A competent doctor can cure everything - Chapter 77

After a few days, the mother’s overall condition improved significantly.

Her pyelonephritis showed progress, and as she became skilled at pumping milk, her breast engorgement also subsided.
Most notably, her skin improved to an almost miraculous degree.
Day by day, the size of her rashes decreased, and their color lightened.

I could clearly see how effective a treatment could be when the prescription perfectly matched the diagnosis.

“Dr. Seon-Joon, thank you so much for everything! If I have any problems in the future, I’ll definitely come back to you.”

“Haha. Take care!”

Fortunately, the baby’s condition also improved, allowing the mother to be discharged earlier than planned.

And then… a small change occurred during my lunch break.

“What the… What is this?”

Ye Wonil’s mouth dropped open as he stared at my tray.

It was understandable since my tray alone was piled high with meat.

“This is blatant favoritism!”
“…”

That’s right.
The stern cafeteria lady started giving me extra meat dishes.

Seeing Ye Wonil pout, I quietly handed him some of my meat.
Hmm. Looks like I won’t have to worry about my protein intake for a while…

There was more good news too.

First, I received a call from Kim Jin-ah’s guardian, the one who had borrowed my car.

“Dr. Seon-Joon, did you recently have the car’s engine oil changed?”

“Yes, I had it replaced during a maintenance check.”

“Ah, that repair shop is no good. Where is it? Change to this one instead.”

“Sorry?”

“The smoke issue? It happened because they spilled oil while replacing it, and it burned. Who makes such rookie mistakes?”

I could hear Kim Jin-ah’s father clicking his tongue in annoyance over the phone.

“Ah… I see.”

“Anyway, the car is fine, so don’t worry.”

“That’s a relief.”

At least there’s no major issue with the car, which puts my mind at ease.

Still, should I really switch repair shops?

‘The shop owner mentioned recently handing the business over to his son, and now this happens.’

The son’s indifferent attitude had already rubbed me the wrong way.

When it comes to cars, it’s probably best to rely on a trustworthy place.

“Alright, I’ll count on you moving forward.”
“Good decision! I’ll make sure to take great care of you.”

—

In other news, the Blue Whales are also performing remarkably well in the KOVO Cup tournament.

They delivered a thrilling match by defeating a team considered a strong contender for the championship.

As a result, they’ve secured a spot in the semifinals this Saturday.

Although it means another trip to Suncheon over the weekend, I’m quite pleased.

“At this rate, they might actually win the championship.”

Of course, not all news can be good.
Thinking about Jo Na-kyung, a patient who’s been weighing on my mind lately, ruins my appetite.

I’ll need to bring some good news to the café on the first floor that keeps me caffeinated.
In the meantime, I should prepare for tomorrow’s morning study session and reevaluate Na-kyung’s treatment plan.

—

Since becoming a primary doctor, I’ve taken on responsibilities for presentations during morning study sessions.
Even the associate professor and the OB-GYN residents have been treating me differently lately.

They’ve started asking for my genuine input regarding their patients.
“It feels like they see me less as an intern and more as an actual primary doctor now.”

While preparing for the study session, I opened Na-kyung’s chart.

There’s still no noticeable progress even after a week of monitoring.

The current treatment goal is restoring ovarian function.

The treatment methods mainly consist of herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture.

The prescribed formula is a modified version of ‘Yukninju’, which supports deficiencies in the reproductive system.

I followed my recommendation to enhance the original formula with ‘Osuyu’ and ‘Sokdan’.

Acupuncture and moxibustion are also essential for addressing premature ovarian failure.
Research shows that acupuncture can lower serum FSH levels and aid in the resumption of menstruation.

Stimulating acupuncture points like ‘Uterus’ (Zigong), ‘Guanyuan’, and ‘Qihai’ in the lower abdomen increases ovarian blood flow.

‘I’m also applying moxibustion to the lower abdomen.’

Key acupuncture points for treating women’s health issues, such as ‘Zusanli,’ ‘Sanyinjiao,’ and ‘Yinlingquan,’ are indispensable.

Additionally, I included ‘Baihui,’ the point at the crown of the head, to promote relaxation and mental stability.

Lastly, pharmacopuncture is being utilized—a method of injecting active ingredients extracted from herbal medicines into acupuncture points. This technique has the advantage of providing sustained stimulation by allowing the medication to remain in the acupoints.

For the pharmacopuncture solution, I chose ‘Ziheche’ (Horminis Placenta), which strengthens reproductive endocrine functions.

‘I’m injecting 0.5cc of Ziheche into the Uterus, Guanyuan, and Qihai points.’

Ziheche refers to the placenta, and in modern treatments, it is typically derived from processed pig placenta.

In addition to enhancing reproductive function, it is also effective in combating osteoporosis caused by estrogen deficiency.

While these treatments fundamentally aim to improve ovarian function, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was anything more I could do.

‘It doesn’t always have to be fundamental treatment, does it?’

The average age of menopause for Korean women is 50. However, premature ovarian failure (POF) occurs when ovarian function drops to menopausal levels before the age of 40.

Despite their young age, patients inevitably experience menopausal symptoms.
‘What first made me suspect Jo Na-kyung’s condition was her facial flushing.’

Symptoms like facial flushing, which Na-kyung is currently experiencing, will naturally improve once her ovarian function recovers. However, adding symptomatic treatment to provide immediate relief could be beneficial.

‘What kind of treatment should I add?’

It’s not possible to simply add every herbal ingredient to the prescription.
The properties of different herbs can conflict, potentially nullifying their effects.
It’s like cooking—ingredients must be harmonized and used in appropriate quantities. If you mix too many, the dish becomes a mess.

With this in mind, I decided to pursue a safe treatment method with minimal side effects.
The solution: using acupuncture to address menopausal symptoms.

—

The next morning’s study session.

I presented the revised treatment plan.

“…So, I plan to include acupuncture points such as Neiguan, Shaofu, Shenmen, Hegu, Taixi, Lieque, and Zhaohai.”

“This is a combination to treat menopausal hot flashes, correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Good idea. Proceed with it.”

As expected, Professor Bu Yeo-jung nodded in approval without hesitation.

After all, acupuncture is simpler and less burdensome than herbal medicine, so I anticipated it would be easily approved.

Hot flashes.

They’re one of the most prominent symptoms associated with menopause.

When estrogen decreases, it disrupts the body’s temperature regulation and vascular motor functions, resulting in hot flashes.
Acupuncture is believed to normalize vascular motor function and regulate the secretion of stress-related substances like endorphins and serotonin, thereby alleviating hot flashes.

“But while the treatment plan is solid…”
When the professor prefaced with a “but,” everyone tensed up.

“In long-term conditions like this, what do you think is the most challenging aspect?”

“?”

“Assessing whether the treatment is working. For conditions like menstrual cramps, you can evaluate the results every month, but that’s not the case for diseases like this.”

“……”

“You need to think about the patient’s perspective—someone who’s trusting you enough to undergo a lengthy and tedious treatment. You need a way to measure progress during the course of treatment. That way, you can ensure the treatment stays on track, and the patient doesn’t lose hope.”

I had been so focused on improving the treatment itself.

Hearing the professor’s words felt like an eye-opener.

“I’ll give you an assignment.”

The professor stood up and left me with a final thought.

“Think about what indicators you can use to guide the treatment. Reflect on that. Today’s study session ends here.”

“Yes, Professor. Thank you!!”

Indicators to measure progress during treatment…

As I heard the residents give their spirited goodbyes, I found myself lost in thought.

—

That afternoon.

I was now sitting across from Shim Ji-seop at the rehabilitation department’s desk, showing him the final draft of the “Kim Jin-ah Case Report.”

Once I got the hang of it, writing a case report wasn’t too difficult.

I felt it was a good decision to write the case report, as it also served to document the situation at the time.

“In the future, I should document all cases with positive treatment outcomes in papers.”

After a while, Shim Ji-seop lifted his eyes from the printed document and asked,
“This is your first time writing a paper, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“For a first attempt, it’s not bad…. If you add a few more references to support the logic in the underlined sections, it will be even better. Other than that, it’s solid.”

He handed back the paper, with parts highlighted in fluorescent marker.

“After reviewing the submission format one more time, show it to Professor Yeon Jae-wook and proceed with submission.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

“Have you decided on which journal to submit it to?”

“Since it’s related to a rehabilitation patient, I was considering the ‘Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation’. Otherwise, maybe the ‘Journal of Korean Medicine’.”

“IMR is also a good option since it’s an SCI-grade journal, but I’m not sure they’ll accept a case report.”

IMR stands for ‘Integrative Medicine Research’, a journal published by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine.

It’s an SCI-grade international academic journal officially indexed in PubMed Central, the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s database.

Having a paper published in an SCI-grade journal is a significant achievement for any researcher.

(SCI, or Science Citation Index, journals are rigorously selected by the American Institute for Scientific Information based on strict criteria.)

“Now that you’ve mastered case report writing, I’ll teach you how to write meta-analysis papers next.”

“Thank you.”

After hesitating for a moment, I asked the question that had been on my mind.

“But why are you teaching me so much? You must be busy too.”

“Hm? That sounds like, ‘I’m surprised you’re being so kind to me,’ doesn’t it? Am I right?”

“…….”

He smiled slyly, throwing the question straight at me, leaving me at a loss for words.
That senior—quick to catch on.

‘He’s definitely not someone to be underestimated.’

His first impression wasn’t great, and we even raised our voices at each other once.
From his perspective, I can’t imagine I’m particularly likable either. So why is he helping me so much?

“Well… regardless of our relationship, I think highly of your abilities. Plus, if you work hard on writing papers, it benefits me too.”

“?”

“Every paper like this contributes to building EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine). Wouldn’t it be better to have one more pair of hands stacking those bricks?”

It seems that after witnessing Kim Jin-ah’s improvement, Shim Ji-seop has regained his faith in traditional Korean medicine.

Both in research and in clinical practice, it seems.

Recently, it’s been common to see the rehabilitation department’s office lights on late into the night.

So, he’s helping me because our interests align.

Well, it’s certainly benefiting me too, so I guess it’s a win-win.

“Then, may I ask you a question this time?”

“…Hm? Sure.”

“Are you considering joining the rehabilitation department?”

“!”

Wow. Asking so directly?

In fact, revealing which department an intern is interested in can be quite delicate.

You might face scrutiny from other interns competing for the same spot.

Or, when rotating through other departments, you might get scolded with comments like, ‘Since you’re going somewhere else, does that mean you don’t need to put in the effort here?’

And if you change your mind midway and switch departments, you risk being seen as indecisive.

‘Of course, if you’re certain, openly declaring, “I’m going to this department” and sticking to it is one approach.’

When the chilly winds of September and October roll around, the rough allocation of department TOs (Training Opportunities) starts to become clear.

At that point, interns slowly begin revealing their preferences.

As for me, I have no intention of officially declaring my interest in any department until then.

“I think it’s a good department.”

“That’s a vague answer.”

Shim Ji-seop smiled and ran a hand through his hair.

“I heard Kang Wooshin is also interested in our department.”

Kang Wooshin—that’s the royal intern.

Both of his parents are professors at Hanbit University, making him the elite of the elite.

We’re not in the same academic year, so I don’t know him well.

“When they select residents, the first round will be a written test, and the second round will be an interview. If you want to make a strong impression during the interview, submitting a paper to the ‘Journal of Rehabilitation Science’ would be a good move.”

“!”

Hearing that unexpected tip from a senior caught me off guard.

What’s with this guy? Giving me a valuable piece of advice?

It seems he doesn’t dislike the idea of me joining the rehabilitation department.

…Then again, maybe it’s just another way to make use of me.

“Thank you.”

The rehabilitation department is a major choice, often the top preference among interns.

With August already here, the outline for resident recruitment in each department will soon be revealed.

‘I hope the rehabilitation department will have plenty of spots available.’

Reflecting on Shim Ji-seop’s advice, I mulled over my next steps.