The International Council

The next day began with a mix of excitement and nervousness. We had been invited to the clinical observation area, known in advanced hospitals as the "Multidisciplinary Medical Council." It was a space where internationally renowned doctors gathered to discuss complex cases that required innovative and collaborative perspectives. The Sapphire Grove Hospital was famous for organizing these sessions, and being there was both a privilege and a unique opportunity to learn.

We were greeted by a hospital coordinator, a young but extremely efficient woman named Clara, who accompanied us to the observation room. The room was designed like a modern amphitheater, with tiered seating surrounding a large central table. On the table, there were several touch screens, holographic organ models, and interactive charts displaying details of the cases to be analyzed. In the upper rows, doctors from different nationalities occupied their seats, some reviewing documents on tablets, others conversing quietly in various languages.

"Welcome," Clara said to us with a professional smile. "Today we will have a special session with international cases. The doctors present here have been selected for their expertise in specific areas. We hope this will be an enriching experience for you."

Olivia, always quick to make connections, raised an eyebrow curiously.

"International cases? Like patients from other countries?"

Clara nodded.

"Exactly. Some of these cases come from Europe, Asia, and even Africa. Each one presents unique challenges that require creative and collaborative solutions."

Sack, sitting next to me, seemed fascinated by the technology and organization of the place. Olivia, on the other hand, was already leaning forward as if ready to take control of the situation.

"Can we participate?" Olivia asked enthusiastically, though she knew our main role was to observe.

Clara smiled, somewhat uncomfortable.

"Well, technically you're not authorized to intervene, but you can ask questions during the discussion round if any doctor allows it."

Olivia nodded, satisfied with that answer.

"Perfect. I'm ready to impress these international geniuses."

I chuckled softly as we took our assigned seats. I knew Olivia had good intentions, but I also knew her direct and sometimes chaotic style could be a double-edged sword in such a formal setting.

The session began with the introduction of the moderator, a Japanese doctor named Dr. Hiroshi Takahashi, whose reputation in neurology was legendary. His calm but firm tone filled the room as he explained the purpose of the meeting.

"Today we will discuss three complex cases that have baffled even the best specialists in their respective fields. Our goal is to find viable solutions through multidisciplinary collaboration."

The first case was presented by a Korean doctor, Dr. Minji Park, a specialist in pediatric cardiology. She explained the case of an eight-year-old boy with a rare cardiac anomaly that did not respond to conventional treatments. The holographic images showed the boy's heart, with precise details of the malformation.

As the doctors discussed possible approaches, Olivia leaned toward me and whispered:

"Why don't they try using a combination of minimally invasive surgery and gene therapy? I read about it in a scientific article a few days ago."

Sack raised an eyebrow.

"Gene therapy? Are you sure that's applicable here?"

Olivia glared at him.

"I'm not saying it's easy, I'm just saying they should consider it. Sometimes crazy ideas are the ones that work. Besides, didn't you read that article about gene editing in cardiology journals? I shared it in our WhatsApp group."

Sack blinked, surprised.

"Oh, right. I read it, but I thought it was more theoretical than practical."

Before I could respond, one of the doctors, a Spanish man named Dr. Álvaro Ruiz, intervened in the discussion.

"I think we could explore more innovative options, like combining minimally invasive techniques with emerging therapies. For example, gene editing could be an option, although it's still in the experimental phase."

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Exactly! That's what I was thinking."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile.

"Olivia, I doubt Dr. Ruiz heard your whisper from up there."

But then, something surprising happened. Dr. Ruiz turned toward us, as if he had sensed our voices.

"Excuse me, does anyone in the gallery have something to add? I heard something interesting about gene therapy."

All eyes turned to us. Olivia, without missing a beat, stood up.

"Yes, Doctor. I was just thinking that maybe they could combine minimally invasive surgery with gene-editing techniques. I've read about similar cases where this has been successful. For example, in a recent study published in Nature Medicine , they mentioned how CRISPR-Cas9 has been used in preliminary trials with promising results."

Dr. Ruiz smiled, visibly impressed.

"Interesting. I hadn't considered that combination before. Thank you for the suggestion."

Olivia sat down triumphantly, crossing her arms.

"I told you I'm an expert in medicine."

Sack and I exchanged an amused glance.

"Olivia, you only read that article because I sent it to you two days ago," I reminded her.

"Details, details," she replied, brushing it off.

The second case was presented by a German doctor, Dr. Klaus Fischer, a specialist in oncology. It involved a young patient with a type of cancer resistant to multiple treatments. As the doctors discussed possible approaches, Olivia spoke up again.

"Have they considered using nanotechnology to attack cancer cells? It's like sending tiny robots inside the body to destroy the tumor. They could program them to only attack malignant cells and leave healthy ones intact. It would be like a video game, but in real life."

Dr. Fischer raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Nanotechnology… it's an interesting idea, though we're still in the early stages of research."

An Indian doctor, Dr. Arjun Patel, chimed in.

"In fact, there are promising studies in that field. We could explore how to integrate nanotechnology with immunotherapy."

Sack, feeling inspired, timidly raised his hand.

"Excuse me, Doctor. I read about a recent study where they used nanoparticles to deliver drugs directly to the tumor. I think they mentioned it significantly reduced side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy."

Dr. Patel nodded, impressed.

"That's correct. It's a very promising line of research. Thank you for sharing."

Olivia looked at me with a satisfied smile.

"See? Even Sack can contribute when he wants to."

Sack snorted.

"Or I just got lucky reading the same article as you."

The third case was the most complex. A French doctor, Dr. Jean-Luc Moreau, presented the case of a patient with a rare neurological disorder affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The discussions were intense, with doctors from different specialties proposing contradictory theories.

Olivia, unable to contain herself, raised her hand as if we were in class.

"What if they use artificial intelligence to predict patterns in the behavior of the disease? They could train a model with data from other similar patients. It would be like having a virtual assistant telling them which treatment works best based on the patient's history."

Dr. Moreau looked at her curiously.

"It's a bold proposal, but not far-fetched. In fact, we're working on something similar in collaboration with a team of computer engineers."

Lindsay, feeling motivated, added:

"Also, they could use machine learning to identify specific biomarkers in patients. I've read that some teams have managed to diagnose neurological diseases more accurately using this method."

Dr. Moreau nodded, visibly impressed.

"Excellent point. AI and data analysis are powerful tools that we're starting to integrate into medical practice. Thank you for your comments."

Olivia turned to me with a triumphant expression.

"See? Even geniuses need a little help sometimes."

At the end of the session, Dr. Takahashi thanked everyone for their participation. Then, he addressed us specifically.

"I want to especially thank the young people who shared their ideas today. Although you're undergraduate students, your comments were refreshing and made us consider approaches we might have otherwise overlooked."

Olivia smiled widely, accepting the compliment as if it were completely deserved.

"Thank you, Doctor. I'm always available to help."

As we left the room, Sack shook his head in disbelief.

"Olivia, you just gave ideas to some of the best doctors in the world, and we haven't even finished undergrad yet."

"Natural talent," she replied, shrugging.

Lindsay smiled, proud of her friend.

"Despite everything, your ideas really helped today. Maybe you should consider a career in medical research."

Olivia pretended to be horrified.

"Research? That sounds too quiet for me. I'd rather be in the field, saving lives with my revolutionary ideas."