Chapter 19 — The White Coat Oath

Two weeks after the proposal, the official meeting between the two families was held at a luxurious but cozy restaurant in the city center. Yen's mother took an early bus from the countryside, bringing some local specialties as gifts for the future in-laws, feeling both nervous and excited about this important meeting.

Associate Professor Truong personally went to the restaurant door to welcome Yen's mother. Her polite and thoughtful attitude made her feel touched. "Thank you for taking the trouble to come here. I look forward to meeting the in-laws on this special occasion."

"You're too polite," Yen's mother replied, her voice still a bit timid before the luxury of the surrounding setting. "I'm the one who should thank you for raising a good guy like Khoa, who knows how to love and appreciate my daughter."

The party took place in a warmer, more intimate atmosphere than what Yen's mother had previously worried about. Associate Professor Truong, despite holding a high position in the hospital, still shows simplicity and closeness in his conversation, without being condescending or judgmental towards Yen's single family situation.

"I have to tell the truth," Associate Professor Truong said in the middle of the party, his voice filled with sincerity, "Since the day I met Yen, I have always been impressed by her strength and integrity. At work, she is not afraid to speak up for what is right, even though it may be detrimental to herself. That is a rare quality, especially in a young person."

"Thank you for your comment," Yen's mother replied, her eyes filled with tears of emotion. "Since childhood, she has had to be very independent because of her family's circumstances. I always worry about whether she will find someone who truly understands and appreciates what she has been through. Looking at the way Khoa takes care of her, I feel really reassured."

Khoa, sitting next to Yen, held her hand tightly under the table, his eyes filled with respect as he listened to those sincere words of sharing. "I promise to always respect and protect Yen, sir. Not only because of my personal feelings, but also because I really admire the values she pursues in the medical profession."

The two families briefly discussed future plans together, agreeing to let Yen and Khoa decide on the wedding date after they both complete the residency program, which is expected to be about a year away. During the waiting period, the two families will gradually visit each other, cultivating their emotional bond.

"I think this waiting period is also a good opportunity for the two of us to build a stronger foundation for our future married life together," Associate Professor Truong said, looking at the two young people with confidence. "Marriage is not just a wedding ceremony, but also a long journey that requires careful preparation both psychologically and practically."

"I agree with dad," Khoa nodded. "I want to make sure that, when entering married life, both I and Yen are ready to face all the challenges ahead, not only in work but also in family life."

After the party, when seeing Yen's mother off to the bus station so she could catch her trip home in the evening, Associate Professor Truong also advised, his voice full of sincere concern. "Don't worry, I will always consider Yen as my own daughter. If you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you very much," Yen's mother replied, her voice choked with emotion. "Knowing that she has such a loving and caring second family makes me feel a lot more secure."

On the way home, Yen leaned her head on Khoa's shoulder in the car, her heart filled with a rare feeling of warmth and completeness. "Thank you, for giving me such a loving second family."

"You gave me the same thing," Khoa replied, lightly kissing her hair. "Your mother is a wonderful woman. I understand why you are so strong and resilient — you inherited those precious qualities from your mother."

A few days later, in the midst of a busy duty schedule, Yen received an unexpected call from the district hospital in her hometown - where her father had been taken to the emergency room but could not be cured many years ago. The caller's voice, a young doctor named Son, was filled with excitement as he introduced himself.

"Hello Ms. Yen, I'm a new doctor working at our district hospital. I heard about the project to reform the on-call regime that you and Mr. Khoa have built at the central hospital, and I'm looking forward to learning and applying a part to our lower-level hospitals."

Yen paused for a moment, emotions rushing back when she heard the name of that familiar hospital - the place that witnessed the most painful moment in her life. But instead of avoiding it, she decided to see this as an opportunity to turn her past pain into motivation to help others.

"You can ask freely," Yen replied, her voice full of enthusiasm. "She is very willing to share her experiences, especially with a hospital that has such special meaning to her."

The conversation lasted nearly an hour, Yen enthusiastically explained every detail of the shift handover process, the on-duty hour monitoring system, as well as the lessons learned during the pilot implementation process. Doctor Son took careful notes, unable to hide his gratitude for that enthusiastic sharing.

"Thank you very much," he said before ending the call. "I believe, with what you shared, we will be able to significantly improve the quality of emergency care here, reducing unfortunate cases like what happened before."

Yen hung up the phone, her eyes filled with tears but her heart was filled with a feeling of relief and indescribable meaning. She recounted that conversation to Khoa as soon as she met him during lunch break, her voice still emotional.

"I never thought that one day, the same hospital that couldn't save my father would come to me to learn how to save more lives," Yen said, her voice both emotional and proud. "It feels like a circle has closed in the most meaningful way possible."

Khoa held her hand tightly, his eyes full of understanding and pride. "This is the clearest proof that any pain, if properly transformed, can become a driving force to create positive values far beyond what we ever imagined."

A few days later, that idea continued to grow in Yen's mind. She found Associate Professor Truong, presented a new proposal - building a technical support program, transferring experience to district and commune hospitals, helping them gradually improve patient safety processes even though resources are much more limited than central hospitals.

"I know this proposal may require more effort and time," Yen presented, her voice filled with enthusiasm, "but I believe, if the central hospital shares its experience, even just a small part, it can help save the lives of many more patients in areas that still lack medical conditions."

Associate Professor Truong listened attentively, his eyes increasingly bright with appreciation. "This is a very valuable idea, Yen. I will propose to the board of directors to establish a specialized working group to periodically organize training sessions and technical support for lower-level hospitals in need."

"Thank you dad for your support," Yen replied, unable to hide her joy. "I think this will be the most meaningful way so that the painful lessons of the past are not wasted, but actually create long-term value for the entire health system."

When news about the lower-level support program was announced at a hospital-wide briefing, many young doctors expressed their excitement to participate. Nghia, with his strength in technology, volunteered to take on the task of building an online platform, allowing lower-level hospitals to refer to documents and standardized procedures at any time without having to wait for direct training sessions.

"I think, if done well, this can become a model for the entire health sector across the country to learn from," Nghia said excitedly in the first planning meeting. "It doesn't just stop at one hospital, but spreads out to a much wider network."

"That's exactly what I hope for," Yen replied, her eyes sparkling with faith in the future. "From a personal tragedy, I never thought it could become the source of such a great change."

That weekend evening, Khoa and Yen walked together in the park near the hospital, enjoying the rare time not dominated by work. Yen recounted the entire plan of the downline support program to Khoa, her voice still intact with the excitement from the morning meeting.

"I'm so proud of you," Khoa said, squeezing her hand as they both sat down on a stone bench under the shade of an old tree. "From a resident doctor who always kept her pain hidden, she has now become the person leading a movement of positive change for the entire medical system."

"I don't do this alone," Yen replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "Without you, without the support of your entire family, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to turn those ideas into reality."

The two of them sat quietly together for a long time, watching the sunset gradually fall behind the trees, fully enjoying the rare moment of peace amid the busy pace of hospital life, filled with hope for the good things that were still waiting ahead.