It is the week before Christmas. After six months of performing as an intern in the clinical setting of Port Charles General Hospital, Dr. Matthew Harmon and his fellow interns await the results of the evaluation team.

They all realize what a tremendous impact this evaluation will have on their future in medicine. One by one the interns come out of the evaluation room - angry and upset over the negative evaluations they received. It is now Dr. Harmon's turn to go before the team, which consists of his immediate supervisor, Dr. Ellen Burgess, Dr. Mark Boardman, the surgeon who tried to block Harmon's participation on surgical rotation because of his disability, and Dr. Bennett Devlin, a world-renown surgeon currently in residence in Port Charles. The evaluation summary begins ...

"Dr. Harmon, the dedication you have shown has been above and beyond that of many of the other interns. Your patient skills are exceptional. You've shown great fortitude and perseverance in pursuit of your goals." - Dr. Ellen Burgess

"I'm still getting used to having a disabled surgeon in the O.R., but I can't fault the extra hours that you've taken on and your tireless dedication. You've proven yourself to be an excellent doctor - and on a personal note, a gifted and decisive surgeon." - Dr. Mark Boardman

"If you had anything to prove, doctor, you proved it." - Dr. Bennett Devlin

Dr. Harmon was relieved and grateful that he received an excellent rating. The evaluation strengthened his chances of winning the Quartermaine Residency, a prestigious position awarded annually to the most promising surgical resident at the hospital. More over, the evaluation vindicated Dr. Harmon's belief in himself and his faith that he had what it takes to realize his dreams of becoming a surgeon.

What were the circumstances that brought Dr. Matthew Harmon - Matt - to this moment in his life? For viewers of Port Charles, events began on June 1, 1997 with a prime-time movie which premiered the daytime drama on ABC. It introduced seven new interns embarking on their surgical residencies at Port Charles General Hospital. The drama, a spin-off of the popular soap opera, General Hospital, also featured several characters from that show who made the crossover to Port Charles as main storyline characters.

Dr. Matthew Harmon, the character played by actor Mitch Longley, was supposedly injured in a skiing accident when he was 18 years old. During the long period of his rehabilitation, he observed those who were involved in his recovery, and he became determined to become a physician and surgeon. In spite of public attitudes concerning his disability of paraplegia, he graduated at the head of his class in medical school and was accepted into the residency program at General Hospital in the city of Port Charles, New York. Matt has proven himself to be a steadfast friend to the other interns. He is a man of integrity, poise, humor, intelligence, and stunning good looks. He has shown that he can reach out and touch people on an emotional and spiritual level. He refuses to allow his disability to get in the way of attaining his career goals and living a normal life.

In the first six months of the show, Matt and his supervisor, Ellen, have grown emotionally close. They recognize in each other their great strength of character and their determination to excel against all odds. Ellen has had to overcome prejudice as an African-American woman in a white, male-dominated workplace. Matt, of course, has had to overcome prejudices and pre-conceptions concerning his disability and the fact that he uses a wheelchair for mobility.

Matt helped Ellen clear her name in a malpractice suit that was filed against her. He has made romantic overtures towards her outside of the workplace setting, but she has resisted, both because of their work relationship and because she has become emotionally closed to love in her life because of past hurts. Matt is currently dating a perky nurse, Grace; however, it is clear that his heart is still tuned to Ellen.

To date, Matt has gained the respect of the other doctors and surgeons on the staff at General Hospital. His opponent, Dr. Mark Boardman, tried to block him from assisting in the operating room because of his physical disability. Matt made an eloquent appeal to the hospital board, which ultimately supported his desire to continue surgical training with the use of a standing wheelchair in the O.R. After Dr. Boardman's continued resistance, Matt, in a most exciting and moving episode, saved Boardman's life, after Boardman was stabbed by a crazed intern. This action led to recognition of Matt by the other surgeons in the hospital and to Boardman's admission at his evaluation that Matt was an excellent doctor and a gifted surgeon.

As Matt's drama played out against the backdrop of the town of Port Charles and it's residents and hospital staff, the year 1997 ended at a New Years Eve party, where we saw Matt kissing both Ellen and Grace. The new year promises to focus on Matt's quest for the Quartermaine Residency Fellowship, and his relationship with Ellen and Grace. There is a growing realization that there is some mystery surrounding Matt's past, and the circumstances surrounding his injury will be explored, as well. We will learn that Matt has a dark side, and he will face potential danger to his life in the new year. He will also face potential embarrassment and discredit from a fellow intern who also wants the fellowship so badly that he would do anything to get it. Hopefully, we will see Matt get together with his true love - whoever she may be.