“Ever since I was in high school I wanted to be a doctor, says Morgan Fish, MD, a 2011 Orange High School graduate. At the time, she watched her father’s personal struggle with medical issues and the physicians who treated the complications resulting from his disease. “They continued to fight to save his life, even when it seemed all options were exhausted,” she remembers. I felt extremely grateful for the physicians that helped my family throughout my father’s treatment.” Sadly, Morgan’s father passed away in 2012.

Although her mother encouraged her and her sister to pursue their dreams, Morgan worried about how they would be able to pay for the cost of undergraduate and medical school. “We were somewhat comfortable, but I still needed help to fund my education.”

Morgan learned about JFSA’s College Financial Aid Program from her grandmother while researching undergraduate schools. “I was very fortunate to receive grants and loans from the program,” she says. “I am especially thankful that the loans were interest-free.” Morgan also was the recipient of the Barney and Sarah Richman Memorial Scholarship and the Faber Rosen Scholarship.

While attending the Ohio State University and majoring in economics while pursuing a premedicine track, Morgan had the opportunity to work with cancer survivors. The experience reinforced her desire to achieve her life dream. “It was then that I fell in love with working with patients and knew for sure that becoming a doctor was what I wanted to do with my life.”

Though confident in her future direction, the thought of paying for medical school was daunting. But Morgan continued to receive JFSA’s support for graduate school through grants and loans. “It’s a very expensive journey. Most of my stress has not been studying for a test; it’s been ‘how am I going to afford this?’ But having the financial support through JFSA really took away some of the stress of paying for school.”

Morgan graduated from University of Toledo College of Medicine this year and has just started her first year of a six-year residency in plastic surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. “Now that I’m starting to pay back some of the loans, I really see the value a JFSA loan provides. Government loans start compounding interest the day you sign your loan papers which means my debt will double by the end of my training. But JFSA loans are interest-free.”

Morgan also points out that many students do not pursue graduate school because of the cost and the “massive amount of debt one can incur.” That’s why she credits JFSA’s College Financial Aid Program with helping young adults achieve their educational objectives and pursuing life goals.

“I am currently training to become a plastic and reconstructive surgeon and hope to eventually specialize in oncologic and breast reconstruction,” she says. “Reconstructive surgery focuses on the patient and his/her quality of life. It helps people rebuild their lives after a traumatic event or devastating diagnosis.”

After her residency, she hopes to remain in Cleveland. “My family is here, I love this city. I can’t think of a better place to practice medicine.” In addition, Morgan wants to give back to the community that made this happen for her. “I can’t wait to give a student what JFSA gave to me,” she says.

“I look back and see how unbelievably grateful I am for JFSA and the community that made this possible. You really can’t put a price on education. It’s worth every penny.”