Tokyo, 1994, starting with medical training

Chapter 47 Professor's Follow-up Visit

Kiryu Kazusuke returned to the apartment building. One of the motion-activated lights in the hallway was broken, flickering on and off.

He took out his key, opened the door, went inside, took off his coat, and hung it on the hanger.

However, I had only been sitting down for two minutes.

dong dong dong-

There was a knock on the door.

It was very rhythmic, unhurried, showing the cautiousness of someone outside the door.

Who would knock on the door so late at night?

He walked to the door, opened it, and as expected, Saionji Mina was standing outside.

She had changed out of her somewhat formal business attire and put on a pink loungewear set, with a knitted cardigan draped over it.

Seeing the door open, she immediately became even more nervous.

"Um... Dr. Kiryu, good evening."

"What's up?"

Kiryu Kazusuke leaned against the door frame, showing no intention of moving aside to let her in.

"Just now at the barbecue restaurant..."

Saionji Mina raised her head, glanced at him quickly, and then lowered her head again.

"Thank you so much!"

"If it weren't for you, the department head would definitely still be nagging me."

"And... well..."

"After you left, the department head went to the restroom to take care of his clothes, and everyone dispersed, no one was in the mood to continue drinking."

"I can finally go home."

"At these kinds of gatherings, we usually drink until the last bus arrives..."

"Um, this is for you."

As she spoke, she took out a plastic bag from behind her and handed it over.

Inside are two bottles of Wukong tea, used for sobering up.

So they came to express their gratitude.

It seems this girl isn't too stupid; she realized that Kiryu Kazusuke was trying to help her out of a predicament.

However, he does not intend to admit it.

It would be bad if Saionji Mina thought he had some ulterior motives, or if she became dependent on him because of it.

This kind of trouble should be avoided if possible.

He's struggling to survive on his own, how could he possibly have the energy to carry the burden of another person's life?

"What did you say?"

Kiryu Kazusuke didn't take the bag she handed him, looking blank and pretending to be stupid.

"What help? What department head?"

"I was drunk just now, you saw it yourself, I could barely walk straight, I just accidentally knocked over her beer."

"If I had known that was your department head, I would have avoided her like the plague. Why would I have provoked that shrew?"

He denied it three times in a row, and then closed the door.

Saionji Mina was stunned.

The wind stirred up by the door ruffled her bangs.

……

Monday mornings are the most difficult time of the week for doctors at the First Department of Surgery, Gunma University Hospital.

7:30.

All the doctors, from assistant professors to resident doctors, were present; no one dared to be late.

Everyone was busy organizing their medical records, afraid that they would be stumped by the professor during the follow-up visit and then publicly humiliated.

"Kiryu-kun, you look great!"

Kenji Tanaka, sporting two enormous dark circles under his eyes, leaned closer with an envious look on his face.

Last night, he was called by his assistant professor, Mitsumasa Mizutani, to help organize data. He worked overtime until late at night and now feels like he could die suddenly at any moment.

"It's alright, I went to bed early last night."

Kiryu Kazusuke arranged the medical records in his hand in order and gave a perfunctory reply.

In fact, after receiving the physical enhancement from Saionji Mina, his sleep quality became excellent.

Just then.

Mitsuma Mizutani suddenly appeared at the entrance of the clinic and patted the door.

"What are you all doing? Aren't you ready yet?!"

"The professor will be here soon!"

"Everyone, line up at the elevator immediately!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

At the command, chaos erupted in the medical center.

Dozens of doctors put down what they were doing and rushed into the corridor like a flock of ducks being herded.

Kiryu Kazusuke mingled leisurely at the very back of the crowd.

Anyway, the position of the medical trainee is fixed; they are always at the very end of the line, responsible for carrying medical records and various examination films.

Less than two minutes.

In the corridor outside the First Surgical Ward, two rows of doctors in white coats stood in two lines according to their seniority.

Ding--

The elevator doors slowly opened.

Everyone instinctively held their breath, straightened their backs, and lowered their heads slightly.

A black high heel stepped out.

Next came a well-tailored business suit, over which was a fine white lab coat, with a gold-trimmed name tag pinned to the collar, signifying the professor's status.

Sumika Nishimura.

The Queen of First Surgery.

Good morning, Professor!

The uniform greetings echoed down the corridor.

Professor Nishimura nodded slightly in response.

She didn't stop, but walked straight ahead at a very fast pace, stirring up a gust of cold wind.

Assistant Professors Mizutani and Takeda immediately followed closely behind, standing about half a body length to her left and right, respectively.

"Professor, the schedule for today's follow-up appointments has been arranged."

"First to the VIP ward, then the intensive care unit, and finally the regular ward."

Mizutani Mitsuma remained quietly behind, speaking in hushed tones and keeping half a step behind, not daring to overstep his bounds in any way.

"Um."

Professor Nishimura hummed a single syllable through his nose.

The main force immediately set off.

A dozen or so doctors followed behind, their leather shoes making a heart-stopping "tap-tap" sound on the marble floor.

A long white dragon moved slowly along the corridor.

This is the embodiment of power.

At this moment, Nishimura Sumika is the goddess of this floor.

It's important to know that in Japan, doctors are not directly employed by hospitals like in neighboring countries; instead, they belong to university medical departments.

In other words, the ownership of doctors is in the hands of professors.

All affiliated hospitals, that is, public or private hospitals located in various counties, cities, and even remote towns, have their personnel arrangements controlled by the university medical bureau.

You have to go wherever the professor wants you to go.

What if you upset the professor?

Then I'm sorry, but you'll have to go to some remote mountain forest where there aren't even convenience stores, and spend the rest of your life tending to a few clinics run by only old men and women.

Kazusuke Kiryu walked at the back, carrying five or six medical record folders in his hands.

He looked at the backs of the heads of the group of people in front of him, feeling nothing, and even a little amused.

How is this any different from the household retainers of the feudal era?

Want reform?

That was ten years later.

It wasn't until 2004 that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare implemented the "New Clinical Training System".

At that time, trainees were no longer directly under a specific medical bureau, but instead had to rotate through multiple departments such as internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, and emergency medicine for two years.

While this has led to a decline in university medical authorities' control over young doctors, it has also raised new problems such as "medical collapse" and "doctor bias."

But to a large extent, it did break this feudal relationship of personal dependence.

But it is now 1994.

The professor is a god.

The group stopped at the entrance of the VIP ward on the sixth floor.

Although Representative Okawara's son has been transferred to another hospital, according to custom, the professor still needs to personally inquire about the matter to show that he takes it seriously.

Sumiko Nishimura stopped at the door of the ward where Prince Ōkawara had once stayed.

The door was open, but the inside was empty.

Mizutani bent down, approached slightly, and whispered his report.

"Congressman Okawara was worried that media harassment would disrupt the hospital's normal operations, so he arranged for a transfer to another hospital late last night so he could recuperate in Tokyo."

"The patient's vital signs are all stable, and the surgery to remove the packing from the abdomen will be performed by colleagues from Tokyo Imperial University."

"The congressman was very satisfied with our treatment and specifically asked me to convey his gratitude to you."

"They also indicated that the First Surgery Department will be given priority consideration for next year's research grants."

Upon hearing these words, Professor Nishimura's facial features softened slightly.

"Hmm, well done."

She nodded and offered a compliment.

Genta Okawara is a powerful figure in the ruling party. With his support, the medical bureau's research funding budget and equipment procurement plan for next year should proceed much more smoothly.

Then she can get even more.

After all, no one complains about having too much money.

(End of this chapter)