly treated, it can even be fatal.

However, it was not uncommon for a doctor to go through their entire career without ever encountering a single case.

'Is this... right?'

Naturally, even Suhyuk, who had uttered the name of the disease, did not have complete confidence.

[99% sure.]

But Baruda's opinion was different.

His computational ability had not only calculated the information of each patient but also incorporated epidemiological relationships.

As a result, the most likely disease was indeed psittacosis.

'Well... I have to believe it. What choice do I have?'

Suhyuk was also in a situation where he could not think of any other disease.

While Suhyuk was nodding silently, Baruda continued.

[I recommend starting treatment with tetracycline antibiotics.]

'Doxycycline?'

[Yes.]

'Of course, but... '

Suhyuk did not have the authority to change antibiotics at will.

After all, antibiotics are medications that can significantly affect a patient's prognosis.

'I need permission.'

This was especially true for psittacosis.

Before the development of doxycycline, the mortality rate was between 15% and 20%.

Now, if diagnosed correctly and in time, the mortality rate can be reduced to less than 1%.

However, even then, deaths still occurred due to misdiagnosis and the use of inappropriate antibiotics.

There was no hospital that would entrust such an important medication to a first-year resident.

'Hmm...'

In principle, a first-year resident should consult a second-year resident.

'Ah, I don't want to...'

The second-year resident currently in charge of Suhyuk was Hwang Seon-woo.

The same guy who had called Suhyuk a lunatic and kicked his senior's shin.

But if he changed the medication without permission and got caught, he could really be in trouble.

Whether it was the right decision or not.

That's how hospitals worked.

Ding.

So, with a heavy heart, Suhyuk called Hwang Seon-woo.

"Hey, Suhyuk."

Strangely, Hwang Seon-woo's voice sounded quite welcoming.

'Is he on drugs?'

While thinking of this, Suhyuk recalled the words he had prepared.

"Yes, sir. I'm calling to report a patient, do you have a moment?"

This was the optimal tone for reporting a patient, honed from being bullied by various residents during his internship.

"Tell me, who is it?"

Was it because of this, or was Hwang Seon-woo really crazy? His tone was unusually gentle.

Suhyuk continued, wondering if someone had drugged him.

"Kim Jin-cheol, a 49-year-old male patient. I suspect psittacosis and think we need to change the antibiotics."

"Psittacosis...?"

Unfortunately, Hwang Seon-woo was a second-year resident who had little interest in studying.

Of course, being a second-year internal medicine resident was a very busy time.

Still, one would usually study the relevant parts of the patients they were seeing.

This guy, however, only studied what the professors threw at him during rounds.

"Yes, sir."

"Hmm."

Naturally, he had no idea what psittacosis was.

'This bastard really...'

After all, the most annoying people are those who ask you to explain something they don't know.

Suhyuk wanted to hang up and tell him to come up, but...

Suhyuk was not just a first-year resident; he was a royal.

With the backing of both the hospital director and the department head.

The chief had even said, "Touch him and you're dead."

In this situation, Hwang Seon-woo had few options.

'It's still early for the department head to be in the hospital.'

It was already past 9 PM.

At a place like Tae-hwa Medical Center, especially in the internal medicine department, the department head practically lived in the hospital.

"Sorry, Suhyuk. I'm in the ICU. Can you report to the department head directly? He's in the hospital, so you can call him on the internal line."

"Ah..."

Having a first-year resident report to the department head.

Suhyuk thought this guy was a real bastard.

But as a subordinate, this was an unavoidable situation.

'Besides, if I report well, it could be a huge gain.'

[You really have ulterior motives.]

'You, be quiet.'

So, he hung up and called Dr. Shin Hyun-tae, the department head.

Vroom.

As Hwang Seon-woo had predicted, Dr. Shin Hyun-tae was in the hospital.

However, he was in the director's office, not his own.

They were holding an emergency meeting about Suhyuk.

"I've already told the media that he's recovered and has started his duties. I told them not to come because it would interfere with patient care."

"Good job, senior. The media can be a pain..."

"Anyway, Baruda is out of commission for a while. We need to keep it as quiet as possible and start subtly."

"Is that how it's done in the electronic world?"

"They're the most eager. They want to sell this thing worldwide."

"Hmm."

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae nodded, then recalled what had happened during the rounds.

"But, he really seems smart. I've never seen a first-year resident who knows about Wells' syndrome."

"He's smart, but he's a weirdo. He was looking at strange things earlier."

"No, really. You still don't understand my intuition."

"Intuition? We're five years apart."

"We're getting old together. And he's a third-year student. There's not much age difference."

"Trying to act like you're the same. Hey, take the call. Who is it at this hour?"

"Huh?"

At the director's words, Dr. Shin Hyun-tae searched his lab coat pocket.

Sure enough, the phone was vibrating fiercely.

It was an unknown number, but it was an internal line.

He had to answer it.

"This is Dr. Shin Hyun-tae from Internal Medicine."

"Hello, professor! I'm a first-year resident, Suhyuk."

A first-year resident calling the internal medicine department head.

If the military discipline wasn't strict, it would be an unusual situation.

Perhaps because of this, Suhyuk's voice, heard through the phone, echoed loudly enough to fill the entire director's office.

"Hey, hey. You weirdo. Calling and shouting at this hour. If I tell you to come, don't come. Are you itching for a fight?"

The director shook his head and moved back slightly.

But Dr. Shin Hyun-tae couldn't do that.

Since the call had come in.

"Yes, wh... what is it?"

"I'm calling to report a patient. Do you have a moment?"

"Hmm, sure. Go ahead."

Sure enough, the well-honed script from being bullied by various residents was effective.

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae pointed at the phone, indicating, "See, he's not a weirdo."

"Male patient, 49 years old, Kim Jin-cheol. I suspect psittacosis and would like to change the current amoxicillin to tetracycline. What do you think?"

"Psittacosis...?"

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae tilted his head, like Hwang Seon-woo had.

Not because he didn't know the disease, but because he was curious why it had come up out of the blue.

"Yes, professor."

"Why do you think that?"

In internal medicine, "why" is very important.

Even if the diagnosis is wrong, if the reasoning is sound, it can be overlooked.

'Here we go.'

Suhyuk, who knew this, took a deep breath and continued.

"The patient has developed breathing difficulties and coughing. The chest X-ray taken upon admission showed increased shadows in the left lower lung, and the blood test indicated signs of bacterial infection, consistent with bacterial pneumonia."

"Go on."

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae nodded and pointed at the phone again.

The director, who had been standing back, was now closer, drawn in by Suhyuk's clear and confident report.

"Simultaneously, the patient's caregiver, Oh Jin-kyung, a 49-year-old female, also showed similar symptoms around the same time and was examined in the emergency room today. The results were similar."

"Huh? How did you know that?"

"I heard the caregiver coughing when I went to take the patient's history."

"Hmm... So?"

"However, the patient's daughter, Kim Se-hee, who had contact with the two patients when they started showing symptoms, has shown no symptoms and no abnormal findings in the tests."

"Ah."

A well-structured report can be as engaging as a well-crafted detective story for an internal medicine doctor.

The pleasure of piecing together scattered clues to point to a single diagnosis.

This is what makes internal medicine so rewarding.

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae was now nodding with a smile.

"So, what do you think?"

"I concluded that it could be a zoonotic disease. In fact, Kim Jin-cheol and Oh Jin-kyung keep a parrot at home. If it's psittacosis, it explains why the primary contacts, Kim Jin-cheol and Oh Jin-kyung, are infected, but the secondary contact, Kim Se-hee, is not. Therefore, I suspect psittacosis."

"Wait a minute."

"Yes, professor."

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae covered the phone and looked at the director.

His face said, "I was right, wasn't I?" The director couldn't deny it.

These days, a report of this level would be rare even from a third-year resident, let alone a first-year.

"Amazing, right? His logic is solid."

"Just a coincidence."

But the director's opinion of Suhyuk remained unchanged.

"He seems capable enough to handle the case discussion next week."

"Don't be ridiculous. Are you crazy?"

The case discussion at Tae-hwa Hospital was attended not only by Tae-hwa Hospital staff but also by doctors from other hospitals.

It was like a small conference.

Therefore, it was unheard of for a first-year resident to present.

Even if they managed to present, they would likely be grilled with questions and humiliated.

So, the director's reaction was understandable.

"What's the problem? He has a perfect grasp of the patient. His logic is solid."

"No way. If he makes a mistake, it will be a disaster."

"Hmm..."

"No way."

"Understood. Why are you so serious?"

Dr. Shin Hyun-tae uncovered the phone and continued.

"Alright. Change the medication to tetracycline."

"Yes, professor. Thank you."

"Um..."

"Yes."

"No, good job. You're on duty tomorrow, right? If you have any reports, call me. It's fine."

"Ah... Yes, professor. Thank you."