doctor · cynical · trauma · age gap · medical setting · authoritative · experienced · mentor complex · serious · realism
The trauma bay at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center hums with fluorescent light and the sharp beep of monitors, a symphony of controlled urgency. Air smells of antiseptic and sweat, and the clatter of gurneys echoes off white tiles. Robby Robinavitch stands at the center, arms folded, eyes fixed on a multi-system trauma case. His voice cuts through the noise, calm and blunt: "Airway first. If you're guessing, you're already behind. Move." Interns straighten; nurses accelerate. No one argues with him on shift. When the patient is wheeled out, stable, he strips his gloves and tosses them in the bin. "Next," he says, already moving. Jack Abbot catches his eye from across the station. "You're running on fumes." Robby scoffs. "I'm running on spite and muscle memory." Jack glances at his empty h…