Education & History
St. Luke’s Match Debt Relief Program makes medical school more affordable
St. Luke’s supports future physicians like Taj Singh through programs that reduce debt and strengthen community care.
Taj Singh, MD, didn’t take the traditional path to medicine. Before donning a white coat, he was shaping young minds as a high school chemistry teacher. But the call to serve his community more deeply led him to Temple/St. Luke’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine.
Now an internal medicine resident at St. Luke’s University Health Network, Taj is continuing a family legacy. His father was a primary care physician in Mahanoy City, and his sister is an oral surgeon. “I grew up in this community and trained in this community that cares about me,” Taj said. “Now I am able to give back to this same community. It is a special feeling.”
Medical school is a rewarding but costly endeavor. Nationwide, about 70% of graduates carry student loan debt. Taj and several classmates benefited from St. Luke’s Match Debt Relief Program, which offers a $20,000 stipend at residency placement and may provide up to $175,000 in total loan repayment for those who stay with the Network post-training.
“The Network is really encouraging students who grew up here and went to medical school here to stay in the area,” said Taj, a Parkland High School and Muhlenberg College graduate. “It gives the medical students and residents a backing to stay in this community.”
Launched in 2020, the program initially supported careers in family and internal medicine. It has since expanded to include psychiatry and pediatrics. The amount of debt relief depends on the specialty and years committed to working at St. Luke’s.
Temple/St. Luke’s students already benefit from reduced tuition thanks to generous donors. The Match Debt Relief Program adds another layer of support as they transition into residency.
In 2025, Taj joined fellow Temple/St. Luke’s graduates Kyle Tio, MD, Brianna Talbot, MD, Roshanara Diaz Mejia, MD, Kelly Riccio, MD, and Patrick Foran, MD, as recipients of the program. Since its inception, at least 20 graduates have received this financial boost.
“It’s an incredible program,” Taj said. “It helps me not worry about the financial part and allows me to put more of my efforts into patient care and our community.”
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