Zhu Zhixiang sat in the head seat, flanked by the two vice-directors, followed by Xu Wu, Director of General Internal Medicine, Tang Xiaojuan, Director of Respiratory Medicine, and numerous directors from other internal medicine departments.

On the other side were the directors from Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Pediatrics, and other departments; essentially, all the frontline directors of the hospital were gathered here.

The meeting, chaired by Director Zhu Zhixiang, got straight to the point without preamble: since Zhang Yang insisted on working, where would be the best department to place him?

As soon as Zhu Zhixiang finished speaking, every director lowered their head, none daring to take the lead in responding.

Many of the directors felt a strange sensation. They, gathered here for a high-level departmental meeting, were actually discussing the placement of an intern. In the past, this was something they could never have imagined. This event would surely be recorded in the annals of the Third Hospital; who knew if such an intern would ever receive such attention again.

"Why is no one speaking?"

Seeing the silence, Zhu Zhixiang spoke again, a touch of helplessness in his voice. It wasn't appropriate to make such a fuss over an intern, but he currently had no better solution. Zhang Yang’s sudden demand to start working had disrupted his plans, and he couldn't keep Zhang Yang waiting, forcing him to summon everyone.

"A while ago, you all ran faster than rabbits, demanding to have Zhang Yang intern in your departments, bragging about what you could do there. Why are you all so reserved now?"

Zhu Zhixiang took a sip of tea and added mildly, "His words caused many heads to bow even lower. After Zhang Yang signed the contract, many directors were indeed scheming to get him. They had already witnessed Zhang Yang's capabilities. Furthermore, the most critical factor was that he was the savior of Director Zhao’s father. With that connection, perhaps they could leverage him to reach the Director, which would be immensely beneficial for their future development."

"Of course, even if they couldn't build a connection, having Zhang Yang was like an extra safeguard. His medical skills were evident, and in case of any emergency, Zhang Yang might lend a hand. With these factors in play, almost all department directors had approached the with similar requests. This was one of the reasons Zhu Zhixiang called the meeting; if so many people hadn't applied, he wouldn't have been troubled by having to assemble everyone to decide on an intern's assignment."

"If you won't speak, then I will speak first!"

Wu Youdao suddenly sat up straight. He worked at the hospital, but his official affiliation wasn't here, so he felt free to speak his mind. Since the other directors were too hesitant, he took the initiative.

"Everyone knows Zhang Yang comes from a Traditional Chinese Medicine background. His accomplishments in TCM are extremely high. I believe assigning him to the TCM department would be the best use of his talents, making him most suitable!" Wu Youdao spoke slowly. He had gone to great lengths to get Zhang Yang into the hospital, hoping to interact more with him, and naturally did not want Zhang Yang going to another department. Everyone has their own selfish motives, and Wu Youdao was no exception.

"Elder Wu, Zhang Yang is indeed trained in TCM, but his skills in Western surgical procedures are also exceptional. Our Emergency Department is precisely lacking such a versatile person. I think it's best for Zhang Yang to go to Emergency. That is the most vital frontline of our hospital and a place where Zhang Yang’s value can be best demonstrated!" Director Zhao of the Emergency Department urged, realizing he couldn't remain reserved now that Wu Youdao had spoken. Before coming to the meeting, their Deputy Director Li had repeatedly advised that they must secure Zhang Yang for the Emergency Department; Zhang Yang was an invaluable all-around talent.

Having one more Zhang Yang might seem like just one person, but for the Emergency Department, the significance was entirely different. This single individual could potentially solve many problems they previously couldn't handle. Director Zhao’s father was first admitted to the Emergency Department; ultimately, when everyone was helpless, it was Zhang Yang who was invited to intervene and save him.

"Director, you know that our Pediatrics recently lost two experts and is severely short-staffed. Based on the criteria of greatest need, Zhang Yang should come to Pediatrics!" As soon as Director Zhao finished speaking, Chen Xin, the Director of Pediatrics, also chimed in. Everyone knew Zhang Yang was a talent and wanted to claim him. If they didn't act now, it would be too late once a decision was finalized.

As Chen Xin spoke, the directors from Stomatology, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, Acupuncture and Tuina, and other departments all leaped up, each citing their reasons, demanding Zhang Yang be assigned to them. For a moment, the entire conference room descended into chaos.

"Stop, stop, stop everything!"

Zhu Zhixiang's head started to ache, and he yelled urgently. Vice-Director Li Jiu, standing beside him, shook his head with a wry smile; he hadn't expected Zhang Yang to be so sought after. At first, no one spoke, but once someone did, it was a feeding frenzy.

After a moment of thought, Li Jiu suggested, "Director, how about letting Zhang Yang rotate?"

The rotation Li Jiu proposed meant internal hospital rotation—having Zhang Yang spend time in every department. Intern rotation was common practice, but doctor rotation was rare.

"No!" Zhu Zhixiang immediately shook his head, then continued, "Zhang Yang only has one working day per week. If we add rotation, how long can he stay in any single department? He won't familiarize himself before moving on, which is bad for him and bad for us!"

Li Jiu was slightly taken aback, then showed a hint of resignation. He had overlooked the fact that Zhang Yang only worked twice a week at the hospital, with one of those days being only a half-day. With just that single day of work time, rotation was indeed unfeasible.

"Director, in my opinion, he should come to Respiratory Medicine. There is a very important matter you must not forget!" Director Xu Wu of General Internal Medicine spoke up slowly. Many directors stared at him, surprised that even Xu Wu had joined the fray to claim Zhang Yang. Respiratory Medicine was Tang Xiaojuan’s territory, and Tang Xiaojuan was Xu Wu’s wife.

The other internal medicine directors looked somewhat resentful; Xu Wu was clearly showing favoritism, but they were powerless to object.

Zhu Zhixiang's expression grew serious, and he felt a stirring of interest. Others did not know what Xu Wu was referring to, but he did, as did Wu Youdao and Tang Xiaojuan. The treatment Zhang Yang gave to Su Shaohua had already been submitted as a research project proposal. If approved, this would become a highly significant study. Based on the current results of Su Shaohua’s treatment, the effects were obvious, making the proposal highly likely to succeed.

Securing this project would mean progress. If Zhang Yang completed it, it would hold epoch-making significance for the hospital. Just this single research topic, purely based on reputation, would allow the Third Hospital to surpass all municipal hospitals and even some provincial ones. An internationally recognized major challenge conquered by a municipal hospital—this would be a first in China, carrying extraordinary importance for the institution.

Wu Youdao frowned slightly. He understood the situation best. With this argument, even he found it difficult to dispute Xu Wu. Zhu Zhixiang would certainly prioritize the hospital’s interests.

"Director, regarding Zhang Yang going to other departments, could that wait? Could he come to us first, at least to work with us for a period?" Director Wang Guohai of Gynecology suddenly spoke up, causing many to look at him in surprise.

Uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Wang Guohai braced himself and spoke slowly, "Director, we really need to resolve those two difficult long-term patients. Leaving them unresolved is a constant hazard. I’m not trying to monopolize Zhang Yang; he just needs to help us solve those two problems, and we will immediately let him go!" Wang Guohai felt quite awkward as he spoke.

All the directors showed a flicker of understanding, and no one mocked Wang Guohai; rather, they felt a degree of sympathy. Two patients in Obstetrics and Gynecology were infamous throughout the hospital. Both had been admitted for over half a year; they would occasionally go home, but they always returned, stubbornly refusing to leave.

One case involved a mistake by the hospital—a medical malpractice incident where the hospital complicated a straightforward illness through misdiagnosis. The misdiagnosis was one thing, but it also led to the patient developing secondary conditions that the hospital couldn't treat, forcing the patient to remain hospitalized, or else face compensation. The hospital was clearly at fault, and the patient was making exorbitant demands; they could only drag the matter out. This had gone on for six months, and the patient was frequently causing disturbances. Wang Guohai was exhausted trying to manage the situation.

The second patient was also unique. It wasn't a case of malpractice, but the hospital was still heavily involved, leaving Wang Guohai helpless. They had even invited famous experts from other hospitals to see these two patients, but all had failed. Now, Wang Guohai was pinning his hopes on Zhang Yang. If Zhang Yang couldn't resolve them either, these two time bombs would eventually go off.

"I understand. What does everyone else think?" Zhu Zhixiang nodded, looking around at the others. Although Zhang Yang was an intern, everyone understood his value; if assigned to their department, no one would genuinely treat him as just an intern.

"We can let him stay with us for two months initially. Those issues really need resolution," Director Xu Wu of General Internal Medicine agreed first. As he spoke, Tang Xiaojuan concurred, and Deputy Director Li Jiu, who had a good relationship with them, also stepped forward.

The other directors considered it and finally nodded. The first person Zhang Yang had ever saved in their hospital was a patient from Gynecology; his ability was beyond question.

Seeing everyone agree, Wu Youdao had no choice but to nod as well. Obstetrics and Gynecology genuinely needed Zhang Yang, and Wang Guohai had played a significant role in Zhang Yang joining the hospital in the first place, making it difficult for Wu Youdao to contest. At worst, this old man would frequently visit the OB/GYN department in the future.

And so, without Zhang Yang knowing anything about it, his work assignment was decided by the hospital's senior staff. His first stop would be the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.