"What? Evidence? What did I say? Where's the evidence?" Tong Yuan'an's plump face spread out naturally like water, his expression as casual as if chatting with Chen Song.

There are countless hand surgeons who can suture tendons at the age of thirty, but those who can perform finger replantation at thirty are extremely rare.

Countless might be an exaggeration, but with tens of thousands, about a thousand new doctors emerge every year, it's not an exaggeration.

To be honest, even counting the numbers accumulated over history, those who can master finger replantation at thirty don't exceed three digits.

And these people later became the backbone of major top teaching hospitals.

Though Tong Yuan'an was quite plump, his muscles were still strong. With force, he easily pried open Chen Song's thin hand without any effort. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

As a fitness enthusiast, Tong Yuan'an demonstrated the absolute strength of an orthopedic doctor for the first time: "Chen Song, you were just too slow..."

"Xiao Lu, listen to me, drive straight to Xiangya Hospital in Sha City, I will cover your leave at the hospital." Tong Yuan'an looked at Lu Cheng, showing no awkwardness.

Chen Song's arm, twisted by Tong Yuan'an, became slightly deformed, his upper body askew.

The underground garage did have lights, but they weren't so bright that one could see the intricate details of someone's facial expression.

Lu Cheng intervened, freeing Chen Song's hand from Tong Yuan'an's grip, saying, "Teacher Tong, Teacher Chen, I can't go to Sha City; I still have a shift tomorrow..."

"Thank you so much for your kindness, right now, I just want to learn more skills."

"Actually, you understand, if I want to pursue a PhD, learning professional skills is one thing, but if aiming for a job, research papers are an unavoidable hurdle."

"My foundational skills are lacking; even if I go to study, it might just be a futile endeavor..."

Tong Yuan'an let go, not refuting Lu Cheng's words. Chen Song's gaze was deep, his chin dropping with a firm voice: "Our emergency department does not need extensive research output, focusing more on emergency rescue skills."

"But some research tasks are necessary."

The retention standards for the hand surgery department at Xiangya Hospital are very high, given its reputation for orthopedic excellence and abundant talent.

However, Xiangya Hospital's emergency department remains as disliked as ever.

"Teacher Chen, shall we eat first and talk while dining?"

"When you analyzed my situation before, you mentioned that regardless of the choice, early preparations are essential."

"After all, being thirty, I can't recklessly chase education and career like at twenty-three or twenty-four."

"My parents are also fifty-seven or fifty-eight..." Lu Cheng's voice was sincere.

Pressure varies at different ages.

At twenty-five or six, studying to improve qualifications and skills, people say you're promising!

Going for a master's at thirty, and many would say you're lost...

Tong Yuan'an and Chen Song both calmed down.

…

'Qiao Family Courtyard Ecological Farm' is situated in the outskirts of Long County, with a long ring road by the river on one side, and an open meadow with wild flowers on the other, offering a broad view.

Near the farm is a carefully managed garden featuring picturesque rocks and unique woods.

Long County is remote with an underdeveloped economy, but its natural scenery requires little refinement to offer city dwellers a sense of tranquility.

In the old wooden pavilion, sitting upstairs with the lingering sound of a guzheng recording, paired with two pots of charcoal-grilled hot tea, the September breeze is refreshing, making it an ideal spot for relaxation.

'Gurgle gurgle,' natural spring water boiled, the tea master began showcasing tea art, Lu Cheng flipped his phone face down, watching Tong Yuan'an and Chen Song fiercely texting opposite him, unsure how to start a conversation...

At that moment, Lu Cheng's phone rang with messages.

Lu Cheng asked Mu Nanshu, "If you're still withholding information, I might consider going to Xiangya Hospital to pursue direct PhD studies."

Lu Cheng had been familiar with the system for several months, making rapid progress, yet he deeply realized one principle.

To be a good doctor, 'talent' is indeed crucial, but having a good teacher is even more important.

With guidance from teachers and the support of talent, Lu Cheng could quickly learn many advanced techniques that others cannot teach, further benefiting patients.

At Long County People's Hospital, Lu Cheng would not learn spleen preservation surgery or finger replantation.

At State People's Hospital, Lu Cheng wouldn't learn tendon transfer, deformity correction, liver preservation surgery, or massive liver tumor removal techniques.

Skills must be learned; despite the current age, before learning techniques, one needs to pave the way to "earn money," but still, skills must be acquired.

Otherwise, only dealing with basic diseases is actually wasting the 'system'!

Competing with Xiang Kuihua over fracture cases, is it meaningful?

Absolutely meaningless...

Ultimately, it only saves a few thousand dollars for a few patients, but if better techniques are learned, the emergency department can save more lives, preventing severe cases from requiring transfers or dying en route.

Some patients who have nowhere to seek help may still have a chance...

"You can apply for direct PhD admission at Xiangya Hospital? Aren't you undergoing standardized training? How is it direct PhD?"

"Oh, for academic master's and PhD students, direct PhD is possible; are you considering an academic route?" Mu Nanshu, familiar with academic systems, asked.

"Professor Tong said he could help me get a direct PhD quota for a professional doctorate, but for now, it's just words," Lu Cheng replied.

Mu Nanshu: "???"

"Professional direct PhD? Which teaching hospital in our country offers that? I haven't heard of it."

Direct PhD students enjoy abundant research resources, but currently very few can be professional direct PhD students.

This training model outside the national academic system requires 'special approval' from the provincial education department!

And for the provincial education department to make exceptions for one person, modifying the current mainstream academic system, mere ability isn't sufficient; one needs endorsement...

"Then I might have misunderstood. Currently, both teachers remain silent, and when I initiate a topic, they hardly respond." Lu Cheng replied.

"Is your technical talent exceptional?"

Mu Nanshu said, "Lu Cheng, let me tell you, if your professional talent is truly remarkable, I suggest you first get promoted to associate senior, then find a way to step outside; it's the more convenient path."

"Currently, the nation values professional skills highly; if you can perform advanced surgical techniques in your field, recording them and submitting to professional medical societies for evaluation can count as high-quality papers."

"Moreover, if you can demonstrate research prowess, educational qualifications can be 'supplemented' especially."

"Listen to what those two teachers say first; if they can truly offer you a professional direct PhD pathway??"

"I'm planning to work on a project at Xiangzhou People's Hospital in November, estimating that by the end of the year, you should also consider going out to study..." Mu Nanshu offered Lu Cheng another path.

Moreover, Mu Nanshu sent numerous 'marked' files to Lu Cheng.