Jimin nervously tapping her leg while waiting for the others to enter the symposium hall. The news about her doing the needle aspiration without supervision spread the next day. She was called by the discipline committee to explain herself a week later. All of them praised her action except for one person. What if the patient getting worse? What if she inserts the needle at wrong place? What if the patient experience adverse outcome due to the wrong procedure? Too many ‘what if’ mentioned to the point she wants to shout that all of the ‘what if’ they worried about have never happened. The patient safely discharged already, what’s more to be discussed? They wanted to suspend her for a few months, but like, for what? For saving a patient? Deciding a punishment requires all member to agree but, since a member didn’t agree, the committee will need at least 2/3 of the hall to decide it. Hence, she was asked to present her case next week and other doctors will decide her fate and today is the day. The hearing will be attended by any available third year residents and above, emergency medicine specialists and cardiothoracic surgeons. She starts presenting the case report when the head of committee signalled his hand to start.

“Patient, a male, 28 years old, post trauma 2 hours ago. Patient complaint shortness of breath, worsening suddenly in the preceding 30 minutes. On presentation he was hypoxaemic*, with an SpO2* of 88% with 15L/min oxygen, tachycardic* and had no audible breath sounds on auscultation of the right hemithorax*. On percussion right thorax is hyper resonance. On physical examination there’s bruises on his left thorax and asymmetrical thorax movement. The chest x-ray demonstrated a right-side tension pneumothorax and patient was treated with emergency needle decompression.”

*Hypoxaemic = Refers to a lower than normal blood oxygen level

*SpO2 = Oxygen saturation level. Normal SpO2 level is 95-100%

*Tachycardic = Condition where heart rate (HR) over 100 beats per minute (bpm). Normal HR for adult is 60-100 bpm.

*Hemithorax = half of the thorax/one side of the chest

“Upon decompression patient was st—“

“You know that you can’t do the procedure ALONE right, intern?” A middle-aged doctor interrupted.

“Yes, seonsaeng-nim. I’m full aware of it.”

“Then WHY did you continue? Trying to be hero?”

Jimin clenches her fist. Dr. Baek, the head of the emergency medicine department and also the reason why this unnecessary meeting is held. He was the specialist on-call that day but she couldn’t reach him until 8 a.m the next day. She never likes him anyway, she hates him the most. He always pick on her, saying how she is stupid and should never be a doctor, how she should just quit and get married and so on. She never knows why he treats her like that but according to people, it’s just his inferior complex. He doesn’t like a new, fresh and young, especially female doctor to be smarter than him. At first, she finds it funny, why did a specialist gets jealous over a mere intern doctor like her? Obviously he is a lot better than her. People say because back then he is not smart and always get scolded, that’s why he’s doing the same to the new intern.

“Because I can’t reach the specialist on-call and the patient’s condition will get worse if I didn’t do something.”

“Who’s on-call that day? As far as I remember it’s not me. And even it’s me, I always answer my phone.” Asked by dr. Adam, another emergency medicine specialist.

“Ehem! We came here not to discuss about ‘who’s on-call that day’. She disobeyed the rules!” Dr. Baek diverted the conversation.

“So she can let the patient die? For the sake of obeying the hospital policy? Then what about the oath? “I will do no harm or injustice to anyone seeking for treatment”. Which one is more important?” Dr. Mira, a cardiothoracic surgeon joins them.

“Nothing’s wrong with her action, though. She acts like an emergency doctor should have act. There’s nothing to be discussed, to be honest. Just wasting my time.” Few doctors agreed with dr. Adam.

“With respect, I’m in no place to voice out opinion but, maybe Baek seonsaeng-nim want us to take note of this matter. We shouldn’t normalize something like this. I’m afraid newcomers telling lie that they have contact the specialist on-call but couldn’t reach hence they do their own treatment.” Said by a final year emergency medicine resident. Aside dr. Baek, she also hates him the most. Always bring other down to get into dr. Baek good side. Why almost all people she hated, must be men?

“Good one. As expected of the chief resident.” She almost vomits upon hearing that unnecessary praise.

“Well, Yu seonsaeng. Do you have anything to say?” The calm expression of the head of committee encourage her to stand for herself.

“I deeply apologize. I disobeyed the rules but my intention is only to save the patient. It never crossed my mind to be a hero or anything near that. This is my first time and I never did any silly mistake before this, so I hope you can put this as a consideration.” Even though she knows she is not wrong, what else she can do but to beg for sympathy? Going on probation will only extend her internship. She needs to complete her training on time for her to apply for specialist programme. If she missed the date, she have to wait for another year.

“Right. We will take it as a consideration.”

“Come on, Jimin-ah. We’ll be late. Faster faster!”

“Oh appa, we got an hour left before the game.” She’s lacing up her shoes.

“Exactly why we need to hurry up!” Mr. Hwang honed the car simultaneously making her to rush over the car.

“Shh! Appa! You’re disturbing our neighbour.”

Today is the semi-final match of the Korea Open Super Series and they’re on the way to the badminton arena to watch it live. Also, this is the first time ever she accompanies her father since she has been busy at work before this. She has been spending her t