Chapter 90: Re-examination Begins (Second Update, Requesting Subscription)

After parting with Jie Han, Fang Ziye checked his Knowledge Points balance — only a pitiful 11 points remained.

To put it in perspective, from the end of the Orthopedics Annual Conference until early December, over a dozen days, Fang Ziye averaged only ten Knowledge Points per day — a speed that couldn't even touch the tail of the conference period.

Actually, this speed was already not slow.

But having tasted the massive, rapid influx of Knowledge Points, Fang Ziye naturally felt a little greedy.

At four in the afternoon, Fang Ziye had an experiment scheduled in the lab — a Western blot. Once this WB was done, all the experiments Jie Han needed for his grant application would be complete, equivalent to finishing the work before even securing the grant.

Prepared for any contingency, Jie Han could boldly go after grants without worry.

Although this amounted to "working for" Jie Han, doing experiments yielded Knowledge Points. A small project like the combined effect of metformin and HK2 in giant cell tumor of bone — giving it to a junior trainee was no loss. As long as he held the Knowledge Points in hand, it wasn't a waste.

Lying down to rest for an hour before reading, Fang Ziye saw a message from his Master, Yuan Weihong.

"Actually, having you complete the high-difficulty assessment in the Training Room in front of all the re-examination panelists during your doctoral re-examination served another purpose — to demonstrate our hospital's talent cultivation capability to these examiners."

"Among the re-examinees, there may be geniuses with excellent aptitude but unstable doctoral prospects. They come to our hospital for an extra admission ticket on the principle of not wasting opportunities, but may not actually come in the end."

"If we can catch even one, it's a net gain for our hospital."

"You needn't worry specially about retention quotas when it comes time to stay."

"You'll find that no top teaching hospital's recruitment announcement explicitly states specific quotas per department — this is for flexible hiring. Only ordinary teaching hospitals typically fix quotas."

Yuan Weihong's explanation was completely overthinking it.

Fang Ziye just didn't want to be too conspicuous, to avoid embarrassing other professors — not because he feared a "hidden dragon" among his cohort and couldn't compete.

But as a teacher, Yuan Weihong considering this layer and explaining a sentence or two was because his mind was delicate enough; otherwise, who would bother caring about you this much?

"I know, Master!"

"I'll rest first. Still have a WB tonight. Once done, I'll send you the results." Fang Ziye replied to Yuan Weihong with today's schedule.

To avoid Yuan Weihong remembering some small task and calling him away, only to have a conflict and explain on the spot.

A teacher asking a student to run procedures is perfectly justified, but for the student, tasks have priorities. Clarifying in advance prevents misunderstandings.

This was Fang Ziye's consistent way of getting along with Yuan Weihong.

……

Evening, six o'clock. Fang Ziye was still running the WB when Luo Tingzhu came from the operating room to the lab, and upon seeing he had already started the experiment, came over to help.

Running a WB, one person can barely manage, but with an assistant, operations are more convenient.

Coincidentally, Luo Tingzhu's next experiment was also a WB, so she could familiarize herself in advance.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Fang. Heard you passed the incision technique requirements in the Training Room again today!" After putting on gloves, Luo Tingzhu subconsciously sprayed alcohol to disinfect, then tiptoed to check Fang Ziye's transfection progress.

"Junior Sister Luo, what's there to congratulate? You're only this much away." Fang Ziye extended his index finger, pinching the tip with his thumb.

Luo Tingzhu's talent was truly outstanding. Since entering Trauma Surgery, in just three months she had raised her suturing technique to suturing skin jelly, and now her incision technique was about to break through.

If not for his Panel, in front of Luo Tingzhu he wouldn't even count as a small fry.

Many requirements set in the Training Room are actually very difficult, especially specialty basic skills — harder than medical basic skills. Otherwise, Zhongnan Hospital's 985-affiliated university doctoral students wouldn't produce only one Training Room passer per year who successfully stays.

Compared to Senior Brothers who truly broke through the Training Room, Senior Brother Sun Shaoqing, in the third-year doctoral cohort, wasn't the most outstanding — only middling.

Even rumors in the department said Senior Brother Liu Zhengjun, Han Yuanxiao's third-year doctoral student, might be better than Sun Shaoqing in professional operations. Thus next year's internal recruitment might put Liu Zhengjun in the first-tier candidates, while Sun Shaoqing wouldn't qualify.

Luo Tingzhu narrowed her eyes, probably smiling: "A little bit short is still short. There's still a lot to practice!"

"Maybe before graduation, there's a slight chance to master professional skills." Luo Tingzhu only hoped to break through all Trauma Surgery standards within three years.

"Take it slow. Even Senior Brother Yan Zhiming isn't anxious yet." Fang Ziye said with a smile.

Yan Zhiming was a first-year doctoral student, one cohort above Luo Tingzhu, but his comprehensive ability currently lagged behind hers.

Luo Tingzhu blinked: "Senior Brother Yan just wants to stay in Han City."

"Oh." Fang Ziye nodded, ending the topic, then asked: "Junior Sister, have you submitted your school-level grant application proposal?"

Luo Tingzhu applied for the doctoral group, Jie Han submitted for the master's group — different groups, no competition.

"Already submitted. Thanks for helping me revise, Senior Brother. Otherwise the chance would've been slim." Luo Tingzhu rubbed her hands, probably feeling her palms turn cold from the alcohol evaporating.

"You prepared well enough yourself. No need to be so modest." Fang Ziye said indifferently.

Actually he still felt a tiny bit guilty. Luo Tingzhu openly sent him her proposal for revision without avoiding suspicion, but Fang Ziye and Jie Han's team didn't let her revise their proposals in return.

No choice. Since they weren't from the same master's school, Fang Ziye didn't want Luo Tingzhu knowing his project's real progress.

……

Time flows like water. Several days passed in a flash.

December 9th was the written exam day for the Orthopedics PhD Application Assessment System. Fang Ziye also went to take it symbolically.

Even going through the motions, the full process must be completed.

The written exam covered three main areas: orthopedics professional knowledge, professional English listening, and paper reading comprehension — randomly extracting a partial literature segment, asking candidates to infer possible results from these hints, and from corresponding results infer possible background and next-step research plans.

Professional knowledge, professional English, and scientific thinking ability — none dispensable.

After this came December 10th's interview and shadowing assessment phase, generally seven days, mainly testing interview response ability and clinical operation skills.

Fang Ziye, Xiong Jinhuan, and Li Yuanpei were all this hospital's graduating master's students, all participating in the hospital's Application Assessment System.

On interview day at seven, the three went together to the Demonstration Classroom after receiving notice. They opened the doors and air conditioning, then organized all basic materials for every re-examination candidate, checking each without omission, and handed them to Tang Sai, Associate Professor and Orthopedics Teaching Director of Joint Surgery.

Around 7:40, most people arrived at the Demonstration Classroom per the notification.

Immediately after, Orthopedics Teaching Director Tang Sai and Fang Ziye's teacher — Trauma Surgery representative Yuan Weihong — entered together, but he followed behind Tang Sai, carrying his bag.

The written exam was a hospital-organized unified test. Orthopedics only handled printing papers. Fang Ziye didn't know who set the questions, but later heard that Hand Surgery Associate Professor Li Qi had been locked in a "little black room" from the day before yesterday until last night when grading finished, then released.

Han City University's "personal restriction" on question-setters is very thorough — for any exam, including finals, once you set questions, you cannot appear on campus for those days.

For more formal exams like the Academic Master's autonomous admission assessment for graduate recruitment, question-setters are confined to the examination institute for a week before the exam. After printing and sealing, papers are shipped nationwide. Only after the exam ends can they leave — possibly locked up for half a month.

Tang Sai stood on the Demonstration Classroom's lecture podium, no mask, face glowing: "I'm Tang Sai, Teaching Director of our Zhongnan Hospital Orthopedics. You can call me Teacher Tang."

"First, on behalf of Han City University Medical College, I welcome all students enthusiastically applying to our college. Second, on behalf of our Orthopedics, I welcome all candidates who've traveled thousands or even tens of thousands of miles to our Zhongnan Hospital to participate in our doctoral recruitment program."

"Also wish every candidate perfect results and successful admission."

"Right here, I'm passing on a directive from our Zhongnan Hospital Graduate School — that is, our Zhongnan Hospital Graduate School has two special programs, and we welcome all candidates to actively apply."

"These two special programs differ from ordinary special programs, such as the Minority Cadre Plan and other special programs; they are special programs specially set up by our hospital for autonomous enrollment."

"They are divided into the High-Precision Technology Special Project and the Onion Research Plan; the specific standards are……"

After Tang Sai stated the corresponding details, the ninety-plus people who came for the re-examination all looked at each other in blank dismay.

They seemed a bit conflicted, and also seemed to be watching others' actions — there was hesitation, there was puzzlement.

Fang Ziye raised his hand first, cooperating as he replied: "Teacher Tang, I want to try the Technology Special Project."

Fang Ziye did not give his full name.

Tang Sai pretended not to know what Fang Ziye was called: "Very good, what is your name?"

Just then, as Tang Sai asked this, a classmate interjected: "Teacher Tang, you just seemed to say that the quota for this kind of special program is not within the regular enrollment quota, right?"

"And, even if one applies for the special program first, one can still participate in the interview afterward?"

Fang Ziye politely waited for Tang Sai to reply.

"Yes, it doesn't occupy a quota; as long as you can pass the standards of these two programs, you can be exempted from the subsequent shadowing assessment, go directly through the special program, and not even need an interview."

"Because everyone able to sit here are extremely excellent trainees, selected from 210 CVs as the most excellent ninety; here we have no rankings or anything, we deeply respect and welcome every student."

"Mm, if you apply for the special programs, our interview team today will patiently wait for you to finish the assessment before conducting the interview; this isn't urgent; our hospital very sincerely welcomes every talent, and won't miss any talent."

After Tang Sai finished replying, he pointed at Fang Ziye: "What is your name?"

"Fang Ziye." Fang Ziye answered.

With this call-and-response, quite a few people, after hesitating, still raised their hands.

Anyway, regardless of whether they can do it or not, they can still interview in the end; that's at least one more path.

Unexpectedly, a person who looked tall and thin, wearing black-rimmed glasses, raised his hand and said: "Teacher Tang, my name is Xue Ruiqi, I want to participate in the Onion Research Plan."

Upon hearing this, Tang Sai's foot trembled slightly, and he involuntarily sucked in a breath of cold air on the spot.

Then he hurriedly checked off the name Xue Ruiqi in the list, and specially marked the four characters "Onion Research Plan".

Then subconsciously he glanced at the other party's school — Central South University Xiangya Hospital.

Yuan Weihong at this moment blinked his eyes hard a few times; his hands really wanted to move, to flip through Xue Ruiqi's corresponding materials, but he still suppressed his curiosity.

Good fellow!

A professional master's graduate student actually has this thick a basic research accumulation.

In the end, a total of twenty-three people applied for the Operation Plan, two people applied to try the Onion Research Plan.

At this point, they were divided into three waves.

Tang Sai was responsible for leading the twenty-three people participating in the Operation Plan toward the Training Room, which is the Skill Operation Room.

Yuan Weihong led the two people applying for the Onion Research Plan to who-knows-where; the remaining sixty-five people would successively participate in the normal PhD interview session.

Upon reaching the Training Room, Fang Ziye saw two old acquaintances, and the acquaintances were very old.

Wen Dongfang, Li Guohua, plus seven or eight people Fang Ziye normally didn't have much contact with; even if there was contact, he didn't know what identity they were — old people moving about in the Training Room, strolling leisurely.

Before long, seeing that the little brats who came for the re-examination to challenge the Training Room had all arrived, they each sat down in a circle; and the one taking the lead wasn't Professor Li Guohua or Professor Wen Dongfang whom Fang Ziye knew, but an old man who looked not tall, face full of age spots, head full of black hair.

He might be from Joint Surgery, so he knew Tang Sai, and asked: "The people coming to challenge the Training Room this year, are there just this many?"

"Yes, Professor Qi. This year the re-examination candidates wanting to take the Operation Specialty Plan are all here." Tang Sai bowed slightly.

"Alright then, twenty or so, three or four more than last year."

"But no more nonsense; I'll just simply announce the rules."

"First, whichever subspecialty you want to apply for, you can challenge that subspecialty's Training Room; the corresponding standards are also not the same; our hospital currently has a small scale, with only five subspecialties."

"They are respectively Trauma, Hand Surgery, Joint, Bone Disease, and Sports Medicine; other subspecialties, such as Foot and Ankle Surgery, our hospital does not establish specialized Training Rooms for. Therefore there are no assessment standards."

"But these five subspecialties, you just need to pick any one."

"Naturally, if you feel some of your skills are particularly outstanding and want to try, we also welcome that, and will arrange a separate assessment."

"Fang Ziye, you are Ben Yuan's person; although guests come first, for a demonstration matter like this, let you — the relatively familiar one — do it."

"Is anyone willing to start the assessment together with our hospital's graduate students?" The person called Professor Qi did not avoid suspicion, but directly named him.

This is a kind of importance; every teaching hospital's Training Room may differ slightly; having Fang Ziye demonstrate from start to finish can at least let them understand roughly what kind of model it is.

Hearing this, Fang Ziye tightly clenched his hands.

Although Yuan Weihong had mentioned all these arrangements to him in advance, he was still a bit nervous.

After all, it concerns the major matter of pursuing a PhD; if he can't get a PhD, his lifetime prospects might completely change; afterward he would still have to go to other universities to fight for a spot.

Therefore, he still had to ensure absolute foolproofness.

Patiently waiting about half a minute, no one dared answer; they only turned their heads to look at Fang Ziye, and yielded the space.

Fang Ziye going first for the assessment can at least let them know what exactly this subspecialty Fang Ziye is in will test.

"Alright, Professor Qi, the specialty direction I choose to apply for is Trauma Surgery."

"Then, I want to try Hand Surgery's Digital Artery Replantation. If it doesn't work out, then just follow the Trauma Surgery standards completely and continue the assessment." Fang Ziye actively put forward the request.

This was also pre-arranged.

If it weren't for Fang Ziye's existence, the person demonstrating today would be a PhD Year 3 student from Sports Medicine, letting them come give these soon-to-be Zhongnan Hospital PhD fellow trainees a benchmark, slightly knocking them down a peg.

"Good! ~"

"All students are the same; if you feel a certain skill of yours is particularly outstanding, you can apply to increase the difficulty; specifically what kind of operation difficulty each subspecialty has, we will explain in detail before your assessment."

"Fang Ziye, then you start first!"

"Our hospital's Trauma Surgery High-Precision Operation Special Assessment Plan assessment content includes four items: Suturing Technique, Incision Technique, Debridement Technique, and Hemostasis Technique……" As Professor Qi spoke, the other professors began preparing the corresponding practice materials.

Actually Trauma Surgery and Hand Surgery assessment standards are largely similar, all these basic skills. It's just that in Suturing Technique, Hand Surgery at the Master's Stage must benchmark against Suturing Skin Jelly, but Trauma Surgery only needs to suture Tofu.

(Chapter End)