Invested in Rural Care: Meet the First Moretz Scholar

A generous legacy gift from Frank Moretz, MD, a former Asheville anesthesiologist, provides robust tuition support for MD students, aiming to build the medical pipeline and close the care gap in western North Carolina (WNC). “The scholarship is for students who either want to practice in Western North Carolina or are originally from the region,” said Moretz, noting that students from rural areas are especially likely to return and serve their communities.

Leake’s experiences and goals reflect exactly what the scholarship was meant to support — and his story brings that vision to life in a meaningful way.

The Asheville native’s path to medicine was a bit like a mountain trail, with switchbacks and scenic detours that ultimately led him back home. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he worked at Asheville Brewing Company before joining the Peace Corps and teaching math and science in Guinea, West Africa. Though the pandemic cut his service short, the experience opened his eyes to global health disparities and sparked a passion for medicine.

Back in the U.S., Leake moved to rural Virginia to help his uncle navigate some complex health needs. During this time he began to set his sights on medical school and began studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Seeing the challenges of accessing care in underserved areas both abroad and at home helped to grow his dedication to rural health. While he was working as a COVID screener at the Asheville VA, Leake learned he had been accepted to his top school, UNC School of Medicine.

He was grateful to be able complete most of his rotations and training in Asheville, allowing him to say close to home. It also gave him the chance to serve the communities he knows, places where he hopes to make a lasting impact.

During the Hurricane Helene response in Asheville, Leake joined in with local clinicians to help bootstrap care in parking lots and makeshift clinics. While he had always felt connected to WNC, he said the experience was “the most formative period of my medical school career,” and that it rooted him even more in his community.

Receiving the Moretz Scholarship a few months later was another key moment. “Being recognized by doctors from Western North Carolina who share my values was incredibly meaningful,” Leake said. “And knowing that this support is tied to the area I care about and grew up in makes it even more special.”

Leake plans to pursue his psychiatry residency and eventually practice in Western North Carolina. His interest in mental health is personal—his older brother’s experience with schizophrenia in a region with limited psychiatric care left a lasting impression.

The Moretz Scholarship is helping to shape the future of healthcare in Western North Carolina, beginning a legacy that will bring excellent care to communities across the region for years to come.

To learn more about funding scholarship and helping to build the healthcare pipeline for rural North Carolina, please contact Jeanine Simmons, Assistant Vice President, Philanthropy, at [email protected].