The Apprentice

Exam

Days passed and Callie was still in the hospital and other than a little abdominal pain, she appeared to be feeling much better for the most part.

"Hey, Callie." Dr. Halstead greeted, as he made his way into her room. "How's our favorite patient?"

Natalie had introduced them to insure that Callie felt comfortable enough with him as her doctor and I'm glad to tell you that she had improved exponentially.

Callie sat with her knees tucked to her chest and a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Callie, is everything okay?" He worried.

"My stomach hurts." She admitted.

"Yeah? Well, why don't we take a look?" He suggested, lying the bed back just a little. He pressed gently against her abdomen, in various positions. Callie hissed in pain. "Hey, April!" Will called as the nurse walked past. "Can I get a pelvic ultrasound?"

"Sure." She returned just moments later with the relevant equipment.

"Okay... all looks clear." He noted.

"Will..." Nurse Sexton gestured toward the young brunette, whose eyes were squeezed close, fighting against the pain in her stomach.

"Okay, your heart rate is a little elevated so let's take some bloods and get a CBC, CMP, Prealbumin, MAG, UA, HCG, a urine tox, CT, and page Natalie." He ordered.

"Got it." April nodded in understanding.

"HCG?" Callie questioned as she sat back up. "Why do I need an HCG? I'm not pregnant."

"I just wanna make sure we cover all our bases." He assured her.

"Agh!" She winced as another pain coursed through her. Will reached into a draw and headed for the IV in the back of her hand.

"Will? What's going on?" Natalie worried as she raced into the room.

"I'm okay." She fibbed, through gritted teeth.

"She was having some abdominal pain." Dr. Halstead explained. "Ultrasound was clear. We're gonna run some blood cultures and I'm giving her five of Morphine."

"Sweetie, are you sure you're up for this exam. I'm sure they won't mind postponing it until you come home." Natalie suggested.

"No, I'm okay," Callie assured. "I've waited long enough. I wanna do it."

"Exam?" Will questioned.

"Callie is taking an exam to move up in school. And hopefully, straight to med school." Natalie explained.

"I might just become the youngest doctor in the states after all." Callie smiled. "If I can get at least a 50 on this test I can make it to college and if I get 65 I can be at med school by next month."

"Okay, well the examiner is outside. She's gonna sit with you during the exam. Okay?" Natalie checked. Callie nodded.

***

Hours passed and the examination was finally over and the examiner was sitting in the waiting room and checking her answers. Natalie was on her break and headed straight for Callie's room. The young girl was sat with her knees tucked to her chest.

"Hey, sweetie I brought you some lunch." Dr. Manning placed a sandwich and a packet of crisps on the bed.

"Thanks." The brunette placed the items on the stand beside her.

"You not gonna eat anything? Honey, you hardly had anything breakfast either are you sure you're feeling okay?" The girl sighed. "Callie, what aren't you telling me?"

"Eating makes me feel sick." She admitted, avoiding eye contact. "Has for a couple of days."

"And your stomach pain this morning, is it all the time or just after you eat?"

"It's worse after I eat." She admitted.

"And sitting like that helps?" Callie nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna go and find Dr. Halstead and check on your results, okay?"

***

"We got the results back from your CT. And it confirmed that you have a Gastric Outlet obstruction." Dr. Halstead explained to Natalie and Callie.

"A blockage in my duodenum? That makes sense."

"So the food is making it into your stomach but it can't get through so the only way out of your body is the way it came." He mentioned. "It's likely a delayed swelling from the impact of your fall so..."

"It can be treated with a course of steroids through my IV, right?" She noted.

"You are gonna ace that med school exam." He smiled. "I'll talk to nurse sexton and we'll get that started for you right away and hopefully we'll have you feeling better by dinner."

"Thanks, Dr. Halstead."

***

"Okay sweetie I know you're happy to be eating again but maybe next time you should try chewing." Natalie teased.

"Sorry." Callie chuckled. "I'm just nervous about this test. And kinda frustrated. I don't think I've ever stayed in one place for so long. I hate not being on my feet."

"Well, your ribs are starting to heal up a little so it may be a little sore, but what do you say we get you out of bed for a while?" Natalie suggested.

"Please."

***

"Look at you!" Maggie cheered as Callie walked out of her hospital room for the first time in two weeks. Callie smiled as Natalie led her out holding onto her arm for support.

"Cal!" The brunette perked up at her friend's voice as Alana raced into the ED.

"Al?!" What are you doing here?" She wondered.

"I ran from school. I wanted to know how your exam went." She admitted. "You're out of bed?"

"Yeah, I was losing my mind." Callie chuckled. "And I'm not sure about the exam yet."

"Actually..." The examiner entered. "I just finished grading it. Would you like to talk in private?"

"Wait, you're not gonna leave us hanging are you?" Maggie wondered.

"Did I fail? I failed didn't I?" Callie worried.

"As you know, you needed to score a 50 to skip your last 4 years of high school. And you needed a score of 65 to make it to med school." The examiner explained. "Not only did you pass... but you got the highest score ever recorded." She turned the paper over in her hand. "You got 100. Not a single answer wrong."

"WOO!" Many nurses and doctors cheered.

"So if she only needed 65 to get to med school, what does 100 mean?" April wondered.

"Well, she will be receiving a special award from the board. And she will be put on an ED placement. Essentially, she will be skipping the first three years of med school."

"So, I'm a fourth-year med student? Seriously?" Callie beamed with joy.

"You will have to take another exam. This one is from the state council. They will examine you to determine that you are stable, mature, and sound of mind, and so long as you pass that, you will legally be classed as an adult in the workplace. So, I can get that set up for you as soon as tomorrow and you could be working here as a med student when you are deemed fit enough to be dismissed."

"I passed."

***
TheTealWriter