Chapter 805: Applying for Selection

"Old Shen, you're living quite comfortably as a Dean, aren't you?" Dean Shen's classmate teased.

"It's alright, just serving the people," Dean Shen laughed.

Dean Shen's classmate curled his lip, his gaze fixed on the application document, reading it bit by bit.

Soon, his expression shifted slightly as he noticed something unusual in the application.

On the application document Dean Shen was about to submit, there was only the number of Renal Cancer Embolization and Resection surgeries and a brief summary of post-operative recovery, while not a single word was mentioned about the field of Sports Medicine.

Dean Shen's classmate frowned and asked, "Old Shen, there's a problem with this report."

"Where is the problem?" Dean Shen naturally knew there was a problem, but Ji Xiang was extremely stubborn about this matter, and Bai Chuzhang had tried to persuade him several times to no avail, so he had no choice but to bring over an application document full of flaws.

"Sports Medicine is your strong suit; why is there no description of it in the document?"

"I told you, our hospital is a public hospital, primarily serving the people. The audience for Sports Medicine is too small, and there aren't many surgeries, so there's no need to mention it."

"Old Shen, this isn't a meeting; you're singing your high-minded tune a bit too much," Dean Shen's classmate said with disdain. "Tell me the truth, why exactly?"

"Sigh," Dean Shen sighed. "I don't know what got into that kid Ji Xiang's head. He said his main energy in the future will be focused on the treatment of Renal Cancer, striving to find a new treatment path after accumulating a sufficient number of patients."

"And Sports Medicine?" Dean Shen's classmate asked, puzzled.

"He's just playing around with it. I've tried to persuade him many times to establish a Sports Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Center at our hospital, but that kid Ji Xiang always makes excuses, saying his energy for the next few decades must be focused on the treatment of Renal Cancer."

Playing!

Just playing around!!

Dean Shen's classmate's jaw dropped, hitting his feet; a "Bang" sound echoed in his mind.

Sports Medicine is average in the country and does not belong to the category of highly lucrative specialties.

But that is because the winner-takes-all phenomenon is particularly obvious in this field, and since the domestic level in this area is insufficient, most domestic athletes go abroad for surgery.

Now it's different; Ji Xiang has already occupied the most cutting-edge portion.

Top-tier athletes are very satisfied with the surgical results, and the Second Affiliated Hospital has even prepared an Exhibition Hall.

In the future, if anyone comes for surgery, they will first be taken to the Exhibition Hall for a tour, and if they achieve any results after the surgery, they must at least send a 3D-printed replica of their trophy to fill the Exhibition Hall.

Dean Shen's classmate even felt that if the surgery was truly as good as the rumors suggested, the high-end, top-tier Sports Medicine field would be completely occupied by the Second Affiliated Hospital and Ji Xiang.

With such a good project, why bother with Renal Cancer?

Renal Cancer, who can't do that!

How many Attending Professors of Urology are there in the country in this field? They don't need Ji Xiang.

He looked at Dean Shen with a face full of question marks.

Dean Shen was also very innocent; everyone understood the logic, but Ji Xiang had his own choices.

"Over 1200 cases?!" Dean Shen's classmate suddenly said in surprise. "Old Shen, you have to show some restraint when faking data, otherwise it'll be really bad if you get caught. Tell me, 1200 cases—do you even believe it yourself?"

"How is it faked?" Dean Shen asked proudly.

"Ji Xiang is a Standardized Training Doctor at your hospital; does he have the qualifications to perform surgery... You guys have gone too far. Generally, the total surgical volume of a Grade A Tertiary Hospital is only about 1000 cases; high-level Grade A Tertiary Hospitals have 10,000 to 30,000. Can one medical team do that much? And it hasn't even been a year. You tell me if this isn't faking, what is?"

Dean Shen's classmate really couldn't go on. He was originally amazed by the awesomeness of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Ji Xiang, but looking at this "absurd" application document, he was almost laughed to anger.

"I actually don't believe it either," Dean Shen pretended to be distressed and sighed. "But it is the truth."

"Bullshit truth, how is that possible."

"What if the surgical count is doubled?" Dean Shen suddenly reminded him.

Dean Shen's classmate was stunned. What did doubling the surgical count mean?

In a flash, he realized that Interventional Embolization is one surgical technique, and Renal Cancer Resection is another, so it had to be doubled.

This counts as cheating, right? Dean Shen's classmate felt a bit dazed.

Very few people perform the Dual-Surgical Technique because there is almost no one in the country who is proficient in both Interventional Surgery and Surgical Operation.

But even 600 patients could be called a massive amount.

In previous years, when everyone was padding surgical numbers for academic purposes, the craziest was in the Thyroid Department; some surgeons specifically set up special Operating Rooms with three operating tables in one room, where the surgeon only changed clothes, saving even the time for scrubbing hands.

Even then, they only managed about 5000 surgeries a year.

And that wasn't even Renal Cancer.

Although Renal Cancer is considered a "minor" surgery in Urology, it is still larger than thyroid surgery.

Dean Shen's classmate fell silent.

"Wait for me a moment, I'm going to submit the materials, and we'll get together later." Dean Shen took the application materials.

"Old Shen, didn't you try to persuade the kid?" Dean Shen's classmate asked. "Sports Medicine is so good; not many patients, but high income."

"I tried, but I couldn't move him. He looks good-tempered and is usually amiable, but he's actually as stubborn as a rock."

Dean Shen's classmate looked at his old classmate; although this sounded like a complaint, listening carefully, there was a sense of admiration in it.

He looked at Dean Shen with a strange expression.

Seeing his old classmate's surprise, Dean Shen smiled. "Ji Xiang has high talent, that goes without saying. What's most rare is that he has always kept his original intention toward Clinical practice."

"Don't talk nonsense, you guys are fooling the kid," Dean Shen's classmate said with disdain.

"His family... is rich, he doesn't care about that little bit," Dean Shen said, slightly embarrassed. "For performing surgery on Wembanyama, Ji Xiang demanded a sky-high surgical fee of 9 million dollars."

"!!!" Dean Shen's classmate was stunned.

Over 50 million RMB, basically all pure profit; one surgery was equivalent to the work of thousands of medical staff in a large Grade A Tertiary Hospital slogging away for a year.

Where can you even reason with that?

"Ji Xiang said, if there are similar surgeries, he'll do them; if not, he won't force it. Earning enough money is fine; more is meaningless. It's more important to find a new surgical path for Renal Cancer."

"Pfft, he's full himself. Old Shen, did he learn that from you?" Dean Shen's classmate whispered.

"The money, Ji Xiang didn't take it. He said he doesn't care about that little bit."

"..."

"To Ji Xiang, this should be small change," Dean Shen repeated.

"Little Qian? Old Shen, you're getting more and more carried away." Dean Shen's classmate was somewhat indignant.

Even the research funding he had received himself wasn't that much.

"Professional baseball and football players from the US and Japan come to our hospital for surgery; I can't even name them all. The last surgery seemed to cost 15 million dollars," Dean Shen said, heartbroken. "I should have asked Ji Xiang for money from the very beginning. Even a third would have been fine!"

"!!!" Dean Shen's classmate looked at Dean Shen in astonishment. "Old Shen, is their surgery fee all their own?"

"Yes."

"Damn, are you stupid!"

"They are going there for Ji Xiang. If I, the Second Affiliated Hospital, were to obstruct him, Ji Xiang could just find any qualified hospital to perform the surgery if he really wanted to leave." Dean Shen was also a bit depressed. "They say a platform provides room for personal development, but we are different. Usually, it's the shop being too big to bully the customer, but with Ji Xiang, it's the customer being too big to bully the shop."

*The guest usurping the host's role*—these words flashed through the mind of Dean Shen's classmate.

But in an instant, he smiled helplessly; this had nothing to do with the guest usurping the host. When a surgeon is strong to a certain degree, they truly do not care about the platform.

They could pull together a team themselves and turn a broken hospital into a top-tier, large-scale domestic hospital.

It was like that person years ago who was pushed out, built a Cardiovascular Disease Hospital in a remote border town, and finally returned as a king.

Similar stories are not many, but they are very vivid, leaving a deep impression that one cannot forget.

Nowadays, a young doctor who, by all logic, is still in the period of Standardized Residency Training has already entered the ranks of the big shots?

Dean Shen's classmate couldn't believe it, but in his heart, he was even more unwilling to believe it.

Even if that young man was the only person in the country to get a perfect score on the Practicing Physician Examination in so many years.

Watching Dean Shen go to submit the application materials, he was dazed for a long time.

Watching a star rise with his own eyes should have been full of excitement and longing, but for some reason, his heart was filled with more confusion.

The application materials submitted by Dean Shen caused a great sensation.

The youngest Outstanding Youth recommendation; a normal doctor at this age hasn't even entered Clinical practice, yet Ji Xiang has already stepped onto the fast track of life.

Submitting application materials in May, results out by the end of June or early July at the latest; the review work is procedural, and the vast majority of people know whether they can be selected before the results come out.

Wei Fusi was an exception, because he was unsure if he could be selected as an Outstanding Youth, so he was particularly depressed.

He was different from Zhou Tianbo; even if he could be selected, Wei Fusi was at the tail end.

But Ji Xiang's sudden emergence was highly likely to interrupt Wei Fusi's "sweet dream."

"Little Wei, your materials have been received. You might not be selected this year. Prepare more and try again next year."

Wei Fusi received the call, and the person on the other end briefly explained the situation to him.

"Why!" Wei Fusi paused. "I've looked at everyone qualified to run, and now that the number of people selected has been expanded, there's no spot for me among 300 people?"

He was a bit anxious and spoke very directly, which made the person on the other end slightly unhappy.

"Teacher, I'm sorry." Wei Fusi also noticed this, and he restrained his temper and asked, "I've calculated it; there are only a few people in the medical field. I can't compete with Zhou Tianbo, but the qualifications, level, and published literature of the others are about the same as mine."

"Do you know that young doctor who got the perfect score on the Practicing Physician Examination last year and was number one in the country?"

Wei Fusi paused.

Ji Xiang was a name he didn't want to remember.

He knew; how could he not know?

At the Second Affiliated Hospital, Ji Xiang had defied his superiors, leaving a deep impression on Wei Fusi. To Wei Fusi, Ji Xiang was the most annoying kind of existence.

"I know, Teacher. You mean..."

"Dean Shen of the Second Affiliated Hospital came to submit the materials."

!!!

Wei Fusi became cautious all of a sudden, even somewhat terrified.

Usually, one submits the application materials in person, or at most, a teacher brings them along to meet the Judges and leave an impression.

But Ji Xiang's application materials were actually submitted by the Dean of the Second Affiliated Hospital himself.

It was hard for people to believe when said aloud.

"Teacher, is Doctor Ji Xiang applying for Outstanding Youth?"

"Yes."

Wei Fusi sneered, then said seriously, "He is not qualified at all."

"He is qualified, and by a large margin. Let's put it this way: in the medical field, what he has brought out is the most solid. If Ji Xiang can't be selected as an Outstanding Youth, I don't know who else could be."

"Impossible, he's not good enough in terms of academic qualifications." Wei Fusi said firmly, "I remember he is a doctor who went to the Second Affiliated Hospital for Standardized Residency Training after graduating with a bachelor's degree."

"The minimum requirement for participating in the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars is to have a senior professional title or a doctoral degree; domestic or foreign degrees are both acceptable, but relevant supporting materials must be provided."

The person on the other end of the phone recited the requirements; he had known these things by heart for a long time.

Wei Fusi didn't respond. How was this any different from what he had said?

"Doctor Ji Xiang has a doctoral degree."

"What!" Wei Fusi was startled, then said angrily, "In a few months, skipping a master's degree and graduating directly with a doctorate? It must be a behind-the-scenes deal! It's simply too shameless."

The person on the other end was silent.

"Teacher, which school is so shameless!" Wei Fusi asked viciously, his eyes splitting with rage.

Although he knew that he could never challenge a certain university single-handedly, he still wanted to know which university was so shameless as to dare to commit fraud so blatantly.

"Harvard Medical School."

"That's simply absurd, they..." Wei Fusi didn't think before he spoke; he was just about to badmouth them when a bomb went off in his mind.

"Teacher, what did you say?"

"Harvard Medical School, dual doctoral degrees," the person on the other end said lightly. "Dual doctoral degrees in Radiology Department and Sports Medicine."

!!!

Wei Fusi was stunned.

"I couldn't believe it either, but the conditions state it very clearly—domestic or foreign degrees are both acceptable, but relevant supporting materials must be provided. Dean Shen brought the supporting materials from Harvard Medical School, as well as written documents from two Doctoral Supervisors."

"!!!" Wei Fusi was already unable to speak.

"Perhaps they also know this matter is somewhat unconventional; Dean Shen even added that if materials from a Doctoral Supervisor or an in-person inquiry are needed, both supervisors will fly over."

"Damn it!" Wei Fusi cursed out loud.

A Doctoral Supervisor from Harvard Medical School, with such a lofty status in the medical field, flying over just to provide a testimonial for Ji Xiang?!

Was he dreaming?

"An Outstanding Youth is usually called a candidate for Academician and is also a discipline leader in the relevant specialty. Candidates need to have breakthrough achievements in their professional field, such as national-level patents or publications in top-tier journals."

"Doctor Ji Xiang has published 22 top-tier journal papers, all with impact factors above 30."

"..." Wei Fusi was silent.

He never expected a dark horse to emerge and knock him off the track just like that.

"But there is still the nine-month restriction!" Wei Fusi made a final desperate struggle.

"Personnel participating in the selection for the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars cannot have employment relationships with overseas or other institutions, and must have worked in domestic universities or research institutes for at least nine months."

The person on the other end immediately recited the relevant clause.

"From the time he went to the Second Affiliated Hospital for Standardized Residency Training until now, it has been exactly ten months."

"But that doesn't count; he was a Standardized Training Doctor in the beginning, that doesn't count!"

"This is also the only loophole, and we are still discussing it. Originally, the key point of this clause was mainly about not having employment relationships with overseas institutions. We are also encountering a situation like Doctor Ji Xiang's for the first time."

The words of the person on the other end gave Wei Fusi a glimmer of hope.

"The specific review is still ongoing, but the hard requirements are really hard to deny; you should prepare yourself mentally."

"Teacher, there is an unwritten rule," Wei Fusi whispered a reminder.

Ji Xiang had been at the Second Affiliated Hospital the whole time; even Wei Fusi, who didn't consider Ji Xiang a competitor, knew this.

"The Sports Medicine and Radiology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital established a project team, and Ji Xiang is one of the leads, an International Scholar."

The person on the other end dropped a bomb, leaving Wei Fusi stunned and scorched.

"Little Wei, we didn't expect it either," the person on the other end sighed. "He is too young, so young that when I saw the file, I stared at Doctor Ji Xiang's age for several minutes."

"Usually, it's middle-aged technical backbones around 40 who apply for Outstanding Youth; even 30 is already surprising. Ji Xiang is only 22; this is indeed very hard to accept."

"So, our Judges just finished a meeting about this matter, and there are all kinds of opinions, but I estimate..."

Speaking to this point, he paused.

"Teacher, estimate what?"

"I estimate the possibility of passing the review is very high, and the spot being squeezed out will be yours."

"..."

Wei Fusi felt a sting in his nose.

"However, it is still being debated, and there are still problems. Wait for my news."

After hanging up the phone, Wei Fusi's mood was extremely foul. He pondered for a long time, and finally began to use all his connections to make a last-ditch effort.

Just as the person on the phone said, the selection for Outstanding Youth is also known as the entrance ticket to the Academician selection.

Although Wei Fusi was clear that the possibility of him becoming an Academician was slim, but as a person, if one has no ideals, what is the difference between them and a salted fish?

Every opportunity for selection must be cherished, and treated as if it were the last; Wei Fusi was very cautious.

Perhaps it was Ji Xiang's age issue, perhaps it was the work duration issue at the Second Affiliated Hospital, or perhaps it was Wei Fusi's counterattack.

This year's Outstanding Youth selection did not release results at the end of June.

Time passed day by day, and Wei Fusi felt that his hope increased with every passing day; although it was only a glimmer of hope invisible to the naked eye, it was still better than nothing.

If possible, why not follow the normal rules and release the results at the end of June?

Coupled with the fact that Doctor Ji Xiang was somewhat "arrogant" and hadn't been heard doing any lobbying, Wei Fusi felt the possibility was growing.

He lived in a state of tension every day.

In mid-July, Wei Fusi received news that the review panel was going to hold its final meeting.

The meeting was highly directed, and he was very nervous.

Wei Fusi was as restless as an ant on a hot pan. After struggling for a long time, Wei Fusi still found Zhou Tianbo.

Dragging Zhou Tianbo outside the meeting venue, Wei Fusi didn't even have the thought of finding a coffee shop to sit in.

Regarding this, Zhou Tianbo expressed great confusion.

"Old Wei, why are you so nervous?" Zhou Tianbo asked helplessly.

"Tianbo, don't you know yet? Damn it, has the Second Affiliated Hospital gone crazy? They actually found a Standardized Training Doctor to participate in the Outstanding Youth selection! To be honest, I really didn't realize it."

"It's you!" Zhou Tianbo was stunned for a moment, then said, "I was wondering why this year's Outstanding Youth selection had no results; so it was you who pulled strings."

"What strings? I just refuse to accept it," Wei Fusi said.

Zhou Tianbo thought for a moment and patted Wei Fusi's shoulder hard, "There's nothing to refuse to accept. Let me tell you something."

"Hmm?"

"My boss, Gu, came to me a few days ago and asked me about something."

Wei Fusi stared at Zhou Tianbo with wide eyes; at this moment, he couldn't guess what Gu was going to do at all.

"The boss said that if there were any accidents, he wanted me to delay my Outstanding Youth application by one year."

"!!!"

"I don't want to either, but the boss really thinks highly of Doctor Ji Xiang," Zhou Tianbo sighed. "But the boss was just joking; I think the boss is a bit too worried."

As he spoke, Zhou Tianbo said indignantly, "When I participated in the Outstanding Youth selection, the boss wasn't even this attentive!"

Wei Fusi didn't know whether he should cry or laugh at Zhou Tianbo.

They were both fellow sufferers.

Damn it, that young kid, he doesn't know how to respect his elders! He is so young, delaying a year isn't even a delay; he has plenty of time, why does he have to compete with him!

"That Ji Xiang, I just don't like the look of him." Wei Fusi ignored the relationship between Zhou Tianbo and Ji Xiang and began to mutter curses, "The first time I saw him, I felt that this little guy's cerebellum was underdeveloped, and his cerebrum wasn't developed at all."

Zhou Tianbo felt helpless; Wei Fusi had already lost his mind. Even if one were unhappy about such things, one could only mutter complaints to oneself; one absolutely must not loudly berate someone in front of others.

He really didn't treat himself as an outsider.

"Old Wei, don't be like this." Zhou Tianbo glanced around and saw that no one was there.

Under the scorching sun, the sound of cicadas was deafening; it was the height of summer, yet Zhou Tianbo felt a chill.

"Xiao Ji's surgery was done very well. That day, the boss asked me jokingly, and I hesitated. But thinking about it afterwards, compared to Ji Xiang, I am not qualified."

"You!!!" Wei Fusi was surprised and angry.

"It's true, did you watch the World Cup?" Zhou Tianbo asked.

Wei Fusi shook his head.

"Neymar is in such good form, completely unlike how he was at this time last year. Last year, watching Neymar struggle to take the field, he really couldn't play anymore. After several major injuries, Neymar's athletic ability had degenerated extremely severely. At the time, I didn't feel he could participate in the World Cup again at all."

"But in the recent matches, Neymar has been playing better and better. I feel that calling it his peak state is a disrespect to him; Neymar has already surpassed his own peak."

"It's just like Zhao Dali and Wembanyama. Compared to those two, Neymar is already old, but what I can't understand is that after the surgery, there wasn't the slightest impact; on the contrary, it's as if he's been rejuvenated. You tell me, where can you find any logic in that?"

"It has nothing to do with his surgery. I don't believe that performing a surgery can be the same as human body modification," Wei Fusi said unconvinced.

"I don't believe it either, but it is a fact." Zhou Tianbo did not try to comfort him, but instead said words that Wei Fusi did not like.

Zhou Tianbo vaguely felt that today's result would make Wei Fusi very disappointed, so he gave Wei Fusi a heads-up in advance to prevent this guy from losing his composure.