149: Chapter 149 Your paper will be published ahead of schedule.

The Red Zone was much calmer in the afternoon.

A child with febrile convulsions arrived after two o'clock, and it was handled quickly.

A Middle-aged man with chest pain came in after three o'clock; his Troponin was negative and his Electrocardiogram was normal, indicating intercostal neuralgia. Once myocardial infarction was ruled out, there was nothing else to worry about.

At four o'clock, Zhao Yaqin walked in from outside.

"Lu Chen."

"Sister Zhao."

"Director Li asked me to notify you about something just now."

"What is it?"

Zhao Yaqin placed a document in front of him.

"Your paper is being published early."

Lu Chen was stunned for a moment.

"Wasn't it supposed to be next week?"

"The journal expedited the process. The editorial department already sent the electronic confirmation letter today, and the physical sample copies will arrive tomorrow."

There was a complex expression on Zhao Yaqin's face.

Gratification, admiration, and a hint of disbelief.

"Do you know what this means?"

"What does it mean?"

"It means you are the first Resident Physician in the Emergency Department of this Hospital to independently publish a paper in a core journal, and as the first author at that."

Lu Chen nodded.

"Director Li is the corresponding author."

"That's still your writing. It's your data, your case, your surgical experience. Director Li just put his name down as the corresponding author to endorse you."

Zhao Yaqin stood before him, her expression becoming serious.

"Lu Chen, you've been in the Emergency Department for less than two months. First place in the provincial assessment, a core journal paper published—do you know how long that normally takes combined?"

"How long?"

"At least three years, and that's assuming everything goes smoothly."

Lu Chen didn't speak.

Zhao Yaqin continued.

"Director Li told me that Vice President Zeng is already processing the application for the Young Talent Development Plan. If it's approved, you'll get an extra talent subsidy every month, and there will be a special allocation for research funding."

"How much is the subsidy?"

Zhao Yaqin was stunned by his question.

"Is that what you're concerned about?"

"I care about income, is that not allowed?"

Zhao Yaqin looked at his expression, not knowing whether to laugh or be speechless.

"I'm not sure about the specific amount, but I heard the subsidy for the Young Talent Plan isn't low. You should ask Director Li."

"Okay."

Zhao Yaqin shook her head.

"You, really. When others publish a core journal paper, their first reaction is excitement, happiness, and feeling like they've taken an important step in their academic career. But you? Your first reaction is to ask about the money."

"Money is important."

"I know money is important, but you should have some academic ambition, right?"

Lu Chen looked at her seriously.

"Sister Zhao, academic ambition is built on an economic foundation, and my current economic foundation isn't quite enough."

Zhao Yaqin was silent for a moment.

She knew Lu Chen came from an Orphanage, had almost zero savings, and was still living frugally to send money back to the Orphanage.

"Fine, what you said makes sense. Keep up the hard work."

"Thank you, Sister Zhao."

After Zhao Yaqin left, Lu Chen looked at the electronic confirmation letter on the table.

The paper was published.

A core journal paper.

First author: Lu Chen.

Corresponding author: Director Li Sen.

Institution: Jiangcheng City Central Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine.

The topic of this paper was ultrasound-guided puncture strategies and technical innovations for complex adhesive pericardial effusion, based on the complete case from Zhou Desheng's rescue.

It was published in the Chinese Journal of Emergency Medicine.

The value was very high.

At the Resident Physician level, there might not be many people in the entire province who can publish in this kind of journal in a year.

For Lu Chen, this paper had two meanings.

First, it paved the way for his future professional title promotion; one of the hard requirements for becoming an Attending Physician was a paper.

Second, it could bring in tangible income. The subsidy from the Young Talent Plan, the special allocation for research funding—this was all money.

Lu Chen put away the confirmation letter and continued reading his book.

...

The rest of the afternoon was very calm.

There weren't many patients in the Red Zone, which gave him plenty of time to brush up on his theoretical knowledge.

Before the shift handover at six in the evening, Wu Fan walked in from outside.

"Lu Chen, I heard your paper came out?"

"Yeah."

Wu Fan reached out and patted Lu Chen's shoulder.

"Seriously, Lu Chen, at this speed, if you keep developing like this, you'll meet the criteria for the Attending Physician review before long."

"Still a long way off; I don't have enough years of service."

"That thing about years of service—if the people above want to push you, there are ways to fast-track it."

Lu Chen didn't respond to that.

After the shift handover ended, Lu Chen returned to the Duty Room.

He took a shower and changed his clothes.

Then he sat on the bed and opened his phone.

A message from Director Li Sen.

[Director Li Sen: Did Zhao Yaqin tell you about the paper?]

[Lu Chen: She did, Director Li.]

[Director Li Sen: Good. When the sample copies arrive tomorrow, I'll have someone bring them to you. Keep one for yourself.]

[Lu Chen: Okay, thank you, Director Li.]

[Director Li Sen: Don't thank me. You wrote the paper; I just helped you check it. The quality of the content is a reflection of your own level.]

[Director Li Sen: I have something to tell you.]

[Lu Chen: Please go ahead.]

[Director Li Sen: Section Chief He Zhongfeng came to my office again today. This time he brought Professor Liu, a senior associate from the Department of Thoracic Surgery, and a young Attending Physician from their department. Nominally, they came to discuss optimizing the process for cross-departmental emergency consultations.]

[Lu Chen: Was it led by the Medical Affairs Department?]

[Director Li Sen: Yes. Section Chief He Zhongfeng said that from now on, for any cross-departmental consultations involving the Emergency Department, the Medical Affairs Department will prioritize scheduling, and there won't be any more of those artificial delays like before.]

[Lu Chen: He's making a statement.]

[Director Li Sen: You saw that too?]

[Lu Chen: He wanted to say this the day I finished the surgery for his uncle-in-law, but he wasn't good with words. Today, he just used a different approach.]

Director Li Sen was silent for half a minute on the other end.

[Director Li Sen: You, really. Twenty-four years old, but with the shrewdness of a forty-year-old.]

[Lu Chen: Director Li, you flatter me.]

[Director Li Sen: Alright, just keep this in mind. As for Section Chief He Zhongfeng, what he did in the past won't be wiped clean just because of one surgery, but the fact that he's willing to stop and even help out in return is not a bad thing for you.]

[Lu Chen: I understand.]

[Director Li Sen: One more thing. Vice President Zeng's Young Talent Development Plan is already being processed by the Hospital office. It should be approved by next week.]

[Lu Chen: How much is the subsidy?]

Director Li Sen was silent for a few seconds on the other end.

[Director Li Sen: Can't you ask about what academic resources and training opportunities are included in the plan first?]

[Lu Chen: That works too. Tell me about the academic resources first, then the subsidy.]

[Director Li Sen: A monthly allowance of two thousand, annual research funding of fifty thousand, and full reimbursement for travel expenses for academic exchanges.]

Lu Chen did the math.

Two thousand more per month, twenty-four thousand more per year. Plus the fifty thousand in annual research funding. Plus his current Resident Physician salary and bonus. His income was finally starting to look decent.