Chapter 12 — The White Coat Oath

Three weeks after Dr. Phat voluntarily presented the incident, the hospital's medical ethics council officially convened a review session. Yen and Khoa were invited to attend as witnesses, along with Nghia and Mrs. Tam, who had recovered well enough to be present.

The hospital's large meeting room, where important meetings often take place, is arranged more formally today, with the presence of representatives from many different departments, ensuring objectivity in the review process.

Dr. Phat sat in the center, his face visibly thinner after the past stressful days, but his eyes still remained calm, ready to face what was about to happen.

"We begin today's session," the chairman of the board, a respected senior doctor from the Department of Internal Medicine, opened, his voice warm but majestic, "to comprehensively review the case related to medical errors in patient Nguyen Thi Tam's surgery, along with other related cases."

Each witness took turns presenting, their voices rang out so clearly in the quiet room that the sound of the council secretary's pen taking notes could be heard. Khoa recounted the process of discovering the problem, from initial doubts about the surgery records to the X-ray results confirming the surgical foreign body. Yen added more about the clinical management process for Ms. Tam. Nghia presents statistical data on seven cases with similar symptoms.

When it was Ms. Tam's turn to speak, the whole meeting room listened silently. "I don't blame Dr. Phat," she said, her voice trembling but full of sincerity. "I understand that everyone makes mistakes sometimes, especially in such a stressful working situation. What I want most is for the hospital to make changes so that no one else has to go through what I endured."

That tolerant statement made the entire meeting room emotional. Dr. Phat bowed his head, clasped his hands together, unable to hide his emotions at the altruism of the patient he had harmed.

Another member of the council, representing the Quality Management Department, asked additional questions to Ms. Tam. "Do you have any formal claim or complaint, ma'am?"

"I just hope the hospital makes sure similar things don't happen to anyone else," Ms. Tam replied, her voice firm even though it was still a little shaky from being nervous in front of so many people. "The cost of additional treatment, I hope the hospital can somewhat support, but the most important thing to me is the safety of future patients."

The board chairman nodded in recognition. "The hospital pledges to support all treatment costs incurred related to this incident for her, and seriously consider all suggestions to improve patient safety procedures."

In turn, Dr. Phat stood up and presented the entire incident honestly, without avoiding any details, including mistakes in editing records and delaying proper treatment of the patient.

"I take full responsibility for what happened," he said, his voice choked but firm. "I do not seek to justify my behavior in concealing my errors, even though the root cause is related to work overload. I am willing to accept any disciplinary action the board imposes."

The council set aside time for private discussion after all parties have finished presenting. Yen, Khoa and related people waited outside the meeting room in tension and suspense.

"What do you think they'll decide?" Yen asked, holding Khoa's hand tightly, her voice unable to hide the tension.

"I don't know," Khoa replied, his voice filled with worry, his eyes not leaving the closed meeting room door. "But I hope the board will consider the teacher's sincere and cooperative attitude, as well as the systemic context that contributed to the error."

While waiting, Nghia sat down next to Yen and Khoa, his face could not hide the tension. "I've never been to a meeting this important," he whispered. "It feels like waiting for graduation exam results."

"At least this result is much more important than an exam," Khoa replied, his voice thoughtful. "It will determine a person's fate, and also how the hospital handles similar errors in the future."

Yen remained silent, her eyes following the closed meeting room door where the council was discussing. She thought about the long journey that had passed — from the controversial first shift with Khoa, to the sleepless nights together searching for the truth, and now, the final decisive moment about to be announced.

"Whatever the outcome," she said quietly, "I believe we did exactly what we needed to do. That's the most important thing."

After nearly two hours of discussion, the council invited everyone back to the meeting room to announce the decision. The chairman of the board read the official conclusion aloud.

"After comprehensive review of the evidence and testimony, the board decided: Dr. Dinh Xuan Phat is suspended from his position as Head of the Department of General Surgery for a period of one year, and has his right to perform independent surgery suspended for six months, and must participate in a retraining course on patient safety. The approval for the position of Deputy Director of Specialization is completely canceled."

A silence filled the room as each clause was read. Dr. Phat stood silently, his face showing no clear emotions, only his eyes flashed a complex mixture of relief and pain. The twenty-year career he had worked so hard to build now had to pay the price of losing his faculty leadership position and the promotion opportunity he had longed for, but at least he could still retain the career he had devoted his whole life to pursuing.

"However," the board chairman continued, his voice somewhat softened, "considering Dr. Phat's cooperative attitude, voluntary admission of mistakes and sense of responsibility, the board also proposed: after the disciplinary period, Dr. Phat will be invited to lead the hospital's new patient safety training program, taking advantage of the experience and lessons from this incident to help train the younger generation of doctors."

At that, Dr. Phat looked up, his eyes sparkled with a ray of hope that he had not dared to reveal before, his hands were no longer tightly clenched as before. "I... I would like to thank the council for giving me the opportunity to redeem myself in such a meaningful way."

The meeting ended, everyone gradually left the room, the sound of chairs dragging on the floor echoed throughout the large space. Khoa went to his teacher, didn't say much, just put his hand on his shoulder in a sincere gesture of encouragement.

"Thank you, Khoa," Dr. Phat spoke, his voice still shaking with emotion, his eyes red under the fluorescent lights of the hospital hallway. "For giving me the opportunity to face the truth in the most humane way possible."

"The teacher gave himself that opportunity, with the courage to admit his mistakes," Khoa replied, his voice sincere, his eyes full of respect for the teacher who bravely faced the weakest part of himself. "I believe, you will do well in this new role, and will help many other young doctors avoid similar mistakes."

Mrs. Tam, standing nearby with her daughter Hoa, approached Dr. Phat, his eyes did not carry any resentment. "Doctor Phat," she called, her voice gentle.

Dr. Phat turned around and bowed respectfully to her. "I... I'm really sorry for what I did to you."

"I told you, I don't blame the doctor," Mrs. Tam replied, holding his hand in a rare gesture of tolerance. "Everyone has weak moments. The important thing is that the doctor dared to face it and fix it. I believe that what the doctor is about to do - leading the patient safety training program - will help many other families not have to go through the same anxiety that my family did."

Hoa, standing next to her mother, also nodded in agreement. "I think, this is the most meaningful way of atonement that you can do, doctor."

Dr. Phat couldn't hold back his tears at that altruistic heart, bowing his head in thanks repeatedly, speechless at the tolerance that went beyond what he dared to expect from the patient he had harmed.

Witnessing that moment, Yen couldn't help but feel emotional and held Khoa's hand tightly. “This is what I have always believed about medicine,” she said quietly. "It's not just about healing the body, it's also about healing the emotional wounds, through understanding and forgiveness."

Khoa nodded, squeezed her hand in response, and they both looked towards Dr. Phat as Ms. Tam's family witnessed a meaningful moment of reconciliation, marking the end of a turbulent chapter in the journey they had gone through together.