ST. LOUIS and HINTON, West Virginia, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PracticeLink, the nation’s most trusted physician recruitment resource and home of the leading online physician job board, today announced the recipients of its Spring 2026 First Practice Fund scholarships. Supported by primary sponsor Scion Health and program sponsors Ballad Health and Navigate Student Loans, the program awarded nine $2,500 scholarships to medical students, physicians in training and advanced practice providers preparing to enter practice.
Now in its third scholarship cycle, the First Practice Fund helps ease the financial burden of transitioning from training to practice while recognizing future healthcare professionals committed to serving underserved and rural communities.
“These recipients represent the future of healthcare,” said Charles Lowry, Director of GME Relations at PracticeLink. “Their stories reflect resilience, compassion and a deep commitment to improving access to care for patients and communities that need it most.”
The Spring 2026 recipients are:
- Brittanie D. Hazzard Bigby, MD, MPH – Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Catherine Cheng, DO – Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Jocelyn Gonzalez Lopez, MD – Internal Medicine
- Alicia May, MD – Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Oluebube “Miracle” Okoye, MBBS – Pediatrics
- Darrien Rose, MSN – Nurse Practitioner
- Benjamin Sisco, DO – General Surgery
- Bianca Uzoma, MD – Dermatology
- Darrin Ward, MSIII – Medical Student
Recipients were selected for their commitment to compassionate patient care, addressing healthcare disparities and improving access to care in underserved communities. Many shared plans to practice in rural and under-resourced areas, expand healthcare services and support future generations of healthcare professionals.
The unrestricted scholarship funds will help recipients cover expenses associated with the transition to practice, including board examinations, relocation costs, specialized training and educational debt.
PracticeLink will feature individual profiles of the Spring 2026 recipients in its online Resource Center in the coming weeks. To learn more about the First Practice Fund and future application opportunities, click here.
PracticeLink continues to offer its renowned PracticeLink Job Board, which is free for physicians to search and respond to job opportunities from 8,000 hospitals, medical groups and private practices listing more than 40,000 physician job opportunities. Recruiters benefit from the PracticeLink Recruitment Management System and PRO Marketing Suite. PracticeLink also offers PracticeLink Magazine, the free, award-winning career advancement publication for physicians that reaches 95,000 residents through quarterly themed issues. Click here to request your free subscription.
About PracticeLink
Established in 1994, PracticeLink connects physicians and advanced practitioners in all specialties with opportunities at more than 8,000 health systems, hospitals, medical groups and private practices. PracticeLink improves the physician recruitment process through people, technology and education—helping get physicians to the communities where they are needed most.
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Contact
Charles Lowry
Director of GME Relations
Charles.Lowry@PracticeLink.com
