Chapter 106
Chapter 106
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Argh, Flying Doctor (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
August's blistering hot day.
Cicadas buzzed endlessly around, as if they had nothing better to do, while cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Right now, I was...
"Alright, this is the sixth floor of the Emergency Medical Center. The flight control room. Some of you might be here for the first time, right?"
Listening to Professor Kang Hyun-jun from Trauma Surgery deliver his passionate spiel with sparkling eyes.
Behind him, massive monitors covered the walls.
Real-time weather radar images, intricate maps, and an aviation status board blinking with indecipherable numbers.
Professor Kang tapped a spot on the map with his pointer.
"We have to comprehensively assess the weather conditions, runway availability for takeoff and landing, and the patient's severity to decide whether to launch. This control room is essentially the brain making those calls."
Professor Kang introduced the flight controllers, explained how to use the radios, and spat out details on protocols for incoming dispatch requests.
"See this red line here? That's the air defense identification zone. When we head out over the sea and cross it, we need coordination with the military units, so at that point, we switch frequencies to..."
I stared blankly at the red line Professor Kang was pointing to.
"Air defense identification zone...?"
I'm a doctor.
Someone who stitches skin, makes diagnoses, and hands out meds.
So why the hell was I listening to military jargon right now?
Was this a medical lecture, a geography class, or Military Science 101?
Lee Min-jae, standing next to me, was nodding along like it was at least somewhat interesting, but I couldn't focus at all.
Only one thought filled my head.
"Is the hospital director seriously planning to make all that crap about maritime rescues and mountain rescues from last time actually happen?"
Professor Kang's eyes were way too earnest. It was scary.
That guy would really jump into the ocean on a rope from a helicopter if asked.
"Oh, that sounds fun?"
And then drag me along dangling beside him.
"Once dispatch is approved, we have to lift off within five minutes, and at that point, the doctor absolutely must..."
That was over thirty minutes of his dull, terrifying rant on the doctor helicopter's operations, the control room's role, and aviation physiology.
The AC was blasting, but my chest felt like it was about to explode from frustration.
Ugh, so boring.
I'd rather fight a drunk guy in the ER.
That's how me, Lee Min-jae, the nurses, and the EMTs were trudging toward the end of this tedious orientation lecture.
"Anyway, in our hospital's doctor helicopter case, the medical crew composition varies slightly depending on the situation. If there's a clear major trauma or we anticipate needing surgical intervention on-site, a trauma surgeon might ride along, but..."
Professor Kang turned his gaze toward where Lee Min-jae and I were standing.
"Normally, it's Emergency Medicine who rides. That's the standard protocol."
...Okay, but then why is Professor Kang, a surgeon, running the training?
My inner thoughts must've shown on my face.
Professor Kang chuckled and continued.
"Haha, I can read it all over your face. 'Emergency Medicine rides, so why's a surgeon like you teaching?' Right?"
Caught red-handed.
"It's because I'm the team leader for our hospital's air medical team."
Professor Kang clapped his hands.
"Alright, theory time's over. There's that saying, 'Seeing is believing,' right? Let's go check it out ourselves. Up to the rooftop!"
Whirrr—
The steel door slid open, and a blast of rooftop heat hit us.
Whoosh~
The wind was blowing, sure, but it wasn't refreshing—it was that tepid, unpleasant gust you get in front of an AC outdoor unit.
The sun scorched our heads, and heat haze rose from the concrete.
"What the hell is this summer suffering?"
I grimaced, shielding my eyes from the sun with my hand.
Looking around, there it was in the middle of the helipad: a massive helicopter parked and waiting.
A doctor helicopter, white with stripes.
"Behold! The model our hospital operates! The AgustaWestland AW-169!"
Professor Kang patted the side of the chopper like a guy who'd just bought a new car, grinning ear to ear.
"This baby? Max takeoff weight of 4.8 tons, cruising speed of 260 knots! Range is..."
Blah blah blah, I heard the explanations, but none of it stuck.
I'm no gearhead. What do I care?
As long as it doesn't crash while flying.
My one takeaway?
"Holy shit, it's huge."
Up close, the sheer intimidation was no joke.
If those rotors spun up, they'd fling my body weight away like a scrap of paper.
And one more thing.
"...The design sense, though."
I scanned the fuselage.
A gigantic Ministry of Health and Welfare logo plastered on it, National Central Medical Center logo next to that, Busan Metropolitan City logo below, and Cheongjin University Medical Center logo all over the place.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
The civil servant who designed this clearly had zero sense of aesthetics.
"Not just looking from outside—let's check the gear inside. That's the space where we'll actually load and treat patients."
Professor Kang flung open the side door.
"Oh, this'll be fun."
Lee Min-jae, next to me, peeked in first, eyes wide.
I reluctantly stuck my head in after him.
Looking around.
"Whoa... nice."
Lee Min-jae let out an impressed whistle and called me over.
"Dr. Han."
"Yeah?"
"Check this out. It's got everything. Way more legit than I thought."
Lee Min-jae started fiddling with the equipment inside.
"Look, i-STAT portable blood analyzer. Electrolytes, lactate, even troponin on the spot... Defibrillator's a given. Oh, ventilator—Hamilton model? Pretty solid. Same as our ER's."
His words sparked a bit of interest in me, so I shoved my head in to inspect the gear.
It really was like shrinking an ICU and transplanting it here.
Suction devices, infusion pumps, oxygen tanks, all sorts of airway intubation kits crammed onto every inch of wall and ceiling space.
Even a portable ultrasound tucked neatly in the corner.
"Wow, but they really crammed it all in, huh."
Impressed, but a wave of claustrophobic reality hit me too.
The gear's top-notch.
But the space...
"You have to do CPR, intubate, mix meds, all in this tiny spot?"
I asked, and Lee Min-jae awkwardly crouched in the cramped area, chuckling.
"Right? Trying CPR on a big patient here? Your back's toast. Can't even stand up properly."
I pictured it.
Helicopter shaking, noise deafening, me huddled in this suffocating corner pounding on a chest and shoving in a tube.
Motion sickness just thinking about it.
Not romantic. A torture chamber.
A flying torture chamber.
Director Park, you bastard.
After roughly checking out the equipment, we stood in front of the helicopter again.
"Alright! This new doctor helicopter training class: two docs, four nurses, four EMTs. Let's all get along."
Professor Kang led a round of applause.
Clap clap clap clap.
I mechanically clapped along, yearning for the ER station below where the AC blasted cool air—my homeland... well, not quite.
"Ah, wanna go down already. So damn hot."
But Professor Kang's next words were worse than the heat.
"The nurses and EMTs will be classified as dedicated air medical team staff and undergo intensive training."
Oh, nice.
Specialized.
"The doctors will have an extra shift added, but basically, you'll handle regular ER duties alongside heli on-call."
...
"Nooooo. Hell no."
I screamed internally.
See patients in the ER, chopper launches? Dash out. Come back, catch up on backlog.
Salary?
Double pay?
No way.
This is labor exploitation.
Professor Kang ignored my despair and kept going.
"This class... haha... is special—we've got a resident. Everyone, clap~"
All eyes turned to me.
Nurses and EMTs clapped with looks like, "What'd this guy do wrong...?"
Clap clap clap...?
"This is pretty unusual. Normally it's attendings. Anyway, first month, it'll be OJT under a senior attending. Me or another prof will ride along, so no worries."
Professor Kang pulled out his phone from his pocket.
"First, I've sent the schedule via KakaoTalk."
Buzz—
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
Ominous rumble.
[Cheongjin University Hospital Doctor Heli Team (22)] You've been added to the group chat.
"Ah. Another group chat."
"Alright, then for today, supervising attending me and Dr. Han will run the simulation..."
Professor Kang was pointing at me to explain the training scenario when—
Bzzz—
The group chat notification blared.
Professor Kang whipped out his phone.
I reflexively checked mine.
[Air Medical Team Coordinator Kang Min-jeong]
[59M / STEMI / Yeongdo, Tongyeong / V/S: 100/60-55-20-95% / C.C: CP onset 30min / Hx: HTN / Drug: Aspirin 300mg / ETA: -]
Yeongdo.
An island you need a boat to reach.
Heart attack there.
By boat? Golden hour's gone.
Heli or bust.
"...Yeah, let's roll."
Professor Kang pocketed his phone.
"Huh?"
I blurted out dumbly.
You just said simulation...
"Nothing beats real action for training. Today's unavoidable, so OJT on the way? Got it?"
Professor Kang's voice and tone shifted from lecture mode to how he talks to resident Han Hyun-jae.
"Wait, Professor?!"
Ding—
The elevator next to the helipad opened, and the pilot and copilot in flight suits burst out.
They gave us a nod and sprinted to the helicopter for checks.
Then a nurse in a fluorescent vest came running, heavy emergency bag in one hand, patient info sheet flapping in the other.
"Professor! Patient's got bad chest pain, sweating buckets. EKG looks like inferior wall infarct!"
"Got it!"
Professor Kang yelled.
The engine roared to life.
Rumble rumble rumble...
The massive rotors spun up, unleashing deafening noise and gale-force winds that swept the rooftop.
"Ugh!"
I staggered in the blast.
My hair whipped into a total mess.
"Dr. Han! What're you doing? Get on board!"
Professor Kang opened the heli door and beckoned me.
Noise drowned out his voice.
I made a miserable face and shouted.
"Professor! I don't know how to ride a helicopter yet!"
He grabbed my arm and yanked me inside.
"Learn on the way! You'll figure it out once you're in! Hurry!"
Slam!
My butt hit the seat just as the door shut.
Through the window, the receding hospital rooftop felt like a farewell to my comfy hospital life.
"...Mom. I'm flying."