Jan 16, 2018: PRACTICEMATCH ANNOUNCES WINNER OF INAUGURAL EMPOWERED PHYSICIAN SCHOLARSHIP

Honorable Mention Runners-Up Vie for Readers' Choice Award via Online Voting

St. Louis, MO, January 16, 2018- PracticeMatch, the company that matches physicians and advanced practice clinicians with top healthcare employers nationwide, announces the winner of its first annual Empowered Physician Scholarship essay contest. Mr. Oliver Sroka, a medical student at the University of Florida, was awarded the $2,000 scholarship when his essay was selected by the judges' panel as the winning entry.

Future physicians applied for the scholarship by submitting an essay about their journey of becoming a doctor, including how they hope to make a positive impact via their medical career. In his winning essay, Sroka candidly shared how his cancer diagnosis as a 19-year-old college student further motivated and inspired him to achieve his goals and continue to pursue a medical career, despite extremely challenging obstacles. Sroka recalls in the essay how, as a patient, his oncologist's optimism and encouragement were a calming presence for him during a difficult time, and he attributes his recovery to his support team of physicians, family, and friends.

"Trying to decide [my] academic future while not knowing if I would actually live through it, is not what I thought college would be like," wrote Sroka, who missed months of school for chemotherapy. In his essay, the future physician went on to describe that post-diagnosis timeframe as some of the worst days of his life, as a "frustrated, and scared" student with an uncertain future. "After [that] experience, I realize that every second of every day is an opportunity to make a difference in the world," Sroka wrote.

Sroka looks forward to helping his future patients with the same strength, support, and encouragement that his doctor provided to him as a young, anxious patient.

"The [scholarship] money I receive from PracticeMatch will go towards my tuition here at the University of Florida College of Medicine," Sroka states. "This award will help me continue my medical education, and learn how to provide the highest quality of care, and become a great physician. The financial burden of a medical education can be stressful at times, but this scholarship will allow me to spend less time worrying about finances, and more time on what truly matters: my patients," he concludes.

Sroka's essay will be available on the PracticeMatch website to read in full.

Additionally, due to the number of quality applicants and interesting essays, PracticeMatch will publish three other essays, which were runners-up receiving Honorable Mention from the judges. Readers may also vote on their favorite essay, and the winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card and bragging rights as the PracticeMatch Empowered Physician Readers' Choice.

Empowered Physician Scholarship Honorable Mention includes: (in alphabetical order by last name)

• Hassanatu Blake, MPH, MBA - Atlantic University School of Medicine - New York, NY
• Mackinzie McDaniel - Eastern Virginia Medical School
• Crystal Taylor, MPH, and MD candidate Class of 2020 at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

The three essays of the honorable mention winners are available on the PracticeMatch website, and online voting will be open until February 20. Readers may vote on the essays until February 20, and the winning essay of the Readers' Choice Award will be announced shortly thereafter.

"Congratulations to Oliver Sroka and all of the runners-up. The PracticeMatch team is excited to be able to recognize the hard work of these diligent, devoted future physicians, and to assist with the financial burden of medical education, states Mike York, CEO of PracticeMatch. "I think everyone will enjoy reading about these empowered physicians as much as we enjoyed getting to know them from their compelling essays, and learning about their bright futures in medicine. I know these individuals will continue to make a positive impact on many lives in the coming years."

Applications for the 2018 Empowered Physician Scholarship will open on February 1, 2018 on the PracticeMatch website.

About PracticeMatch:

PracticeMatch is one of the most established companies serving healthcare employers with recruiting and staffing resources including job boards, career fairs, and candidate leads. Established more than 25 years ago, its Pinpoint physician database includes over 338,000 interviewed, pre-screened physicians. Based in St. Louis, MO, the company hosts more than 30 physician career fairs annually, across the country. For media inquiries, or to schedule an interview with a PracticeMatch executive, please contact Andrea Clement - aclement@usa.M3.com. For more information regarding healthcare recruiting resources provided by PracticeMatch, please contact Mike York (800) 489-1440, or email mike.york@practicematch.com.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Andrea Clement, Media Relations at 404.990.3614 or email at aclement@usa.m3.com.

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