A competent doctor can cure everything

The patient tightly gripped the pendant on her necklace for a moment.

“How did you know about that…?”

“They say you called out that name in your sleep.”

After my explanation, she remained silent for a while before slowly speaking.

“I can’t remember the last time I felt this hungry. I had forgotten how pleasant eating could be. With the nausea gone, my thoughts are clearer now.”

“……”

“I truly mean it when I say you are my lifesaver. So I’ll only tell you.”

I met her firm gaze.

“Who is Kyung-soo? Well… that’s the name of the person I have a crush on.”

I unconsciously repeated the patient’s words aloud.

“A crush?”

At that moment, I recalled what I had been told.

“Kang Eun-jeong is unmarried and has no family.”

Before I could continue, she whispered.

“Please don’t try to find out who it is. And don’t tell anyone about me… I haven’t told anyone because I’m afraid someone might try to find me just to fulfill a dying person’s wish.”

“Why shouldn’t I contact them?”

At my honest question, she paused for a moment and then answered with a resigned smile.

“I’ve done something unforgivable. They’re probably living happily now. What would contacting them achieve? It’s just my own selfish desire.”

We both fell into our own thoughts. I resumed pushing the wheelchair.

After a while, I was the first to speak.

“Miss, doesn’t wanting to go out also mean wanting to see that person?”

Eun-jeong nodded in agreement.

“Yes, that’s right. I wanted to see them even from a distance. That’s why I went through such rigorous treatment, but now it all seems pointless.”

It was mid-June, which meant she had about two weeks left.

The passage of time seemed to have crushed even her strong will.

‘Just at the beginning of June, she was asking for good treatment in the future…’

I felt a mix of anger and sadness, which left me feeling disturbed.

Unintentionally, these words slipped out.

“If your condition improves to the point where you can go out?”

“!”

“You said your body is improving remarkably. So maybe you’ll be able to go out soon.”

A dreamy smile appeared on the patient’s face.

“If that happens… I don’t expect to have a conversation. I just want to see their face once from afar, to know if they are doing well.”

“Well, in that case, you’ll need to provide all the details you know. Then we can at least follow them discreetly.”

‘Well, I don’t actually plan to follow anyone.’

It seems I’m contemplating whether to make contact, as if to explore the possibility of following through with it.

A look of surprise spread across Eun-jeong’s face, followed by a soft chuckle.

“Follow them with me? Intern, you’re quite busy with many things.”

“Of course. Interns are always busy. I’m even planning to take on some spy work soon.”

“Oh my, you’re quite the character.”

As I playfully responded with a serious tone, the patient’s eyes curved into a crescent moon of laughter.

Looking at her eyes, I really hoped that the day would come when she could write her discharge plan.

* * *

The days following the walk with Eun-jeong were peaceful.

Both Eun-jeong and Na-ye-jin were recovering smoothly.

Eun-Jeong was gradually eating better and recently expressed great joy at being able to have a bowel movement without an enema.

‘It’s clear that bowel movements have improved; bowel sounds are much more active now.’

As a result, the patient’s complexion was in better condition than ever since her hospitalization.

‘Originally, it was thought Eun-jeong would struggle to make it past June, but at this rate, there’s hope.’

So, lately, the atmosphere in Eun-jeong’s hospital room during morning rounds has been very pleasant.

Meanwhile, Na-ye-jin was now sleeping well and reported a reduction in anxiety and palpitations.

She was also happy about her improved appetite and digestion.

The knee had also improved, and more importantly, her temperament had become much more generous.

“Hmm, it seems that Na-ye-jin’s collaborative treatment can be concluded like this.”

And so, after the morning rounds,

Professor Ko finally called me to his office.

“Dr. Seon, starting today, I will entrust you with the primary care duties.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

I made sure not to show too much excitement.

To hide my rising smile, I intentionally bowed my head low as I greeted him.

“In the case of Na-ye-jin, there was low trust in traditional medicine and the patient’s sensitive nature made it very challenging to manage the treatment.”

…I almost nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Nevertheless, you managed the treatment well. Especially in a hospital like this one, where traditional and Western medicine are integrated, you have learned that it is essential to consider not just traditional medicine but also Western medicine.”

At this point, the professor cleared his throat and moved on to the next topic.

“Hmm, and about Ms. Kang Eun-jeong. I heard that you suggested changing the prescription to Daekongjung-tang.”

Daekongjung-tang is a traditional medicine that stimulates the secretion of motilin, a hormone that aids in gastrointestinal motility. It is widely used not only for constipation in individuals with a cold and weak abdomen but also for the treatment and prevention of bowel obstruction.

“Do you remember what I mentioned before about ‘symptoms reported by the patient’ and ‘main cause of the disease’?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Since the patient underwent gastrectomy due to stomach cancer, the primary issue was initially related to the upper digestive tract. But at some point, bowel paralysis became the primary issue, shifting focus to the lower digestive tract.”

Professor Ko kept muttering in admiration, almost to himself.

“It’s surprising that the intern was the first to notice that change.”

He then placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Thanks to you, the patient’s life expectancy has likely increased. Keep up the good work and continue to show us the qualities of a great doctor.”

“Yes, thank you.”

It felt as though all the stress I had endured was being rewarded in an instant.

Returning to the ward, my steps felt as light as if my shoes had wings.

“?”

But the atmosphere in the ward was strange. It seemed the news had already spread widely.

“Dr. Seon Joon, the attending physician~.”

As I passed the station, the playful nicknames from the nurses sent chills down my spine.

‘I didn’t even say anything. Where did they hear this from?’

I was about to ask but decided against it.

It wasn’t just the nurses, though.

During lunch, I could hardly eat due to the barrage of questions from my peers.

“Joon, is that rumor true?”

“Ha… yes.”

I felt like a politician caught in a scandal.

It seemed like I had answered that same question ten times today.

My peers were buzzing with various reactions.

“Wow, an ace intern! Or should we say, a resident now?”

“Ugh, even if I were asked, I couldn’t do it. I’m always getting scolded for not handling intern tasks properly, let alone being an attending physician.”

“Starting as a resident from June? As far as I know, this is the fastest ever!”

However, the climax of the commotion happened at the café we all went to after lunch.

As I approached the counter, the male owner greeted me warmly and grabbed my hand.

“Dr. Seon Joon?!”

I was startled and pulled my hand away.

The owner pointed to my name tag attached to my gown.

“You’re the acupuncturist who treated the patient, Na Ye-jin, in the Hematology and Oncology Department, right? I’m her husband!”

“Oh, yes…”

Come to think of it, her husband did mention he ran a café on the first floor.

In contrast to my awkward tone, the owner’s reaction was very enthusiastic.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting for you to come to the café!”

“Why me?”

Then, with an excited expression, the owner declared with a puff of breath!

“From now on, coffee will be free for you, Doctor!”

The owner’s bombshell announcement startled my colleagues even more than it did me.

“Hey, did you hear that?”

“No way, that’s amazing.”

I waved my hand.

“No, it’s okay, sir.”

‘Why are you being so generous? It’s a bit overwhelming.’

But the owner’s eyes were still sparkling with excitement.

“My wife hasn’t been angry lately, and she’s been in such a good mood. Thanks to you, there’s peace in our home. Thank you, Doctor!”

“Even so, I should pay for my coffee.”

“Oh! It’s fine! From now on, coffee is free for Dr. Seon Joon!”

To the owner, who was still basking in his good mood, I asked with a light smile.

“Are you sure you won’t regret it? I have 4 years left in my residency.”

“Four years?”

“And I’m a caffeine addict.”

“Addiction…?”

The owner flinched for a moment but then, as if making a decision, leaned in to speak into my ear.

“For the Americano menu, you can have as much as you want!”

* * *

After such a noisy initiation (?), the next day I officially received my first inpatient.

Park jin (33/M)

Attending Physician: Seon Joon

Designated Physician: Ko Yo-han

(Designated Physician: The highest responsible for treatment)

After completing the patient interview as the attending physician, I looked back at my name on the door plaque.

“Attending Physician.”

Looking at the plaque made me feel quite good.

The young man, Park Jin, who was admitted this time, had been suffering from frequent abdominal pain and diarrhea for nearly ten years.

Although the patient appeared weak and sensitive, he cooperated well during the interview.

I recalled the duties of an attending physician that Kim Pyeong-hwa had outlined for me along with her congratulatory message.

“Originally, the intern is supposed to prepare the basic chart details, and the resident drafts the treatment plan for the professor’s confirmation. However, you are expected to handle both tasks on your own. The point to be cautious about is…”

“?”

“It’s not easy to get a confirmation for the herbal medicine from Professor Ko. You’ll need to provide clear reasons for each herbal ingredient chosen.”

So that’s how it is. I tilted my head to the side.

Unfortunately, the future chart was still blank.

“Does that mean the treatment direction hasn’t been decided yet?”

In that case, I had no choice but to tackle it directly.

I went to find the professor and briefed him on my treatment plan.

“Well, the direction of the prescription is correct.”

After listening to the entire briefing, Professor Ko made corrections with a pen on the chart and handed it back to me.

“Think it over once more and come back by 4 PM.”

The chart had various corrections marked on it, and at the very bottom, it said, “The difference is in the details…”

It seemed that Professor Ko wouldn’t give me a straightforward answer.

“Being an attending physician isn’t easy.”

So, while I was staring at the chart in the intern training room, an unexpected situation arose.

The familiar bright light appeared.

Seeing it after a long time was even a bit heartening.

“Perhaps the preview period has been extended this time.”

Thinking so, I looked at the chart.

But something was off.

The visible future was still only a week.

“Was my guess wrong?”

Despite staring at it for a long time, nothing changed.

Instead, something else caught my attention.

On the back page of the chart, there was a herbal prescription that hadn’t been there earlier, shining in a golden hue.

It seemed that as the professor decided on the prescription, the future was also determined.

“This must be the approved prescription, so it’s essentially the answer key.”

This made things easier.

As I scanned the prescription, I noticed something unexpected.

“Why is this herb included?”

Discovering the unusual herb, I simultaneously realized an important fact.

“If I can’t explain the reason for choosing the herbs, it’s still useless, right?”

Why did the professor include this?

If this is included… it turn into a pediatric prescription?

As I rubbed my temples with one hand and picked up the chart with the other, suddenly:

“!!”

My vision went dark, and the future appeared.

However, this time the vision was not like watching a movie as before.

The situation unfolded as if I had become someone else.

The screen was filled with an older hand holding a pen, smoothly prescribing the chart.

And I knew the owner of that pen.

It was the same pen that Professor Ko had used earlier.