System Came When the Doctor was Thirty

Not long after the exam results were released, the grading team from the State People’s Hospital received a call from the hospital office: ”Director Qin, what are you doing?”

”Can the selection exam results still be handled like this at such a critical point?”

”The Human Resources and Social Security Bureau has just called.”

”Are you unaware of the timing?”

During the exam, the grading team and the question-setting team were both isolated, and now the exam and grading have concluded.

Director Qin, who was assigned by Xiangzhou People’s Hospital to oversee the grading of the selection exams at the state level, replied: ”Director Xie, matters regarding the exam results are not within our hospital team’s domain, are they?”

”This time we graded the papers from internal medicine and surgical groups in exam rooms one to three; the paper you’re referring to is from surgical group exam room eight.”

Director Xie frowned slightly at this: ”Are you sure?”

Director Xie indeed didn’t know which exams the grading team from his hospital was responsible for, but he could check the exam number to confirm the candidate had applied for a position at the State People’s Hospital.

”I’m sure, Director Xie.”

”I just received a call saying that our grading team must thoroughly review the calculated scores for each paper.”

”Perhaps before you called, someone had already started reporting issues,” Director Qin responded.

”Well, since this exam paper wasn’t graded by our hospital, we won’t worry about it.”

Director Xie rubbed his forehead vigorously: ”But the scores? Somewhat questionable?”

Director Qin realized something: ”Director Xie, is this person applying to our hospital?”

”You don’t need to know that,” Director Xie replied.

”Alright, fine...”

...

In the afternoon, at three-thirty.

Lu Cheng went downstairs to have a self-served Big Bowl Rice, then hurried to a specific large classroom at the teaching building of the State People’s Hospital.

The selection exam organized by the state was managed by the State Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, but the exam venue was set at the State People’s Hospital.

After the two sessions totaling one hundred and twenty minutes of theoretical exams in the morning, candidates would participate in the selection process in the afternoon.

On his way there, Lu Cheng received a second call instructing him to proceed to classroom 303 for the selection process.

When Lu Cheng entered the classroom, there were already fifty to sixty people scattered around inside.

This state-level selection exam had a total of twenty-five positions available: twelve for surgery, nine for internal medicine, and one each for dermatology, psychiatry, and ophthalmology.

Given the three-to-one ratio, thirty-six people from the surgical department would be undergoing operational assessments and on-the-job evaluations for selection.

The classroom was divided into three zones: internal medicine, surgery, and a general area.

Lu Cheng met an acquaintance there, Chen Xiong, from the urology department at Long County People’s Hospital, who was also an attending physician, two years older than Lu Cheng.

Chen Xiong was sitting alone by the side and upon seeing Lu Cheng, he greeted him: ”Lu Cheng... Over here, finally met someone familiar.”

”Brother Chen,” Lu Cheng replied as he walked toward him.

After sitting down, Lu Cheng overheard people nearby whispering: ”The top score of this selection exam is too absurd, could it be some kind of flashy trick?”

”Who knows, such a difficult exam, scoring eighty plus in both sections, it’s really breaking records...”

”The graders really dare to give such scores.”

”...”

Chen Xiong asked: ”Lu Cheng, which position are you planning to choose this time? Are you going back to orthopedics?”

”I’m opting for emergency surgery, the competition should be relatively less intense,” Lu Cheng replied.

Chen Xiong nodded: ”I should probably choose urology, for our specialized department, we can only choose dedicated positions.”

”It’s hard to switch to emergency medicine. Emergency surgery can only be chosen by general surgery and orthopedics.”

During the whispers, quite a few people arrived, but as candidates, they couldn’t tell if everyone had turned up yet.

Around three fifty, seven or eight more people gradually walked in from outside, some carrying laptops, others with document bags.

The person leading them said upon entering: ”Everyone, please quiet down. First, let me briefly introduce the selection process.”

”We’ll start by selecting positions from the surgical group, so please ready your admission tickets and ID cards for verification.”

”Additionally, you need to sign off to confirm your exam scores and exam information.”

”Any doubts?”

In this large-scale assessment, naturally, there are those bold enough: ”Teacher, in the selection process, does it mean those ranked lower will not have any available positions to choose from?”

The speaker nodded: ”That’s the principle.”

”If the last three people happen to match a particular department, they can only choose that department and will have no other choice.”

”Of course, this has its benefits too. After the selection concludes, the final candidates will only be chosen from among those three.”

”So, everyone must carefully consider their preferred positions.”

”Certain specialized departments such as ophthalmology, dermatology, thoracic surgery, urology, and cardiac surgery don’t require position selection.”

”Does anyone have other questions?”

Someone from the general group in ophthalmology raised his hand: ”Teacher, since we can’t participate in the selection process, could we skip today entirely?”

The teacher gave him a deep look: ”How will you sign to confirm your exam results if you don’t come?”

”Selection exams involve mutual active choice, candidates can voluntarily opt out of participating in subsequent exams.”

”That’s all I have to say, let’s officially start now.”

”Surgical group, first place, candidate, 08025. Lu Cheng.” The teacher directly announced Lu Cheng’s candidate number and name.

Before Chen Xiong could react, Lu Cheng stood up with his document bag and proceeded to the podium.