For medical students, residents, fellows and advanced practice providers, the pursuit of medicine is fueled by perseverance, purpose and a deep commitment to caring for others. Unfortunately, this journey is often accompanied by financial, systemic and personal challenges. Building on the momentum of its inaugural scholarship round, PracticeLink is proud to recognize another exceptional group of trainees through the Fall 2025 First Practice Fund.

Following the overwhelming response to the Spring 2025 launch, the Fall application cycle once again drew hundreds of compelling submissions from across the country. Each application reflected not only academic excellence but a sincere dedication to improving access, equity and compassion in healthcare. Supported by the generous sponsorship of Premier Health, PracticeLink awarded $2,500 scholarships to outstanding recipients representing a wide range of specialties, care settings and training pathways.

The recipients of PracticeLink’s Fall 2025 First Practice Fund are:

• Jai Kafle, Medical Student
• Christine Lin, Specialty 
• Shane Thomas, Specialty
• Karen Bishop, Advanced Practice Provider
• Jahid Ross, Advanced Practice Provider
• Latisha Carswell, Outpatient
• Mohamed Hashem, Outpatient
• Olga Pudovka Gross, Rural Medicine
• Patrick Loehr, Hospital-Based Medicine

In the coming weeks, PracticeLink will publish individual features in its Resource Center highlighting the journeys behind these recipients. Together, their stories reflect resilience, service and a shared commitment to caring for communities too often left without consistent access to healthcare.

You’ll meet future physicians shaped by refugee experiences and rural upbringing, whose early encounters with healthcare inequities now guide careers centered on community-based, patient-first care. You’ll read about clinicians committed to serving vulnerable populations through mental health, addiction medicine, primary care and emergency services—often in settings where resources are limited but the need is great. You’ll also learn how advanced practice providers are expanding access through collaboration, innovation and an unwavering focus on dignity-centered care.

What united every Fall 2025 First Practice Fund recipient was a fundamentally selfless drive to serve. Our panel of judges was consistently struck by the depth of compassion and leadership reflected in each submission. These recipients embody the mission of the First Practice Fund and represent the future of a more accessible, equitable healthcare system.

PracticeLink congratulates all Fall 2025 First Practice Fund recipients and extends sincere appreciation to every applicant who shared their story. We look forward to continuing this scholarship and spotlighting the extraordinary dedication shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals.