"First place, Zhou Can, written examination grade A, actual score 94 points. Interview score 88.5 points, with extra points for medical ethics, 10 points. Total score 192.5 points."
When Zhou Can really heard he had secured first place, he quickly returned to calm after a brief moment of excitement.
This was just a standardized training exam; true achievements and growth should occur in the operating room. He still had a long way to go in his development.
Learning has no end, and medicine is worthy of his lifelong dedication.
A written examination score of A+ is above 95 points; he got 94, which was quite good.
The full score of the interview was 90 points, and only 1.5 points were deducted. He estimated that he was at least in the top three, or even possibly first.
There's no need to mention the extra points for medical ethics; those were earned at the risk of losing eligibility for the training exam.
He accepted these 10 points with ease.
Among more than 7,000 candidates, he was the only one to receive this honor and enjoy the extra 10 points for medical ethics.
Having secured first place, all the candidates' eyes were on him.
Envy, admiration, awe – their feelings were manifold.
Zhou Can had become the star of the entire venue.
"Dear examiner, may I humbly ask, did Zhou Can also score full marks in the pathology diagnosis?"
Gao Jian had believed he would undoubtedly be first, but it turned out that Zhou Can was the one who came in first, causing his head to buzz.
"What else did you expect?"
The examiner seemed to be somewhat annoyed by his question and retorted accordingly.
"All candidates can rest assured, the scoring is fair and just, with virtually no chance of error. Some people like to flaunt their abilities, some like to wear it as a crown, and some like to keep it hidden in their hearts. I mean no offense; just to tell you, in my understanding, the more capable a person is, the more humble they tend to be and prefer to keep a low profile."
With such a rebuttal from the examiner, Gao Jian was left with a red face.
Bowing his head, he dared not make another peep.
The one who boasted about his abilities was precisely himself, wasn't it?
"Second place, Gao Jian, written examination grade A+, actual score 99 points. Interview score, 88.1 points. Total score 187.1 points."
As expected from a top student of Imperial Capital Medical University, the written examination score was truly impressive, deducting only 1 point.
What's more, Gao Jian's interview score was also striking.
Indeed, he was outstanding in both scholarship and demeanor.
"Third place, Yang Chan, written examination grade A+, actual score 97 points. Interview score 87.4 points. Total score 184.4 points. Fourth place, Du Leng, written examination grade A+, actual score 100 points..."
The crowd couldn't help but gasp.
The written exam was so difficult, yet someone had achieved a perfect score.
What was the background of this Du Leng, even surpassing Gao Jian, a graduate student from Imperial Capital Medical University?
It was truly not easy for Yang Chan to reach third place.
After all, this session had too many strong competitors.
Jin Mingxi, who had ranked second in the second round of exams, unexpectedly failed to make it into the top ten, which surprised many. His written examination score was 90 points. It was precisely this that dragged him down significantly.
"Okay, the top 20 overall scores have been announced. Other candidates can check their rankings on the official website of Tuya Hospital. The top 20 candidates, please go to the hospital's physical examination department to participate in a centralized physical examination. Congratulations to Zhou Can for securing first place."
The examiner led the applause.
The other candidates also clapped their hands to congratulate Zhou Can for his outstanding performance in achieving first place.
"Thank you everyone for your support and trust in Tuya Hospital. Candidates who weren't admitted should not be discouraged and can strive again next year. Also, check the recruitment notices on the official website of Tuya Hospital regularly. Goodbye."
The examiners and the judges left the venue.
The recruitment for the nursing and medical technology subjects had also been completed.
Some were happy, others were worried.
For those admitted, of course, their hearts were filled with joy.
As long as they didn't sabotage themselves, their prospects were generally bright.
The eliminated ones left the venue with low spirits and disheartened.
For every successful general, there are countless casualties.
Success always belongs to the very few.
Gao Jian walked up to Zhou Can, and as their eyes met, the light emanating from Zhou Can's eyes was soft and calm, like the tranquil water of an ancient well, undisturbed.
Gao Jian's gaze was sharp and dominant, filled with an unyielding and untamed spirit.
"You are strong."
Gao Jian grudgingly squeezed out three words.
"The same to you."
Zhou Can replied nonchalantly.
He had the demeanor of a master - strong as he may be, akin to a gentle breeze brushing over the hills.
"Our competition has just begun, and will not end until I beat you, leaving you far behind."
Gao Jian declared his challenge with an almost arrogant tone.
This was a rivalry between two men.
They were about to engage in fierce competition in the medical field.
"Is winning really that important?"
Zhou Can glanced at him sideways.
"Before I came to participate in the recruitment for the standardized training at Tuya Hospital, my mentor asked me to secure first place, to honor the alma mater and to add glory to him. But I lost to you. If I don't retrieve this defeat, I won't be able to face my mentor."
Gao Jian had come with a mission, which explained why he valued reputation so highly.
"All right! I welcome your challenge."
Zhou Can graciously extended his hand first.
Gao Jian gripped his hand tightly.
"I promise to compete fairly. As a man from the north, my word is my bond, and I will not stoop to underhanded tactics."
Gao Jian's expression was particularly serious as he said this.
"Hehe, the eyes don't lie, I trust you."
Zhou Can chuckled lightly.
In a confrontation, he had never been fearful.
The straightforwardness of Gao Jian did indeed make him feel a trace of goodwill.
This was a worthy opponent.
"I've been interning at Tuya Hospital for nearly a year and am familiar with its layout. How about I take you to the medical examination department?"
"Thank you."
Gao Jian also smiled and followed Zhou Can to the medical examination department.
The two walked shoulder to shoulder, talking along the way. Do they look like enemies? Clearly, they are like a pair of friends.
Perhaps this is the contest between masters.
Competitive in a friendly manner, each striving to outdo the other in medical skills.
...
The most difficult parts of the standardized training exams are the written test and the interview. Once you get to the medical examination stage, it's basically like having the training contract in your hand.
Of course, there are exceptions, such as those unlucky enough to have an infectious disease or special illness, ultimately rejected by the hospital.
Zhou Can's medical examination results came out quickly, and everything was normal.
Before long, he received an invitation message from the Personnel Department.
He happily went to the Personnel Department to complete his training procedures. Because of his luck in securing the first place, the Personnel Department took care of all the matters regarding his medical practitioner's license.
When the time comes for the national unified exam, he just needs to participate in the exam.
The hospital will handle the rest, such as the registration.
This will save him a lot of time.
Interning at the hospital for a year, working for free and sometimes having to pay, all for the medical practitioner's license.
Only with a medical practitioner's license can one practice medicine legally.
In the future, for promotions to attending physician, associate chief physician, and so on, a medical practitioner's license is required.
"People who have signed the training contract can go to the small meeting room next door to wait. The directors of various departments will come over to select people soon."
Tuya Hospital really is wealthy and lavish, recruiting twenty residents in general medicine this year alone. Close to thirty were recruited for nursing, and ten for medical technology. This department is somewhat special, known for being a hotbed for nepotism.
Where there are people, there are relationships.
For example, a vice president of the hospital was invited by an old classmate to have tea.
Upon meeting, the old classmate also brought his son.
After pleasantries and bonding, the old classmate got to the point. "Buddy, you are the vice president at Tuya Hospital, right? You hold a high and powerful position. My good-for-nothing son also studied medicine, just at a less prestigious university—a second-tier one. These days, it's really hard to find a good job. Watching him mope around at home, constantly hanging out with bad influences, I'm really frustrated."
"Can you see if you can get him a job at your hospital? We've been friends for so many years, and I've never asked for anything. I really have no choice this time."
The vice president was in a tricky situation.
Not to mention students from second-tier medical schools, even those from first-tier schools were not necessarily qualified to enter Tuya Hospital.
But since the old classmate had asked, if he refused, it would certainly disappoint him.
On the other hand, he feared that the old classmate's son would cause trouble.
The clinical medical departments are desirable, but the risks are too high. Someone incompetent shoved in there could create a multitude of problems in just three days.
If a medical incident occurs, not only would the hospital suffer losses, but the old classmate's son would be ruined, and even the vice president himself could be implicated.
What to do?
Assign the boy to the medical technology department.
In charge of doing an electrocardiogram or something for patients, the work is easy and less prone to mistakes. The old classmate's request would also be fulfilled.
Thus, after some hesitation, the vice president reluctantly agreed to help.
Eventually, with some maneuvering, the old classmate's son was placed in the medical technology department.
The other leaders saw this and thought, hey, this is a good method.
The next time they encounter an insistent request, another leader would follow suit.
In the end, the medical technology department became a hotbed for nepotism.
The heads of the Personnel Department, both the director and deputy directors, are all shrewd people. After encountering leaders looking to place people many times, they deliberately set aside some medical technology traineeship spots each year for such purposes.
Zhou Can entered the small meeting room and found that many people were already waiting inside.
In the future, everyone will be colleagues. Some who are good at networking have already begun to build up relationships.
Zhou Can prefers quiet and is not good at playing the social butterfly.
So, he sat alone on the side and played with his phone.
He accessed CNKI, opened his favorite research papers to read.
Ever since he found out that reading case reports could increase his Experience Points in pathology diagnosis, he loved reading even more.
Not long after, a man's magnetic voice came through.
"Hello! Beautiful Miss Yang, may I get to know you? My name is Du Leng, a PhD graduate from Johns Hopkins University." Du Leng ranked fourth overall, and had a perfect score in the written exam.
It was guessed early on that this man was not to be underestimated.
But he turned out to be explosively impressive.
Not only does he have a terrifying PhD degree, but he also graduated from a prestigious foreign university, Johns Hopkins University.
That university ranks second in the world in medical education.
Truly an elite.
Zhou Can turned his head when he heard the voice.
He saw a handsome man, well-dressed in a suit, smiling elegantly and greeting Yang Chan.
Facing such a tall and rich suitor, few girls would not be moved.
This guy really has an eye for beauty, picking out Yang Chan from among all the girls.
In fact, the girls sitting next to Yang Chan were also pretty.
But compared to Yang Chan, they were like Cinderella.
A woman is like a flower; a morning glory is beautiful on its own, but put it next to a peony and it immediately becomes outshone.
Zhou Can wondered how the class monitor would respond to Du Leng's advances.
During their five-year acquaintance, Yang Chan, while seemingly friendly with her classmates, was proud at heart and self-respecting.
Back when he first started college and saw such a beautiful girl in his class, Zhou Can immediately had the idea of pursuing her.
And ended up with a resounding rejection.
Yang Chan's soft rejection left him with a lasting psychological shadow.
If she looked down on Zhou Can, the wealthy scion, what about this cultured, handsome, and dazzlingly credentialed sea-turtle PhD in front of her?
Surprisingly, Zhou Can found within him an unprincipled thought.
He almost wanted Yang Chan to unleash a few of her soft rejections on Du Leng as well, to give him a psychological shadow too.