My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points Chapter 1372 544: Gaining a New General Like a Tiger With Wings, Taking on Side Gigs_2

Pharmacological differentiation skills are nearing completion at Level 6.

Currently, this specific medical specialization is his weakest area. Being only at Level 5, which is comparable to an associate chief physician's proficiency, his abilities in clinical diagnosis are sometimes even outmatched by Jiang Wei, a subordinate nurse.

As the leader of the team, having such a vital area as pharmacological differentiation surpassed by a subordinate nurse poses a direct challenge to his authority.

Consequently, he harbors a strong desire to advance his pharmacological differentiation skill to Level 6.

Moreover, this medical technique is critically important for prescribing medications and executing various clinical treatments. To achieve the status of a truly renowned physician, a deficiency in this domain is unacceptable.

One day, just as Zhou Can was concluding his work for the day, Jiang Wei approached him with a secretive air.

"Boss Zhou, how about we take on a private gig together?"

Having collaborated for a considerable period, a certain level of mutual trust has been established between them.

Zhou Can, without much deliberation, casually inquired, "Which hospital is this gig for?"

With his growing reputation, numerous hospitals extend invitations for consultations. These cases often present unique challenges that necessitate the expertise of other physicians for accurate diagnosis.

A common characteristic is their difficulty in treatment.

Some patients have connections with higher authorities, ensuring that no one dares to be negligent. There might be a degree of confidence, but it is usually minimal. Even when confidence is lacking due to various circumstances, the cases cannot be dismissed and must be resolved internally.

Alternatively, a hospital might aim to perform a high-risk surgery to facilitate learning opportunities for its in-house doctors and to enhance the hospital's prestige.

Ultimately, all these endeavors are driven by the pursuit of benefit.

Zhou Can's work schedule is exceptionally demanding, and considering his relatively modest physician level, he generally extends polite refusals to avoid unnecessary complications.

He experiences no financial strain, so he naturally has no inclination to pursue such private engagements.

Exceptions are made only for a select few individuals he trusts implicitly.

For instance, following a demonstration of his capabilities at the Provincial People's Hospital, the head of the neurosurgery department personally extended an invitation for an interventional surgery. That procedure was notably successful.

Not only was the intracranial thrombus successfully removed, but a coil was also placed, effectively repairing a potentially rupture-prone intracranial aneurysm, all performed amidst exceedingly challenging vascular conditions and an unfavorable intracranial environment.

Jiang Wei has been an integral part of his team for more than a month.

She has consistently maintained a proper demeanor, never giving any indication of financial hardship. Furthermore, her clothing and choice of perfume suggest a considerable expense.

Her sudden proposition to Zhou Can for a private gig was rather unexpected.

"It's at a second-tier hospital; the patient is a fifty-three-year-old woman with some influential connections. She is currently experiencing severe swelling in her lower limbs, diagnosed as completely blocked superficial varices. I remember you successfully performed a similar surgery when you first joined Tuya Hospital. When an old colleague approached me, I accepted without hesitation," she elaborated.

"Given the patient's background, shouldn't she be referred to a top-tier hospital for the surgery?"

Zhou Can posed the question.

"Uh... Ultimately, it's a matter of pride! The dean of that second-tier hospital wished to appease the old lady's son, thus making confident assurances. I suspect the son's official position is not very high, otherwise, he wouldn't be taking his mother to a second-tier hospital through acquaintances. They could have easily sought treatment at a major hospital. Besides, superficial varices are not a life-threatening condition; perhaps they thought local treatment would be more convenient."

Her explanation held logical weight.

Zhou Can inclined his head in agreement.

"I'm actually not particularly skilled at such procedures. If you are determined to take this private gig, and the other party is trustworthy, I can recommend a General Surgery doctor for you."

Despite Zhou Can holding Jiang Wei in high regard, gaining her complete trust within just a month of interaction is a challenging prospect.

For impromptu private engagements, Zhou Can would certainly not place himself in a position of risk.

However, a direct refusal might potentially offend Jiang Wei.

The most effective approach is to assist her in finding a doctor willing to undertake the private gig.

Within Tuya Hospital, Zhou Can is acquainted with nearly all the chief physicians across various departments.

A number of them, either in need of additional income or possessing a proactive disposition, are quite amenable to taking on private gigs.

This supplementary income is entirely legitimate.

Regarding accepting external work, it is not limited to offers from outside institutions; sometimes, even within the same hospital, departments like the Emergency Department can present such opportunities.

Consider a scenario where a patient requires urgent care late at night in the Emergency Department and needs a Cardiology specialist's intervention. A call is placed to summon the on-call Cardiologist in an emergency capacity.

Given that it's well past regular hours, it's highly probable that most Cardiologists are at home, resting.

Upon receiving such a summons, the typical modes of transport to the hospital are usually by taxi or personal vehicle.

Occasionally, the cost of a taxi ride alone can surpass two hundred units.

The Emergency Department doctor who initiated the request is expected to present the visiting Cardiologist with a gift as a token of appreciation. It's crucial to note that these gifts are a standard, legitimate practice.

Some newly qualified doctors, due to their lack of experience, might offer a gift insufficient to even cover the visiting doctor's travel expenses.

Should the department head or supervising physician become aware of such a shortfall, they would swiftly intervene to rectify the situation.

A more substantial gift would be assembled, accompanied by apologies to the visiting doctor, explaining the newcomer's ignorance and seeking understanding. Failure to do so could jeopardize future assistance from the doctor, especially after a night of difficult work, only to receive compensation that barely covers their travel costs.

"Very well! The surgery is scheduled for around eight this evening, though an earlier start would be preferable. I have no concerns regarding the competence of the individual you recommend. As the saying goes, a phoenix associates with other fine birds; if your surgical skills are exceptional, then your referral must be equally capable."

A brief pause of a second or two preceded her agreement.

Zhou Can immediately placed a call to facilitate a connection with a General Surgery doctor.

An Associate Director-level physician was deemed perfectly suitable for the operation.

Furthermore, there's a notable difference in cost when inviting a chief physician compared to an associate chief for a consultation.

Employing a butcher's cleaver for a small task is often an extravagant waste.

When surgeries are arranged through personal connections, the choice of consulting doctor is dictated by the procedure's scope, intricacy, and projected cost. For an operation with a total expenditure of five thousand, would it be prudent to offer an extravagant gift to a chief physician, potentially burdening the hospital coordinating the assistance?

A payment of one thousand would undoubtedly be inadequate.

However, a remuneration of two thousand might actually result in a financial deficit for the hospital coordinating the referral.

There are numerous subtle considerations at play here.

Moreover, it is imperative not to recommend unreliable individuals. If you were to send a doctor, only for them to be subjected to intense scrutiny, akin to an interrogation of a spy, fostering future cooperation would become remarkably difficult.

…

Around eleven o'clock that night, Zhou Can's phone pinged with a WeChat notification.

The sender was none other than Hee Hansheng from the General Surgery department.

"Dr. Zhou, thank you for arranging this private engagement. The experience was outstanding, and the surgery concluded with great success. Allow me to treat you to a cup of coffee as a gesture of my appreciation."

Hee Hansheng had been elevated to associate chief status the previous year.

His financial standing was moderately comfortable.

Nevertheless, his proficiency in surgical procedures was quite robust.

He derived considerable satisfaction from securing this private medical opportunity.

During Zhou Can's rotation through General Surgery, Hee Hansheng was in a critical phase of his career, striving for a full professorship. Zhou Can's involvement with Professor Liu's team, assisting them in successfully obtaining the necessary qualifications to establish a sub-department, proved instrumental.

Professor Liu subsequently achieved the esteemed rank of full professor, and not long thereafter, Hee Hansheng attained the position of associate professor.

It is important to note that while full and associate professorships are conferred from a higher administrative level, each hospital department is allocated a finite number of such positions.

Departments with lesser resources or diminished influence often face greater challenges in securing full and associate professorships.

Anesthesiology is a specialty that many physicians find undesirable.

Beyond its demanding nature and the potential for sudden, critical patient outcomes, this department also encounters obstacles in the progression to full and associate professorships.

Hee Hansheng had long perceived Zhou Can as a harbinger of good fortune, maintaining an excellent rapport with him.

Demonstrating considerable awareness, upon the successful completion of his engagement, he promptly extended an offer to Zhou Can for a customary introduction fee.

"Your thoughtfulness is appreciated, but I must respectfully decline the offer! How is the elderly patient faring?"

Zhou Can deliberately inquired about the patient's condition.

He sought to ascertain the reliability of the private surgical referral provided by Jiang Wei.