Friday, August 30th, 4:47 PM
After Gong Yi and Associate Chief Physician Tao Yubin completed the primary stages of a flap transplantation surgery, they left the operating table to Attending Physicians Tian Zeguang and Li Zhong.
Seated firmly in the lead position, Zhou Yanqing held a micro-needle holder in his right hand and toothed forceps in his left, his focus as sharp as a scalpel. "Brother Zhong, Brother Guang, thank you! I'll start stitching now," he said with a cheerful tone.
Li Zhong blinked twice, the small mole at the corner of his right eyelid moving with his expression. "Xiao Zhou, you've stitched nearly 15 flaps this past half-month, haven't you? Aren't you tired? Starting next month, let's take turns. If you keep this up, the seniors will think I'm slacking off."
Understanding the implications, Zhou responded thoughtfully. "I appreciate the opportunities you've given me, Brother Zhong. After this one, it'll make 15 flaps stitched."
In surgery, clinical experience is irreplaceable. While practice materials in the training room help build foundational skills, nothing compares to the tactile feedback of real patient tissue. However, Zhou's frequent presence at the operating table risked overshadowing his senior's need for surgical practice.
"Next month, Brother Zhong, I'll only take over if you're too tired. You can toss me one or two cases occasionally," Zhou said with a warm smile, unwilling to relinquish this particular surgery.
No matter how much Gong Yi favored Zhou, the opportunities for clinical practice still belonged primarily to attending physicians like Li Zhong. Zhou's stitching skills were excellent but not yet at Li Zhong's level. The latter had surpassed the frozen tissue suturing milestone and was working on tension sutures using compression bands.
"Xiao Zhou is so sensible; don't bully him, Zhong," Tian Zeguang chimed in. "He's new to flap suturing and eager to learn. Let him enjoy the experience. Next time we get an urgent but mild tendon injury, I'll let you practice."
"Really?" Li Zhong's eyes lit up.
"If I'm lying, may I gain ten more kilos," Tian vowed. At 190 kilos, Tian's statement carried weight—both figuratively and literally.
In surgery, skill is king. At non-top-tier teaching hospitals, a surgeon's technical prowess often determines their standing. For example, Tian's ability to perform tendon sutures at a higher level than Li Zhong gave him an edge. Were Tian to join the emergency department, its chief would welcome him with open arms. Li Zhong, however, would receive only polite encouragement.
"Brother Guang, you're too kind," Li Zhong said with exaggerated deference. "But judging by your physique, maybe a detox would help tonight?"
The anesthesiologist joined in, laughing. "Brother Zhong's advice makes sense. A detox might be in order for me, too."
All eyes turned to Li Zhong, who exclaimed defensively, "I'm naturally slim!"
The skeptical looks on everyone's faces told another story.
Ignoring the banter, Zhou focused entirely on his stitching. He understood that while he could afford to treat his colleagues to a meal occasionally, indulging in their professional "detox" rituals was another matter. His parents worked hard in the fields to support him, and every penny mattered.
"Don't corrupt Xiao Zhou," Li Zhong joked, redirecting the conversation. His words had the desired effect; the circulating nurse immediately stepped in. "Exactly, Dr. Li. You all do your thing, but leave the kids out of it."
When the nurse turned to He Xiaoqing for support, the latter avoided eye contact, clearly uninterested in getting involved.
After another 20 minutes, Zhou finally sighed with relief. "All done, Brother Guang. Please inspect it!"
Despite having stitched his 15th flap, Zhou maintained his diligence, asking the most experienced surgeon present, Tian Zeguang, to review his work.
Surgical flap sutures allowed for some margin of error. Minor flaws could often be corrected during the operation. However, more complex procedures like vascular or nerve sutures left no room for mistakes. Post-surgery, issues with blood flow or nerve function couldn't be assessed immediately, making perfection essential.
"Let's follow protocol. Though I can already tell at a glance it's excellent," Tian said, taking the forceps Zhou handed him. He examined the stitches meticulously, like a child searching for ants, completing the review in about three minutes.
"Alright, everything looks great. Let's wrap it up," Tian declared.
As Zhou assisted Li Zhong in applying sterile dressings to close the surgery, he noticed a notification in his mind:
[Daily Task: Perform 15 high-quality flap sutures (15/15) completed. Suturing EXP +1! Current Suturing (Expert 2/5).]
Knowing how precious each bit of suturing experience was, Zhou couldn't help but smile, his expression almost glowing with satisfaction.
"Thank you, Brother Guang, for the encouragement. And thank you, Brother Zhong, for the opportunities," Zhou said graciously. A few well-placed words of gratitude went a long way, making his seniors feel as though their mentorship directly contributed to his growth.
"Xiao Zhou, you're always so polite. I feel like I'm leveling up just by watching you improve," Tian said, chuckling.
"Want to join us tonight for some relaxation? It's legit," Tian added conspiratorially, lowering his voice.
Zhou shook his head firmly. Legitimate or not, he knew better than to board that particular ship—it might be impossible to disembark later.