Chapter 256: The Student Surpasses the Master

First Affiliated Hospital.

Zhou Tianbo, in high spirits, picked up his boss and headed to the hospital.

Gu Lao had already rested for the night and was in good spirits. Zhou Tianbo chatted and laughed with two experts who had come to show their support; they had known each other for a long time, were of similar rank and technical skill, and shared many common topics.

"Zhou Jiaoshou, your career is flourishing; I am truly envious," said Director Xu.

"Brother Xu, look at what you're saying," Zhou Tianbo laughed. "My boss is pushing me hard, and I've been rushing to barely meet his requirements. I missed a half-step when I was young, which led to falling behind at every step now; I have to push myself."

"You are truly dedicated to be able to squat here for a year," Director Xu sighed.

"It's the boss's arrangement, the boss's arrangement."

"You've passed the Four Youth, I wasn't that impressive back in my day. I have high hopes for you."

The Four Youth are Excellent Youth, Youth Changjiang, Youth Top-notch, and Youth Thousand, which belong to one ladder after another that ambitious doctors must climb step by step.

Zhou Tianbo himself has outstanding ability and has his own boss, a man of clear vision, to guide him, so he was selected very early for the Excellent Young Scientists Fund project, Youth Changjiang Scholar, Youth Top-notch Talent Support Program, and Youth Thousand Talents Program.

Further on, there is the Distinguished Youth, and obtaining the three major national awards—the National Natural Science Award, the National Technological Invention Award, and the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

Reaching this step is also within the scope of Gu Lao's capabilities.

These all belong to the entry ticket; whether one can actually be elected as an Academician depends on fate. At that final step, even Gu Lao is powerless.

Gu Lao himself is not yet an Academician.

But Director Xu could clearly perceive how much Gu Lao cares about Zhou Tianbo; at the very least, he will go all out within the scope of his ability.

"Is there any progress on the Distinguished Youth?"

"It's very difficult," Zhou Tianbo smiled. "Isn't that why I'm desperately accumulating my resume?"

"It comes easily to you, it comes easily to you; Zhou Jiaoshou, you are too modest," Director Xu laughed.

Arriving at the large conference room, the people from the First Affiliated Hospital and other hospitals in the Provincial Hospital had already arrived.

The biggest prize of this surgery competition will definitely be Zhou Tianbo's, but others will have a second or third prize to some extent; if one were shameless, Zhou Tianbo would be the grand prize winner, and everyone else would be first prize winners.

It is not as if such things have never happened before.

Everyone is happy, and things are harmonious.

Although it was a formality, it was quite official; the Vice President of the First Affiliated Hospital in charge of Clinical affairs went on stage to give the opening speech, and finally, Gu Lao concluded it.

After the introductory content, everyone began to watch the submitted surgical videos.

The first surgical video was Zhou Tianbo's surgery.

After watching for more than ten minutes, Director Xu leaned into Gu Lao's ear, "Gu Lao, Zhou Jiaoshou's surgery is performed with pure perfection, much better than mine. Your eye for talent is truly good; Zhou Jiaoshou will definitely be in the top five in the country in ten years."

"It is indeed good," Gu Lao did not show false modesty. He watched the surgery proceeding step-by-step on the screen and said, "The student has surpassed the master; my current level cannot reach such heights."

"Gu Lao, you are too modest. I saw your surgery two months ago; you performed with seasoned strength and seasoned sharpness! How should I put it? Zhou Jiaoshou's surgery is indeed good, but compared to yours, it is still a little bit lacking."

They were being polite to each other; people lift each other up like a flowery sedan chair, and saying nice things doesn't cost money.

The atmosphere was harmonious and pleasant.

Zhou Tianbo's surgery received everyone's applause.

Giving Gu Lao face is one aspect, but the key is that his surgery was indeed performed well; without the most basic foundation, even if one wanted to raise it up, one couldn't.

The subsequent surgeries were unremarkable and could only be described as passable; as Gu Lao watched, his eyelids began to droop, and he was on the verge of dozing off.

Everyone knew this was a competition set up for Zhou Tianbo, so no directors or professors of the same level would come to ask for trouble. There were those who came to show support, but they didn't put in their best effort.

"Little Xu, how are things over at your place recently?" Gu Lao knew he absolutely could not sleep, so he started chatting with Director Xu beside him.

"It's alright, running normally. However, clinical work is getting harder and harder to do now."

"Indeed, a few days ago our Urology Department was complained about again," Gu Lao smiled, watching the surgical video as the surgeon made a small mistake while operating the laparoscope.

The mistake was not big, and the surgeon seemed not to have realized it himself; he twisted the forceps and continued the operation.

Red flowers still need green leaves to set them off; compared to them, Zhou Tianbo's level is not just a little bit higher.

"Complaints? Why?"

"A patient with a scrotal abscess, a minor surgery; five days after incision and drainage, we arranged for discharge. But the patient refused to leave no matter what, and in the end, it was complained about to the Medical Affairs Department."

"Hahaha, the hospital stay is too cheap, and the family members haven't finished visiting yet, right?" Director Xu hit the nail on the head.

They are all old clinical hands; after seeing many things, they don't find them strange anymore.

Many patients and Family Members attach great importance to friends and relatives coming to visit, so they firmly refuse to be discharged until everyone has finished visiting.

"But with you here, Gu Lao, your work is easier to carry out; the Medical Affairs Department has to give you face no matter what," Director Xu said. "Unlike my side, if I get complained about, I have to be criticized in big and small meetings."

The two chatted idly, and one surgery after another passed by.

It was the fifth one; Director Xu judged that it should be the surgery submitted by the little Standardized Training Student that Ling Tian mentioned. He was a bit curious and perked up, preparing to see how this little Standardized Training Student actually performed the surgery.

But the moment he perked up, he saw out of the corner of his eye that Gu Lao sat up straight, looking ahead.

"Gu Lao, you are..."

"Little Xu, this next surgery is one I am paying special attention to," Gu Lao said seriously.

"Oh? How so?"

"Some time ago, I was invited to a private hospital here to perform an Extension Surgery," Gu Lao said.

Director Xu chuckled; they were all people in the circle, and he himself would have times when he was forced to come out to perform similar cosmetic surgeries.

"As a result, I encountered an Emergency Rescue; the patient had severe burns, and there was nowhere to insert a needle."

Director Xu was stunned; what did such a thing have to do with the Urology Department?

"This little Standardized Training Student suggested performing a Cavernous Body Puncture; I had only heard of it, never seen it. That day I gave him a hand, and I watched with my own eyes as he completed the Cavernous Body Puncture."

"Wow, that impressive?" Director Xu was surprised.

No wonder Professor Ling Tian would be so concerned and even made a special trip to the Imperial Capital to find him.

It looks like this little Standardized Training Student is not simple!

"The waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves in front; Doctor Ji's surgery is indeed performed well. I have watched two, and for a moment, I was also a bit dazed."

Gu Lao sighed with emotion, and at this moment, the surgery had already begun.

There was no preliminary surgical process; the opening scene was already a view of the laparoscope having entered the abdominal cavity.

The surgery's header was marked with a line of large text—Surgical Resection of Giant Hydronephrosis.

Gu Lao's eyes widened, and his right hand gripped the armrest with such force that it emitted a creaking sound.

(End of this chapter)