Chapter 82, Part 2: I Am an Intern (2)

'Busy, so busy.'

I was on my way to Sinchon on the subway.

I had appointments scheduled for both lunchtime and dinnertime today.

The lunch appointment was related to a new connection, while the dinner appointment was related to an old one.

Both were important and precious to me.

I was quite pleased with the tight schedule.

Having successfully completed the intern interview, my medical career was just around the corner.

From now on, the place I would be staying would be the hospital, not my home, and the people I would meet would be patients or hospital staff.

A battlefield where life, aging, illness, and death intersect and mingle.

This moment of enjoying daily life would probably be the last for a while before entering that battlefield.

I needed to enjoy this moment to the fullest.

While walking from the subway to the Chinese restaurant where the appointment was, I recalled an event from a few days ago.

It was a drinking party at Nam Chorong's house with her friends.

Perhaps because it was her own home, she felt comfortable and opened up about her inner thoughts, which she usually didn't do.

Surprisingly, Nam Chorong said she admired me.

"Admire? Not love?"

"Don't tease me. It's a bit different from romantic feelings."

When Kwon Areum teased her, Nam Chorong continued, blushing.

"I want to be a person like you. Someone who can be relied on, someone who makes others feel secure."

"..."

"I've always relied on others since I was young. On my family and friends."

Nam Chorong described herself as a passive person.

Her admission to medical school was entirely due to her parents' recommendation, and even her hobbies and living alone were influenced by others' opinions.

It was the first time I heard this story.

It was a shocking story.

I had always thought Nam Chorong was a very capable girl.

Since she mentioned that her passive nature was a concern, I offered some advice, perhaps overstepping my bounds.

"In my opinion, Chorong, you need to be a bit more selfish."

"Selfish?"

"Maybe you don't express your opinions or assert yourself because you don't want to hurt others."

"..."

"It's good to care for others, but sometimes you should make choices just for yourself. If you are true to yourself, others will want to rely on you."

After giving this advice, I felt a bit embarrassed.

Through the miracle of regression, I had finally become a person.

In my original life, I wasn't mature enough to give such advice.

"To get what I want, I need to be a bit more selfish."

With this thought, I arrived at the appointment location.

I told the server that I had a reservation in a private room.

The server led the way without a word.

The sliding door opened, and two familiar men who had arrived earlier looked at me.

One was Professor Kang Min-sik from the Emergency Medicine Department.

The other was the elderly man I had treated, who was also Professor Kang Min-sik's father.

"Hello."

I bowed politely and entered the room.

Let's start the first schedule on a refreshing note.

* * *

The reason for the lunch appointment with the two men was simple.

Professor Kang Min-sik wanted to thank me for treating his father, Kang Joo-hyun, who had an asthma attack.

Thanks to Professor Kang Min-sik's order, the table was filled with high-end dishes that were usually hard to even see, let alone eat.

As we enjoyed the food and high-quality liquor, we had a comfortable conversation.

"Truly a rare friend these days. To spend so much time saving me when you have an interview coming up."

"I was also surprised when I heard about it from your father. I thought your story was just an excuse, but I never imagined you had saved your father..."

While talking, the two men spoke to me informally and treated me casually.

They also praised me endlessly, making my mouth water.

'Time has changed.'

In my previous life, I was so hungry for praise that I fell for Kang Tae-sub's sweet words, but not this time.

These days, I'm so full of praise that I feel a bit embarrassed when I hear it.

"Is your father fully recovered?"

"Of course. He had various tests at the emergency room, but there was nothing wrong."

Kang Joo-hyun continued, laughing.

"All thanks to you. Thanks to you, I was able to retire without any issues a few days ago."

"Retire? What do you mean by that?"

I was curious about the word "retirement ceremony."

It sounded grand, and I realized I didn't know what Kang Joo-hyun's profession was.

"I was a police chief. To be honest, I'm one of the few officers who rose from a patrolman to a chief."

"Wow, that's impressive."

I was genuinely impressed.

I don't know much about the police, but I know that rising from a patrolman to a chief is as rare as a camel passing through the eye of a needle.

Kang Joo-hyun must have been an exceptionally capable person.

"Since I'm feeling chatty, can I talk about myself for a moment?"

"Of course. I'd like to hear it."

I lied and nodded along with Kang Joo-hyun's words.

Kang Joo-hyun, a retired police chief...

From this new information and connection, I found a clue to solve an upcoming event.

I don't remember exactly, but it was around the time I was a second or third-year resident in thoracic surgery.

A stabbing incident occurred in the hospital hall in broad daylight, resulting in a death.

It was a case where a stalking victim was murdered by the perpetrator.

If I could use Kang Joo-hyun's help, I might be able to prevent this incident by deploying police forces in advance.

There was another issue that could be resolved through Kang Joo-hyun.

A suspicious death.

A husband had taken out a 30 billion won insurance policy on his wife, and three months later, she died of acute heart failure.

I was the one who pronounced her dead.

However, I couldn't forget the brief smile that flashed across the husband's face when I told him the news.

This case became widely known through the media, but the husband was eventually acquitted.

'There are many areas where I can get help.'

Threats to human life are not just diseases.

Various accidents and injuries.

Finally, crimes also determine human life.

In this sense, the retired police chief Kang Joo-hyun could be a great help to me in the future, especially when dealing with patients who are victims of crime.

Through my previous life, I realized that there are limits to what one person can do.

So, I will save more people with the help of those I save.

If this virtuous cycle continues, I might even achieve medical reform, which is considered impossible.

"Old age makes one talkative. I've been talking too much."

"Don't say that. Your words were very meaningful."

"Looking at you now, you not only save lives but also have the ability to lift people's spirits."

Kang Joo-hyun laughed and continued.

"Anyway, the conclusion is this: if you need help from the police, contact me."

"..."

"Even though I'm retired, I can still help."

"Thank you for your offer."

"Is it my turn now?"

Kang Min-sik, who had been silent, spoke up.

"The only thing I can do for you right now is one thing."

"Your words were already a sufficient reward."

"You are you, and I am I."

Kang Min-sik's offer was quite bold.

He said he would help me choose the department I wanted during my internship.

An intern, literally "in-turn," rotates through various departments in the hospital.

Interns move to a new department every month and, after a year, choose a specialty to pursue as a resident.

However, Kang Min-sik said he would adjust my internship rotation to my preference.

It was certainly an attractive offer.

If food were a metaphor, while others were eating cafeteria food, I would be enjoying a buffet.

"To make this possible, of course, you need to keep it confidential. If you spread it around, it will be difficult for me."

"I can keep it confidential, but I don't want to cause trouble for you."

"You're worrying about me like a mouse worrying about a cat."

Kang Min-sik chuckled.

"I'm in charge of intern training this year. I can handle it myself without asking anyone."

"..."

"So, if you have a preferred department, feel free to tell me."

With Kang Min-sik making such an offer, I had no reason to refuse.

I had a strong desire, and he had the capacity and power to fulfill it.

I couldn't turn down this unexpected blessing.

Cardiology and pulmonology.

Neurosurgery.

Thoracic surgery.

Gastrointestinal surgery.

Plastic surgery.

Orthopedic surgery, and so on.

Like roasting beans in a flash of lightning, I quickly listed the departments I wanted.

Since my goal was to become a capable thoracic surgeon, I chose only cardiology and pulmonology from the internal medicine departments.

The rest were all surgical departments.

I had planned the order of the departments I needed to rotate through, recalling the events from my previous life.

"You seemed to have no particular thoughts, but you're spouting them out as if you've been waiting for this."

"I had a plan in mind... I'm a bit embarrassed."

"I'm not criticizing you. On the contrary, I like your proactive attitude."

Kang Min-sik's faint smile suggested he wasn't just trying to comfort me.

"Your quick response to my question shows that you think deeply and know exactly what you want."

"..."

"I like people who are proactive like you."

"Thank you."

"Send me a text with the details. I'll adjust your schedule accordingly..."

"Yes, Professor."

The conversation with the Kangs lasted nearly two hours.

After parting ways with them, I felt full, even though I hadn't eaten much.

It was a short meeting, but I gained a lot.

* * *

Time passed, and two weeks later, at 11 PM, I logged into the Shinwon University Hospital website and received the notification of my internship acceptance.

Although I had already obtained my medical license, I was now truly a doctor working in a hospital.

No one else could understand how long I had been waiting for this moment since I was one year old.

In the week I received the acceptance notification, I attended the intern orientation.

Along with Shin Cheol-woo, Nam Chorong, and Kwon Areum, who were also accepted.

The orientation lasted for two days and one night, reviewing various practical skills.

Arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA).

Nasogastric and endotracheal intubation.

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and so on.

After completing the intern orientation, the only thing left was to start working at the hospital.