[Completed one case as the primary surgeon for spleen preservation surgery, greatly reducing the patient's risk of shock, avoiding the removal of the patient's spleen, gained 3.1 Skill Points]

[Current Skill Point balance: 12.3]

One surgery yields 3 skill points, equivalent to two to three tendon suturing operations.

Spleen preservation surgery truly deserves its name; the skill point yield is high, and this is just a simple spleen preservation surgery.

Splenectomy is only a secondary surgical technique; spleen preservation surgery doesn't have a fundamental technique, it's actually composed of spleen suturing, spleen segment removal, and other combinations, so it doesn't have a strict classification.

According to Lu Cheng's own calculations, the skill points from a primary surgery are about 1 point, and for secondary surgical techniques, the skill point yield is around 2 points.

By this analogy, the difficulty coefficient of this spleen preservation surgery should be above secondary level, below tertiary surgical techniques...

After the patient was escorted out of the operating room to the recovery room by the circulating nurse and anesthetist, Chen Song, with his arms crossed, looked at Lu Cheng with a smile hinting at contemplation: "Xiao Lu, did your blind date go well recently? That 'auntie smile' on your face."

Lu Cheng said, "The blind date fell through, but being the primary surgeon for the first spleen preservation surgery is something to be happy about."

"Teacher Chen, if it wasn't for you being here, the situation of this patient would most likely require direct splenectomy."

Spleen preservation surgery has a certain entry threshold; it can be routinely carried out in city-level hospitals. But if the disease area is quite remote, patients can't afford to wait to go to a city-level hospital, then it would be life-saving to remove the spleen.

Chen Song slightly lifted his chin: "The difficulty of carrying out liver preservation surgery is too high; it's Elder Wu Mengchao's proud work. Although it's been classically passed down for so many years, it's not something you can easily learn."

"However, with your qualification, learning spleen preservation and gallbladder preservation surgery within a few months is enough for you to make a living."

"Xiao Lu, have you thought about your future?"

"Or are you planning to rely on spleen and gallbladder preservation surgery to make a living forever?" Chen Song asked about Lu Cheng's plan in a teasing tone as he walked out.

Surgery is difficult to learn, knowledge doesn't pass beyond the six ears; a teacher's guidance is needed to enter it.

What is said online, that watching videos can teach you surgery, that's just pure nonsense.

Chen Song is actually tempting Lu Cheng.

"Teacher Chen, you might as well speak frankly and guide." Lu Cheng set aside his pride, temporarily putting aside his plans.

Even ancient kings needed advisors, listening to more opinions wouldn't go wrong.

Chen Song scratched his ear and slowly voiced his long-considered words: "Xiao Lu, actually, I also passed through the stage you're at..." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"I know the pressure you're facing currently, you're an adult, life's pressure is part of it too, running out from a small county is indeed quite difficult."

"It's unrestrained rogue-talk to discuss upper structures without considering economic foundations, and from your current practical viewpoint, some paths that PhDs and Masters can take, earning money from publishing articles, are unreliable."

"But there are other quite legitimate paths, if you break through well, it won't earn less than publishing many articles, certainly more than you're earning in the County Hospital now..."

Lu Cheng didn't expect Chen Song to speak so practically.

However, thinking about it, Chen Song saying this was to make Lu Cheng put down his burden.

Lu Cheng then asked: "Teacher Chen, what path are you talking about?"

Chen Song said: "Professional competitions..."

"Your situation is special, so you can participate in any surgical specialty's skill competitions, for instance, the Youth Physician Skill Competition for emergency specialties in Xiang Province, the first prize has a 40,000 bonus. The special prize is 80,000."

"For instance, the orthopedics hand surgery track, the special prize is as much as 100,000..."

Lu Cheng lifted his head: "That's not easy to win, is it?"

Chen Song nodded: "It's not easy, indeed. The age criterion for youth physicians is below thirty-five years old, aiming for first and special prizes is certainly not easy."

"But after participating in such competitions, you can gain some professors' favor, in the future, whether using the money to participate in surgery training classes or seeking professors for further study, it will be especially convenient."

"Moreover, besides provincial competitions, each track has national competitions, where the bonuses are much higher, first prizes are around 150,000."

Lu Cheng thought for a moment, asking: "Are there really such competitions?"

Chen Song retorted unkindly: "Could there be fake ones? Not to mention far ones, just microsurgery, the Chinese Worker's Technical Association plans to host an international microsurgery skills competition next year."

"The first 'Chinese Technical Association · Super Microsurgery Vascular Anastomosis Skill Competition' will be held in Rongcheng from December 22 to 24 this year. The competition sets group matches, individual elite, veteran expert, and student groups... you can check it out."

Lu Cheng nodded upon hearing this: "Okay, Teacher Chen... I'll understand it later..."

"You'd better go for the competition next year; the specific reason will be clear once you see the requirements." Chen Song smiled somewhat mischievously—

Lu Cheng, being straightforward, started to look up information on the Hua Country Microsurgery Skills Competition after parting with Chen Song.

For now, the information obtained mentions 50 group match representative teams, 220 elite group teams, 19 veteran expert group teams, and 15 student group teams, covering second-class to third-class hospitals and medical schools...

Among them, Huashan Hospital, Xiangya Hospital, Xiangya Second Hospital also send participants.

...

Lu Cheng felt the pressure after reading the competition system—

The competition is divided into three stages: Preliminary: Participants must complete 0.2mm vascular end-to-end anastomosis within 30 minutes, microscope magnification set at 25x.

Semi-final: The vascular diameter shrinks to 0.1mm, introducing nanometer-level suturing thread use scoring.

Final: Challenge the 0.075mm super microsurgical vascular anastomosis, adding vascular clamping stability assessment.

Yes, 0.2mm, 0.1mm, 0.075mm, these are in millimeters, not centimeters...

The competition could be said to be perversely difficult.

"Teacher Chen, I've ordered lunch, if there's no patient, you can take a break first." Lu Cheng replied after reading the relevant information.

"Okay." Chen Song reclined on the chair playing with his phone.

His duty life, monotonous yet 'full'...

The next day.

After completing an appendectomy at seven thirty in the morning, Lu Cheng hurriedly left the 'emergency surgery shift', arrived at the entrance of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, and then called Lu Nanyong: "Uncle, I'm at the entrance."

"Should I come up to find you or—?"

Lu Nanyong's voice was steady: "You come straight to the third floor then, I'll be right down, I'll take you to meet someone..."

About twenty minutes later, Lu Cheng saw Lu Nanyong; Lu Nanyong turned his head and said: "The person I want to introduce to you is Director Xu Hong'an of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, apart from formally studying Chinese medicine, he also has inherited traditional Chinese osteopathy."

"I've pleaded for quite a while, Director Xu just agreed to teach you some things and pass on the secrets."

"Be polite later." Lu Nanyong said in a low voice.

"Osteopathy technique? Manual repositioning?" Lu Cheng certainly knew manual repositioning technique.

"Yes, isn't Director Peng unwilling for you to touch fracture surgery? Then let him not touch it either, as long as you master osteopathy technique, you can uproot their orthopedics..."

"At that time, he'll be the one begging you!~" Lu Nanyong gritted his teeth, evidently holding some anger.

Lu Cheng was silent upon hearing this, carefully observing his uncle's expressions, Lu Nanyong took a deep breath to calm himself, then smiled and knocked on the door: "Director Xu, sorry for interrupting, this is my nephew I've mentioned to you, Lu Cheng..."

"Director Xu!~" Lu Cheng also followed suit respectfully.