Page 23 (1/2)

Chapter 1

Damon

“Okay, okay, settle down,” I said, feeling irritated about working with the first year residents I liked the prestige of being a teaching doctor with Colu Medical Center in Manhattan, just years after receiving inally anticipated Now, I had to show up to class and answer questions while I really wanted to be working on my own career

When I was asked if I was interested in doing a round of teaching at CUIMC, I jumped to take it before it was offered to anyone else I liked to be the best I kneould enjoy the attention it would bring, especially fro be, really?

As it turned out, I had to prepare a lesson once a week, and I had to be engaging with the interns, all the interns Originally, I’d figured I could just tell surgery stories for thirty minutes or so, then let thenive So, I wrote a few easy quizzes, handed the session, and had one of the second-year residents grade them for me I really didn’t want to talk to any of the interns about why they were failing, so I tried not to make the quizzes too difficult I really didn’t want to make life harder for anyone, especially ot a few phone nuroup at the end of the session, it would be worth it

Nor wasn’table to spend tier to learn interns The hospital ader doctor teach the interns would allow eons on staff They even gave ether my lessons However, for most of the extra ti apps forharder, but I spent soI wanted to have fun, too

“Now, thisloved ones,” I said, clearing my throat “If you can’t break bad news to so to be a very successful and sought after surgeon Word will get around that you are cold and unfeeling I’m sure most of you already believe you have your bedside manner developed and you think you’re set But, you would be wrong All those si So you can never be too prepared And, some loved ones will take your news harder than others If you haven’t started practicing your bedside manner, you’re already behind And you da loved ones in layman’s terms what happened to their precious child, wife, husband,they want to hear is a bunch of technical rinned over the sea of concerned faces I liked scaring the interns

They were all just a year or two younger than y by the time I was nineteen Then, I finished med school in two and a half years, and the next three years in residency and then chose h it didn’t last long I’d been working full tieon with CUIMC for nearly three years, and I was at the top ofht and now teachingpretty well for me

“Now, don’t any of you think that you can ride my coattails, just because I spent a few hours with you,” I said “If you’re good at what you do, I’ll consider putting a good word in for you But, I’ to call the Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine and gush about how great you did on reat deal toto drop out because you can’t hack it I’o”

“How do you suggest we i intern asked

“I’lad you asked,” I replied “First, read over the docuery at CUIMC, you will find them in the hospital archives and look for most common factors in the deaths froether a sound and co loved ones Next find a few friends or better yet, other interns, to practice on You want to grieve with the overly e, theyto do with the death However, you don’t want to be cold and unsympathetic either It’s a fine balance and it can take years to develop the right tone”

The interns looked at od They ate up every word I said Most of it was pretty accurate

“We’ll have an oral quiz over appropriate bedside manners in one week, and you better be prepared for whatever death I give you to break to the parents”

“Any suggestions on where to research those deaths, Dr Rye?” another intern asked

I narrowed my eyes at him “If you weren’t listen

ing before now, then I suggest you speak with some of the other interns Maybe one of them will clue you in on where to find such inforet to where I a to ask interns for inforeon on staff here as well as the top requested in my field, not only here at CUIMC, but at all of the hospitals in the NYC area”

I looked around the room The interns were in awe

“Okay, next up, doctors in training, I want to know the diagnosis of a patient exhibiting shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, and possible excessive sweat,” I said, getting bored as I stared out over the clueless interns “Well?” I ask

Timidly a hand went up

“Yes?” I arch a brow

“Possible heart attack?”

“No” I frown as no other hands went up “I would rather you all raised your hands and said, ‘I don’t know, Dr Rye, I’ll go look that up’ Now, since none of you had the balls to do that, I want a four page paper on DVTs, what causes them, who is susceptible, how to prevent them and how to treat them!”

“Yes, Dr Rye,” they all answered

“Well? Don’t just stare at et started” I looked at my Rolex I still had a few minutes before they were to be sent off to do their rounds

While the interns all shifted in their seats, pulling out their laptops at the tables of the conference rooot out h past conversations I’d had o a little frazzled because I wanted to show up to the cancer research fundraiser event with a lovely young woeons, doctors, and the CEO of CUIMC, Dr Fine is with a date I don’t knohy, but it was harder to navigate these situations alone

For soing on your arne You could introduce her to the other women and somehow, they’d feela feood character Done correctly, the date would transforue

She had to fit a certain type, too The chosen date had to be attractive It seemed extremely shallow, but chemistry couldn’t be faked I couldn’t place h the ballroo physically close to her But, at the saent people could sniff out a total dimwit

She didn’t necessarily have to be brainy I wasn’t against hanging around girls who matched, or even exceed et turned on by a brain surgeon, just because she’s smart There had to be a balance

A good exahter of a socialite, orking on her degree in Psychology She was sh field She kne to act around people with rown up around it She’d probably be hot because rich girls could buy their looks And, if she’d grown up around society people, she’d probably be good for a roll in the hay at the end of the night That was always an added bonus

But, just because I brought a date didn’t mean that I couldn’t play the field while I was at the event I didn’t bring a chick because I wanted to take her hoirl I’d take home to my parents I could ditch her at any eous ar daddy An invitation to an event was not a e proposal— I could leave hoood when it counted

As I flipped through my phone, I couldn’t really find anyone who fit the situation There were a lot of girls I wanted to see in the privacy of my own hoeons As a rule, I also didn’t see woaet attached to me too easily I tried to be upfront with thes very far I was not boyfriend e me

I looked back down at er than I really should have, knowing they have rounds to attend No one said anything about it yet, but I knew that I couldn’t keep theet reamed by adain, but I wanted to do well enough that they would want me to teach another round of residents in the future

“Okay,” I said loudly “I aure out what a DVT is and get a good start on your research”