Chapter 19 The practical exam (part 1)
2628 Words
Aria's POV
The scratching sound of pens filled the hall. No one spoke. The tension in the room felt heavier than before.
I kept my eyes on my paper and continued writing.
Question after question. Answer after answer.
The incident with Nora kept trying to creep back into my mind, but I pushed it away.
Not now..If I lost focus now, everything I had fought for today would be meaningless.
A few rows ahead, someone shifted nervously in their seat. Another candidate rubbed his forehead.
The pressure was getting to everyone.
Minutes passed. Then finally, "Time." The examiner's voice echoed through the room.
Everyone immediately dropped their pens. A few groaned softly.
I slowly placed my pen down and released a long breath. My fingers hurt. My shoulders ached.
But at least it was done. For now.
The examiners began collecting the papers.
No one was allowed to leave. Everyone remained seated. Whispers started immediately.
"What do you think they'll ask next?" "I heard the oral interview is brutal." "They fail people every year." My stomach tightened.nOral interview.
That was what all of us had prepared for. For weeks. Maybe months. I glanced across the room.
Nora was staring at her desk.nHer face looked pale. She didn't look at me. Not once.
I looked away. The less attention I gave her right now, the better. A few minutes later, the doors opened. Several senior staff members entered..The room became silent immediately.
The man leading them was familiar. Tall. Sharp eyes. White coat. Dr. Seth Page. He stopped at the front of the room. His gaze moved across all of us.
Calm. Careful. Observing. Then he spoke.
"Good afternoon, candidates." "Good afternoon, sir," everyone replied together.mDr. Seth nodded once.n"I know most of you prepared for an oral interview today."
Several people straightened in their seats. I did too
His next words made the entire room freeze.."There has been a change."mA few confused looks appeared.mDr. Seth folded his hands behind his back.m"The oral interview has been replaced." Murmurs immediately spread across the hall.
"What?" "Replaced "When?" Dr. Seth waited. The room slowly quieted again. Then he continued.
"This hospital believes practical skills reveal far more than memorized answers."
His eyes swept across us.."We can teach knowledge.".His voice remained steady.."We can update protocols."
"But compassion, clinical reasoning, communication, and patient safety are things we must identify ourselves."
The room became completely silent. My heartbeat quickened. Practical exam. An OSCE.
Objective Structured Clinical Examination.
Real patients. Real assessments. Real treatment plans. I slowly sat straighter. For the first time all day, I felt something close to confidence.
This was familiar ground. This was what I did.
Not memorized speeches. Not perfect interview answers. Patients. Dr. Seth glanced down at the clipboard in his hand. "You will each be assigned a patient."
He looked back up. "You will assess them." "Then provide your clinical findings and treatment plan."
Several candidates looked nervous. One woman beside me swallowed hard.
Another candidate began tapping his foot rapidly.
Dr. Seth continued. "We are not only assessing what you know." His gaze sharpened.n"We are assessing how you treat people."
The room fell silent again.nThen he pointed toward the doors leading to the practical bays. "Let's begin."
The practical examination area looked very different. Five bays had been arranged, curtains, Chairs, equipment and assessment tables.
Dr. Seth stood in the middle. A clipboard rested in his hand. Several evaluators stood beside him.
Everyone waited. Then he called out.
"Candidate One. Kyle." A tall young man immediately stepped forward. "Bay One."
Kyle nodded and walked toward the first patient.
Dr. Seth spoke. "Patient: Mr. Hugo. Sixty-two years old. Suspected vertebral fracture."
Kyle took a deep breath. Then moved forward. But before he could sit, A woman beside him was called.
"Miss Clara." Clara stepped forward. "You're going to examine the patient." Kyle immediately moved aside. Clara nodded politely. Then she pulled a chair closer to the patient. Not too close. Not too far. Just enough.
She sat at eye level. A small smile appeared on her face. "Good afternoon, sir." Mr. Hugo shifted carefully in his chair. Pain flashed across his face.
Clara's expression softened. "I'm Dr. Clara."
She folded her hands loosely in her lap. "I know back pain after a fall is frightening." Mr. Hugo nodded slowly. "It is." "Is it okay if I ask a few questions before we move?"
"Yeah." He winced slightly. "It hurts just sitting here." Clara immediately leaned forward a little.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Her voice remained gentle.
"On a scale of zero to ten, what's the pain right now?" "Eight." He exhaled sharply.
"And it shoots down when I try to stand." "Thank you for telling me." She nodded. "I won't ask you to bend or twist today."nHis shoulders visibly relaxed.
"Really?" "Really." A small smile touched her lips.
"First, I'll observe and check your reflexes gently."
She paused. "If anything hurts, say stop."
Another pause. "And I'll stop immediately." Mr. Hugo stared at her. Then slowly smiled. "Deal."
"Deal." Clara carefully began her assessment. Checking sensation. Observing posture.nTesting reflexes gently. Never forcing movement. Never rushing.
A few minutes later she stepped back. "Based on what I see, I'm concerned about a small fracture in your lower back from the fall." Mr. Hugo looked worried. Clara continued calmly. "My job today isn't to fix it myself." She pointed toward him gently. "My job is to keep you safe."
Dr. Seth looked up. "And your plan?" Clara answered immediately. "Phase one." She held up one finger. "Log-rolling in bed." A second finger. "Breathing exercises." Third finger. "Ankle pumps."
She lowered her hand. "No spinal flexion." Dr. Seth nodded. "Phase two?" "Sit-to-stand training." "Walking with support when medically safe."
She paused. "I'll also recommend evaluation for osteoporosis." Mr. Hugo looked at her carefully.
Then asked quietly,."So you're not going to yank my back around?"
Several candidates smiled. Clara laughed softly.
"Not a chance, sir." Her eyes warmed. "Healing starts with trust."
Mr. Hugo smiled. For the first time since the station started. Dr. Seth wrote something on his clipboard.
Then spoke. "Gentle."His pen moved. "Safe." Another note. "Clinically sharp." He looked up. "Distinction."
The next station began. "Candidate Two. Nora."
My eyes lifted immediately. Nora stood. Her face tightened.nThen she walked toward Bay Two.nA little girl stood beside her mother. Tiny. Nervous.
The child hid partially behind her mother's leg. Dr. Seth announced. "Patient Maya. Nine years old. Post-cast ankle rehabilitation."
Nora stepped forward. Clipboard against her chest. "Name." The little girl didn't answer. "Age." Nothing.
The child pressed herself closer to her mother.
"What happened?" Still nothing.
The girl's mother looked uncomfortable. "She's nervous." Nora sighed. Then looked at the mother.
"Hold her still." The woman blinked. "What?" "I need to check her ankle." The mother's face tightened. "But she's scared, doctor."
Nora's patience visibly disappeared. "She has to cooperate." She reached toward the ankle. "We don't have time." The moment Nora forced the movement, Maya cried out. A sharp painful cry. The entire room seemed to freeze.
"Ow!" Her mother immediately pulled her back.
"Maya!" Dr. Seth's voice cut through the station.
"Stop." The word landed like a hammer. Nora froze.
Dr. Seth stepped forward. His expression unreadable. "You lost her trust in thirty seconds."
The room became silent. Nora's face paled. Dr. Seth continued. "You missed pain assessment."
"You missed neurovascular screening." His gaze remained fixed on her. "Next." Nora swallowed hard. Then slowly stepped back. Dr. Seth wrote on his clipboard. I saw Nora glance at it briefly.nHer shoulders dropped.n"Technically knowledgeable." His pen moved. "No empathy."
Another note. "Borderline fail." Nora looked away immediately. The room remained silent. Nobody wanted to be next. Nobody wanted to stand where Nora had just stood. Then Dr. Seth lifted his head.
His eyes swept across the room. Before stopping on me. "Candidate Three."
My heart jumped once. Then steadied. "Aria." Every muscle in my body tightened. The room suddenly felt smaller. Quieter. Hotter. I slowly rose from my chair. And every eye followed me.
- Writer
