03
“…Professor, I’m here.”
“Hey.”
“Yes, Professor.”
“You know what you did wrong, right?”
“…Yes, I do.”
“Then what was it?”
“I performed a chest tube insertion without your supervision—
on an emergency patient. First-year residents are supposed to do that only under supervision.”
“You knew that and did it alone? Are you insane?”
“…It was a critical patient. I was the only one available who could do it.”
“How critical are we talking here? Was it a matter of immediate death without intervention?”
“Yes. It was that urgent.”
“Hah… You’re telling me there wasn’t a single attending around?
That only a first-year resident was there? That makes no sense.”
“There were professors.
But they were all tied up with other critical patients.”
“It was truly an emergency. That’s all I have to say.
Please check the patient chart if you want details.”
“There were no complications.
The procedure went smoothly.
I’m confident in my technique.”
“…You’re pretty bold.
You’re just a first-year.”
“Exactly. And I’m the only first-year resident in this department.”
“Well, I’ll be going now. I have patients to see.”
“…Unbelievable. That kid’s insane.”
After that, I did rounds throughout the hospital—
checking on patients, changing dressings, reading ECGs—
doing everything I possibly could.
Finally, I had a moment to breathe,
so I went to the resident lounge to try and take a short nap.
But just as I was about to rest,
the one who interrupted me was none other than Professor Kim.
“Even I don’t sleep,
and you—a first-year—are trying to nap?”
“…Ah. Professor? What are you doing here?”
“I came looking for you. Get up.”
“Why me? I don’t have anything to do…”
“Nothing to do?
You’ve got more than enough to handle.”
“There’s a patient who needs a thoracentesis. You’ll do it.”
(thoracentesis: a procedure to drain fluid from the pleural space using a syringe)
“There’s a patient needing that right now?”
“Yes.
I’ll be supervising, so don’t mess it up.”
I followed Professor Kim to the patient needing the procedure.
I assessed the case and carried it out.
Though his gaze was intense as he watched,
I stayed focused.
Even though it was my first time performing it,
I handled it calmly and skillfully.
“…You’re pretty good.
Maybe you do belong under me.”
“I want to learn a lot from you, Professor.
I believe the residency years are the most important.”
“…Then keep working hard.
Forget about sleep.”
“Yes, sir!”
After that, I started following Professor Kim more closely.
He let me observe and even try procedures usually reserved for second-years.
My skills improved fast.
I barely slept, hardly ate,
and physically I was wearing down—
but seeing patients recover made everything worth it.
Thanks to that effort,
I grew closer to Professor Kim.
Even other doctors and nurses started praising me.
I had worked so hard to get here—
and now, I was working even harder
to one day surpass Professor Kim.
“Professor,
one day, I’ll become an even better fellow than you!”
“…Well,
you’ll definitely become a well-known fellow.”
“But you do know you’ve still got a long way to catch up to me, right?”
“Of course.
But I’ll get there someday.”
“…Alright. I’ll look forward to it.”
“Please do!”