A competent doctor can cure everything

In that moment, everyone witnessed the patient avoiding my gaze.

“……”

Mr. Park Seok-jin fidgeted with his mouth but soon fell silent.

He knew well that it was too late to deny it.

“Sir, according to Korean law, the legally recognized medical professionals are doctors, dentists, traditional medicine practitioners, midwives, and nurses. Why should you receive treatment from a Unlicensed medical professional?”

“…Well, those people must have learned properly, right?”

“That’s true. Traditional medicine practitioners study anatomy professionally by dissecting cadavers in medical school. But there is another crucial reason.”

“?”

“When problems arise after illegal treatments like this, where can you report it or receive proper compensation?”

“Ah!”

If a medical accident occurs at a formal medical institution, it can be reported to the Oriental Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency for resolution.

And doctors working in medical institutions subscribe to something called “medical malpractice insurance.”

This is to take responsibility and provide compensation in case of medical accidents.

However, illegal acupuncture practitioners cannot have such insurance.

“For your own sake, please make sure to receive treatment from licensed medical professionals in the future.”

“My mother took me to someone she said was a good practitioner, so I thought it would be okay… But how did you know about that, Doctor?”

“The marks on Mr. Seok-jin’s wrist. Didn’t they burn moxa directly on your skin?”

The patient, surprised by my observation, rubbed the burn marks on his skin with his hand.

“What you experienced is called direct moxibustion. It’s rarely done in modern clinics, especially for younger patients. Older people might tolerate it, but younger people generally wouldn’t like having burn marks on their skin.”

“I see.”

“When I was at a rural health center, I saw many cases like that. People who learned from hearsay and thought it was easy to perform acupuncture or drink herbal decoctions. But it’s really dangerous.”

Has the atmosphere become too serious?

I abruptly turned my head to look at the camera and raised my index finger.

“So, traditional medicine should be received from licensed practitioners!”

“……!”

My sudden action caused everyone to pause for a moment, but soon the promotion team burst into laughter.

“Oh, this is crazy.”

“This doctor has star quality.”

Even Professor Yeon couldn’t hold back his laughter, his muscular shoulders shaking with amusement.

As people showed no signs of stopping their laughter, I began to feel a bit displeased.

Why? Even though it’s embarrassing and awkward for a boring show, I went through the trouble of making it entertaining.

‘Let’s stop laughing.’

I looked sternly at the camera, conveying that message, and finally, the promotion team leader managed to calm everyone down.

“Anyway, it’s my fault, so there’s nothing to be done. I’ll come back after the neuritis has healed.”

“No, patient. You can receive treatment today.”

I grabbed Park Seok-jin, who was trying to leave after laughing along.

Then the promotion team leader caught my attention and whispered.

“Doctor, if you’re going to proceed without acupuncture, we should just film another patient. After all, when you think of ‘traditional medicine,’ the first thing that comes to mind is acupuncture. It would be a pity not to include it.”

“I’ll do acupuncture today as well.”

I’ll create the scene they want.

When I responded with a smile, the promotion team leader’s eyes widened in surprise.

Upon hearing that acupuncture would be used, the patient hesitated.

“Doctor, I’m scared of needles. I’ll come back after the neuritis is completely healed.”

But my subsequent reassurance made the patient jump as if they had heard an alien language.

“I’ll use acupuncture to help both the wrist and the neuritis heal faster. And I won’t be placing needles in the wrist.”

“What? Is that possible? You’re saying you can heal pain with acupuncture, but you won’t use needles on the wrist where it hurts?”

Even Professor Yeon, who had been watching, leaned in with a worried expression and whispered to me.

“Are you planning to use distant acupuncture points? If so, stop.”

Distant acupuncture, or *wonwi chwi hyeol*, involves placing needles at points far from the area of pain. For example, placing needles below the knee for abdominal pain or on the hand for digestive issues.

I knew why Professor Yeon didn’t recommend this approach.

“Distant acupuncture is mainly used for internal medicine conditions.”

The patient’s issue was musculoskeletal. Distant acupuncture has limitations in such cases.

I considered that if acupuncture didn’t produce effective results, it would be awkward for me.

“No, Professor. What I’m planning to do is different from distant acupuncture.”

“What? Then what…?”

Professor Yeon, initially confused, suddenly widened his eyes in realization.

“Are you planning to use the *hyupcheok hyeol* point?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Indeed, if you’re using that point, it’s perfect for this situation. What a clever idea!”

Professor Yeon’s face brightened instantly.

He then patted my back enthusiastically, causing my glasses to shift.

The promotion team member who was capturing the scene on camera playfully asked,

“Don’t keep it to yourselves, tell us too~. So, how will you treat it?”

I adjusted my glasses and gave a faint smile.

“You’ll find out soon. Mr. Seokjin, please go to the treatment room and change into a patient gown. Preferably one that opens easily at the back.”

* * *

The promotional team leader from Hanbit University Hospital could barely contain their excitement.

They felt certain they had captured a “gem” during the video shoot today.

That gem was none other than the young acupuncturist with the seemingly indifferent expression.

They were now filming in the treatment room after moving from the consultation room.

‘How is he planning to cure the neuritis with acupuncture?’

And treating the wrist by placing needles somewhere else?

Everyone was full of curiosity and anticipation, focusing intently on every action of the young acupuncturist.

‘I initially thought today’s shoot was a bust, but with this twist upon twist, it’s turning out to be something great. If the editing is done well, it’ll be a blockbuster video.’

Looking back, the early part of the shoot was indeed nerve-wracking.

The young acupuncturist, who seemed calm and composed, appeared unexpectedly stiff in front of the camera.

Fortunately, this was resolved with the appearance of the patient, Park Seokjin.

Or so it seemed.

‘The profession of a pro gamer is intriguing, and his connection to the famous YouTuber could be leveraged to create interest.’

A pro gamer introduced by a famous YouTuber!

What a great story.

Moreover, the resident was exceptionally skilled when it came to treatment, like a fish in water.

There were numerous moments of admiration while observing the treatment scenes.

‘He’s definitely sharp.’

Whether it was diagnosing the condition before the patient even spoke or introducing simple test methods that could be followed at home, he cleverly highlighted points that viewers would appreciate.

However, the promotional team leader faced a second crisis.

The patient, who had experienced side effects from acupuncture, was now unwilling to proceed with it.

It was a major crisis. It was almost impossible to salvage the situation.

Even the professor had suggested halting the shoot.

‘But… he managed to save it.’

When the resident asked if the treatment was administered by an unqualified person, even he seemed startled.

He had that much charisma. Remembering that scene, the promotional team leader felt a shiver.

Not only did he address the aftermath of unqualified treatments, but he also promised to fix the wrist.

In doing so, he emphasized the importance of receiving treatment from qualified medical professionals and showcased his own abilities.

He turned the crisis into an opportunity.

‘This is almost like a drama-level twist! Or maybe like a Sherlock Holmes mystery.’

The promotional team leader was already overflowing with ideas for captions.

Since the doctor’s name is Seon I-jun, what if we give him a character like ‘Seon-lock Holmes’?

This great material should not be wasted.

It felt like a mission to make the most of it.

Meanwhile, Professor Yeon Jae-wook was closely observing his student’s actions.

The use of the *hyup-cheok* point was such a clever method that it made him wonder why he hadn’t thought of it himself.

‘…Or did he even intend to treat that patient in the first place?’

Upon hearing that the patient developed neuritis from the acupuncture, his initial feelings were embarrassment and discomfort.

Even if it wasn’t his own mistake, as a fellow acupuncturist, it was far from a pleasant situation.

Perhaps he subconsciously wanted to quickly cover it up.

Forgetting the primary duty of treating patients, he had prioritized his own feelings.

However, that intern—yes, still just an intern—had set aside such emotions and calmly found a solution.

‘I learned something, too.’

He could understand why other professors were so keen on him.

Professor Yeon observed the intern’s actions with satisfaction.

The intern was now answering the promotional team’s cameraman’s questions with his usual indifferent expression.

“Doctor! You’ve just disinfected the patient’s neck and back. But the patient came here for wrist pain. What are you planning to do?”

The patient was lying face down on the bed with the zipper on their back undone.

“There’s a point called *Hua Tuo Xie.*”

“Hua Tuo?”

“It’s named after the famous Chinese doctor Hua Tuo, who first used it.”

“Really, that Hua Tuo? So where is this point located?”

“The *Xie* point is not a single specific location. The name *Xie* means ‘to be along the spine.’ It refers to the areas on either side of the spinous processes from the cervical spine to the sacrum, from the neck bones to the tailbone.”

“Oh, so the “Hua Tuo Xie” point covers all the protruding spines of the vertebrae!”

The intern nodded at the cameraman’s comment.

“That’s right. Because of this, it stimulates the spinal nerves, which makes it applicable to various conditions. The spinal nerves are in 31 pairs and branch out to different parts of the body. Each “Xie” point corresponds to different spinal nerves.”

“Wow, that’s interesting. Could you explain a bit more?”

“For example, the “Xie” points between thoracic vertebrae 5 and lumbar vertebrae 5 are used to treat internal organ disorders. The “Xie” points we’re using today are between cervical vertebrae 6 and thoracic vertebra 1. The nerve branches here extend to the arms.”

The intern then pointed to the relevant “Xie” points with his finger.

“There have been studies showing that stimulating the “Hua Tuo Xie” points is beneficial for peripheral nerve regeneration. It stimulates the areas where nerve cell bodies gather, which helps in the recovery of the peripheral nerves.”

“So, it’s a point for treating neuritis… That’s fascinating! But it might be difficult to treat the wrist today, right?”

“No, we’ll treat the wrist to make it more comfortable too. However, we won’t touch the wrist that has neuritis.”

“I’m really curious about how you plan to do that!”

The patient, who had been listening to the intern and cameraman’s conversation, asked cautiously.

“Doctor! But even after the neuritis recovers, is it okay to get acupuncture on the wrist again? Won’t the neuritis recur?”

“At that time, we’ll use a special procedure rather than regular acupuncture. It’s highly effective for conditions like yours, where the nerve is compressed, and there’s less risk of nerve damage.”

“Special procedure? What’s that?”

“That… you’ll find out during your next visit.”

Watching the smiling intern, the head of the promotional team had a flash of inspiration.

What if they filmed the actual process of treating patients in each department?

“Yes, we should turn this into a series!”

Thus, a new future for the promotional team was being created.