192: Chapter 192 Just like in the medical field, ability isn't the only passport to success in academia.
After finishing dinner, Lu Chen returned to his dorm room.
There was an evening class at 7:30, a special lecture on post-trauma hemodynamic management.
It was taught by another guest professor, and the content leaned towards theory. Lu Chen had flipped through the lecture notes beforehand, and the difficulty was moderate.
On the way to the classroom, Lu Chen could feel that the gazes of the few trainees he encountered in the corridor were different.
It wasn't the curiosity and admiration from before.
Instead, it carried a subtle sense of distance.
They were still polite when greeting Lu Chen, but they spoke significantly less. Some even actively avoided his gaze.
Lu Chen knew exactly what had happened.
The words spread by Chen Hao had already started to ferment.
In a closed training environment, rumors spread faster than viruses.
Moreover, these words weren't entirely false.
His spot was indeed related to President Zeng Dayang, and to the Hospital's personnel arrangements and political maneuvering. That was a fact.
But there is a difference between facts.
Some people are shoved in because they lack the ability to earn a spot on their own.
Others are pushed forward because they have the ability but lack the seniority. Lu Chen belonged to the latter.
Unfortunately, when outsiders don't know the specific circumstances, these two look almost the same.
He walked into the classroom.
Many people were already sitting in the front rows.
Lu Chen sat in the front-middle area as usual.
Zhou Haoran followed and sat next to him.
When a few trainees in the classroom saw Lu Chen enter, their whispering died down for a moment.
Lu Chen could clearly feel that sense of hushed, yet not entirely vanished, whispering. He didn't pay it any mind.
The evening class started on time.
The lecture content involved volume resuscitation strategies after severe trauma, the timing for selecting vasoactive drugs, and the differential diagnosis of reversible cardiac arrest.
Lu Chen listened very attentively.
This part of the content was related to his Emergency Department theory and Internal Medicine Diagnostics.
The system was continuously recording learning experience in the background.
After the hour-and-a-half lecture ended, the trainees began to leave.
Just as Lu Chen stood up, a teaching assistant walked up to him.
"Lu Chen, right?"
"Yes."
"Professor Han wants you to come to his office."
Zhou Haoran heard this and asked in a low voice, "Professor Han is looking for you?"
"Yeah."
"I'll wait for you at the dorm."
Lu Chen followed the teaching assistant to the office area on the second floor.
Professor Han Zhiguo's office was at the end of the corridor, with a small, inconspicuous sign hanging on the door.
The teaching assistant knocked on the door.
"Professor Han, Lu Chen is here."
"Come in."
Professor Han Zhiguo sat behind the desk, with several documents spread out in front of him.
He was in his early fifties, his hair slightly graying, but he was in high spirits.
As the director of the Emergency Department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the general supervisor of this training program, his academic status and industry influence needed no introduction.
"Sit."
Lu Chen sat down in the chair opposite him.
Professor Han Zhiguo closed the documents and took off his reading glasses.
"Do you know why I asked to see you?"
"I have a rough idea."
"Tell me."
"It should be related to some rumors among the trainees recently."
Professor Han Zhiguo watched his expression. There was no nervousness, no anger, and no grievance. Just calmness.
"What have you heard?"
"Some people say my training spot is a product of political maneuvering, and that I was shoved in by the Hospital's Vice President to gild my resume."
"What do you think of these words?"
Lu Chen thought for two seconds. "Partially true."
Professor Han Zhiguo's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Oh?"
"My spot was indeed approved by the President personally, and there was push from Vice President Zeng during the nomination process."
"I have been employed for less than three months; based on normal seniority, I do not meet the conditions to participate in this training program."
"So, procedurally speaking, this spot indeed did not follow the conventional process entirely."
Professor Han Zhiguo didn't speak, waiting for him to continue.
"But I don't consider this gilding."
Lu Chen's voice was flat, without a tone of defense, and certainly without excitement.
"My purpose in coming here is to learn."
"Up to this point, I believe my performance can prove that I am qualified to sit here."
Professor Han Zhiguo looked at him for about five seconds. Then he leaned back in his chair.
"Your performance certainly proves that."
He picked up a summary of the scoring sheet on the table.
"Anatomy class was textbook-level, theory class was specifically praised by Professor Luo Zhenyu, trauma practicals were the highest score for three consecutive days, and today's airway challenge was a clean sweep of all ten levels, the best in history."
"You have been enrolled for five days, and you have received the highest score in every assessment."
"If you are here to gild your resume, then I hope everyone who comes to gild their resume has your level of skill."
Lu Chen didn't reply.
Professor Han Zhiguo put down the score sheet.
"But you also know that in the academic world, just like in the medical field, ability is not the only passport."
"Interpersonal relationships and reputation are equally important."
"Once some words spread, even if you slap their faces with your ability a hundred times, there will still be people whispering behind your back."
"You need to be mentally prepared for this."
"I am."
Professor Han Zhiguo nodded.
"Good, then I will tell you the second thing."
He pulled a sheet of paper from the folder.
"The day after tomorrow, the training enters the second phase."
"The content of the second phase is a team simulated rescue competition, with four people per group, divided into twelve groups plus one substitute group."
"The competition format is two groups competing, conducted simultaneously, with all experts scoring synchronously."
"The scenario is a simulated mass casualty rescue for a major accident, involving various complex injuries such as trauma, poisoning, burns, and multiple organ failure."
"Pressure indicators are recorded in real-time; we will monitor each trainee's heart rate, blood pressure, and hand stability data during the competition."
He looked at Lu Chen.
"There is elimination of the lowest-ranked in this round."
"The person with the lowest score among the losing side of each competition match will be eliminated from the training and sent directly back to their original unit."
"After the entire second phase ends, only thirty of the fifty people will remain to enter the third phase of clinical training."
Lu Chen's expression didn't change.
"How are the groups determined?"
"It's a combination of free grouping and designation. Most groups allow trainees to pair up themselves, but there are a few groups that we have designated."
"Was I designated?"
"You and Chen Hao have been designated as the cores of two different opposing groups."
"Is this a coincidence or an arrangement?"
Professor Han Zhiguo glanced at him. "It's an arrangement."
"The reason?"
"Because you two are currently the two people with the highest overall performance and the most controversy. Only by letting you compete directly can we see your true level."
"And I also want to see if your performance in team collaboration is as outstanding as your individual assessments."
"No matter how strong a person's technique is, if they cannot lead the team, they won't go far in a real Emergency Department environment."
Lu Chen nodded.
"When will the group list be released?"
"It will be sent to the training group chat tonight."
Professor Han Zhiguo stood up.
"I asked you to come, first to confirm that you are aware of the rumors yourself, and second to inform you of the arrangements for the day after tomorrow in advance."
"Go back and prepare."
"There is one more thing."
Lu Chen looked at him.
Professor Han Zhiguo walked to the door and turned back.
"No matter what others spread, your scores were given collectively by the expert panel, and every point has video recordings."
"Your grades are not inflated at all."
"On this point, as the general supervisor, it is my responsibility to tell you."
Lu Chen stood up.
"Thank you, Professor Han."
"Don't thank me; just let your ability speak for itself."
Professor Han Zhiguo waved his hand.
"Go."
When he returned to the dorm, Zhou Haoran was already lying on the bed.
Seeing Lu Chen return, he sat up from the bed.
"How was it? What did Professor Han want with you?"
Lu Chen briefly explained the team competition the day after tomorrow.
After listening, Zhou Haoran's eyes lit up.
"Elimination of the lowest-ranked?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that exciting?"
"You sure get energetic when you encounter exciting things."
"Of course, I'm a competitive player."
Zhou Haoran thought for a moment.
"If it's free grouping, I'll definitely be in your group."
"Not necessarily, I've been designated."
"What do you mean by designated?"
"Professor Han arranged for Chen Hao and me to be in two different opposing groups to compete directly."
Zhou Haoran said "Oh," and was silent for two seconds.
"Then I'll try to apply to get into your group."
"It depends on the group list."
"It should be out in a bit, right?"