The Enhanced Doctor-Chapter 385 Interview with Liu Banxia - Part 2

(Thanks to my good friends, Nuanyang Shai Nuannuan and Xibei Fei Lang Mihu, for their encouraging monthly tickets.)

"This matter is also quite complicated," Liu Banxia said after a moment’s thought.

"And I suppose I’m also involved, as I accepted the hospital’s punishment for it—a half-month suspension. So it’s clear, the ’flying blade’ was wrong. But I hope that in the future, we can find a more suitable solution."

Sui Wenjing looked at him in surprise. She had expected another lengthy explanation, but he stopped abruptly, the topic not yet reaching the level of intensity she might have hoped for.

"Dr. Liu, I’ve noticed some online discussions suggesting that because you can perform so many surgeries in such a short time, you must have some sort of backstage supporter," Sui Wenjing said.

"And do you believe that?" Liu Banxia asked in return.

"Me? I try to maintain an objective attitude. However, deep down, I don’t believe it," Sui Wenjing replied with a smile.

"That’s right; I don’t believe it either," Liu Banxia said, shrugging. "Many people assume that when someone achieves success, it’s because of their connections or special favors. Others question my academic qualifications, wondering how someone with supposed connections could end up like me.

"If I do have ’connections,’ they are my colleagues in the General Surgery Department of the Second Hospital and our leaders.

"Every medical student knows it takes a lot to actually perform surgery. You have to start as an assistant, and you only get an opportunity when the supervising doctor believes your skills are up to the task.

"Some even complain that opportunities are few and the mentoring is subpar. They say, ’Isn’t it just an appendectomy? Make an incision, remove it, stitch it up, and it’s done.’

"When I was a rookie, I used to think like that. Every day, I eagerly awaited the chance to get hands-on surgical experience; I was almost obsessed. Seeing a patient with acute abdominal pain, forgive my bluntness, felt more exciting than seeing my own parents.

"It was only when I became a supervising doctor myself and mentored medical students that I truly understood how difficult that job is. It involves not only managing the doctor-patient relationship but also assessing the intern’s psychological state.

"Even for a common ailment like appendicitis, the manifestations can vary widely: mild inflammation, an abscess, exudation, perforation, peritonitis after perforation, and so on. Each condition requires a different approach.

"Therefore, when preparing an intern for their first surgery, we choose the simplest cases. Not everyone has nerves of steel or is as resilient as I am.

"People who have never been surgeons may never understand the pain of losing a patient on the operating table. I won’t hide it from you; I’ve even considered giving up. But in the end, I persevered.

"So, are you saying your ’connections’ come from the attention of supervising doctors?" Sui Wenjing asked.

"That’s about right. I can tell you responsibly that for every type of surgery I’ve performed, I only gained the right to do so after passing an assessment," Liu Banxia said.

"This ’connections’ business really has little to do with how many surgeries one performs. The key is your professional ability. A person’s life is no joke; even minor surgeries can pose a life-threatening risk.

"Actually, nowadays, there’s a shortage of doctors in almost every hospital department, especially in demanding ones like pediatrics, emergency, and the ICU.

"Being a doctor is truly arduous work. You have to sacrifice a lot to become a competent physician. The so-called 996 work system is nothing compared to ours. I feel embarrassed to say more, for fear of being criticized by our leaders."

"Haha, I can see your outlook is very positive," Sui Wenjing laughed.

"What else can I do? I can only console myself this way," Liu Banxia said with a wry smile.

"Who doesn’t want to spend time with their family? We can’t even schedule time with them. Every time I’m resting, I’m on edge, terrified the phone will ring and I’ll have to rush back to the hospital.

"By the way, is our program about to end? I thought I saw someone signaling from the side, but I’m not sure. May I say one more thing?"

Sui Wenjing nodded with a smile. "Go ahead."

"Speaking of the doctor-patient relationship, I sincerely hope that people won’t just focus on the negative news," Liu Banxia said. "As doctors, we should be conscientious during diagnosis and treatment. As patients, we should try to be more tolerant and understanding during our medical visits.

"The relationship should ideally be harmonious; there’s no need to make it so complicated. Does the world have no good doctors or good patients? We shouldn’t generalize in many situations.

"However, I do hope everyone takes good care of their health and seeks timely medical attention when they feel unwell. It’s a common habit for people in our country to procrastinate. If delayed, minor ailments can become serious illnesses.

"With the recent flu season being quite severe, I hope everyone takes protective measures when going out. Honestly, it’s best if you don’t have to be a patient at all. Thank you all!"

"And thank you, Dr. Liu, for giving us a deeper understanding of the medical profession," Sui Wenjing said.

"Phew... that really made me nervous," Liu Banxia said as the crew began to pack up around them.

"Your performance was excellent, and I could tell you were speaking from the heart," Sui Wenjing said.

"Why do you say that? I actually prepared some material too," Liu Banxia said.

"Because some of what you said was a little logically inconsistent, which proves you were improvising. That’s actually for the best, as we want to show the audience your most genuine side," Sui Wenjing said.

"Thank you also for taking the time to participate in our program. I truly hope we can collaborate again someday, allowing people to learn even more."

"You should probably find someone else then. This experience shaved at least half a year off my life; it’s more nerve-wracking than treating my patients," Liu Banxia said with a bitter smile.

"Dr. Liu, I have a personal question. Is being a doctor really such a risky profession?" Sui Wenjing asked curiously. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"It is. Very risky. Riskier than you can imagine," Liu Banxia nodded seriously.

"Let me give you a small example. If you were a doctor, and a friend felt unwell and asked you for advice on WeChat, would you recommend medication?"

"I suppose I would," Sui Wenjing said.

"Okay, in that case, you’ve taken on a certain responsibility. If your friend—now effectively your patient—experiences any issues while taking the medication, you bear a share of the responsibility, regardless of whether there’s a direct causal link or not," Liu Banxia said.

"Why is that? Do I have to be responsible even if there’s no causal relationship?" Sui Wenjing asked, surprised.

"Because many diseases are progressive and can have complications. Furthermore, there are many illnesses that medical science currently cannot explain," Liu Banxia said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Because you’re a doctor, even a consultation over WeChat is essentially considered a medical interaction. If you provide a diagnosis, you assume responsibility.

"Unless the conditions are wildly different and clearly unrelated, but such instances are rare. If the other party decides to sue, it’s really hard to explain your way out of it.

"Now, if friends ask me for a consultation, I generally don’t answer unless they have a recent examination report. Otherwise, it’s just too dangerous.

"In fact, this isn’t a good trend. If one day, every doctor has to work in an environment of constant fear and anxiety, how many people would still want to do this job?

"There are no miracle-working doctors who can determine life or death with a single glance. That’s stuff from television dramas. There are only qualified doctors. Diseases are constantly evolving, and new manifestations can appear over the years.

"Medication and surgical interventions by doctors are merely medical tools. Each person’s body has individual differences, so we doctors shouldn’t be demonized, nor should we be deified with overly high expectations.

"Alright, I have to go. There’s still a lot of work to do at the hospital. If I delay any longer, there’s no telling what time I’ll get to sleep tonight."

"Take care," Sui Wenjing said.

Liu Banxia waved his hand and strolled out.

To say I wasn’t nervous would be a lie; so many people were watching, and the cameras were pointed right at me. Those lights shining on me were making me incredibly hot.

Afterward, I reflected on whether I had misspoken or said anything unsuitable for television. I thought about it for a while, but my mind was a blank.

I told myself that in the future, I must pass this kind of task on to someone else if I can. Is appearing on TV supposed to be such an honor? This ordeal is really unpleasant.

"Ah, President Liu is back! How’d it go? When will it air?" Upon seeing Liu Banxia return, Wang Chao immediately came over.

"Three days from now, I think? That’s what they told me. But it also depends on whether there are any changes; if so, then it can’t be helped. It’ll be on the Life Channel, after the news broadcast," Liu Banxia said.

"How are things? Anything going on at the hospital? Get me a bottle of water first. I drank a lot over there, but I’m still thirsty. Those lights were scorching."

"And then?" Wang Chao asked.

"And then what? That’s it," Liu Banxia said.

"I thought there’d be some explosive news. Turns out you were just going through the motions," Wang Chao said with a sigh of resignation.

"Hehe, if you’re interested, I can recommend you next time. How about that?" Liu Banxia asked with a grin.

Wang Chao shivered. "No, thanks. I’ll just be a regular doctor in peace. I don’t want to get involved in such big affairs."

Liu Banxia chuckled. "That’s the spirit. That kind of ordeal isn’t for everyone. I’m going to get changed."

Wang Chao shook his head. Only Liu Banxia would think this way, he guessed. Isn’t this an honor? If it were open to everyone, people would be fighting for the chance. After all, not everyone possessed Liu Banxia’s talent for performing surgery so skillfully.