Family Doctor Takes Action through HIV Education among
Youth in Louisiana
In her Family Practice residency program at the Baton Rouge
Medical Clinic, Margeaux Coleman Walker is seeing a disturbing
prevalence of unprotected sex among teenagers, and even preteens,
in her home state of Louisiana. The aftermath isn’t pregnancy
though — it is HIV.
Currently she is treating a host of young patients that have
had unprotected sex, and unfortunately, several of them have already
contracted HIV. Countless others are risking their lives.
Margeaux says she believes the root of the problem lies in a
lack of role models and communication about the disease. “When
kids don’t have role models, they get discouraged and become
susceptible to distractions like drugs and unprotected sex. They
start thinking short-term and don’t think about the future.
My goal is to get them to respect their bodies and themselves
and to have goals in life.”
Taking matters into her own hands, Margeaux is developing a sex-education
program that addresses safe sex, as well as abstinence, for school-aged
kids. “This is a delicate subject that involves a lot of
politics, but someone needs to address it. I want to make kids
aware of the statistics and provide them with the information
they need to make good decisions.”
Margeaux has been taking a similar message on the road regularly
since her med school days when she and other members of the Student
National Medical Association (SNMA) at Tulane University participated
in a national youth-education program — HIV Intervention
and Prevention Corps (HIP Corps) — designed to reduce the
incidence of new HIV infection among underserved youth.
She would go to high schools in New Orleans and talk about HIV
and her experience with treating several young patients with HIV.
Often she gained the teens’ attention that parents were
unable to wrangle, and many concerned parents continue to turn
to Margeaux for help.
“Advice...sometimes it’s a little different when
a physician says it. When your parents tell you something, it’s
in one ear and out the other, but as a physician, they’ll
listen to me. Hopefully I make a difference.”
Margeaux recalls a 14-year-old girl whose mother brought her
to the clinic out of concern that she was having sex. “After
a frank conversation about sex and guys, I told the girl that
her mother loves and cares for her. Some kids don’t have
anyone like that in their lives and wish for a parent like hers.
She got the message and the family seems happier and more at ease
with each other now.”
Born and raised in Church Point, Louisiana, Margeaux is the eleventh
child out of 12. Her parents worked hard to give their children
the best education, as well as opportunities to pursue their goals.
Nine of her siblings have completed college and now hold jobs
such as engineer, lawyer, pharmacist and physician. In fact, both
she and her younger brother are National Health Service Corps
scholars. The close bond she shares with her family helped shape
her decision to pursue a career in family practice; and older
siblings have served as her personal mentors and role models —
something she wants to share with the children in her community.
When she attended the Tulane School of Medicine, Margeaux worked
with a family doctor in her hometown of Church Point who gave
her some advice she’s taken to heart. He told her that physicians
are more than doctors. They are leaders and mentors who have a
big impact on the community in which they serve.
Although she’s not sure where she will end up living, she
has plans to build a community center where she can offer health
education classes and tutoring services. Margeaux envisions recruiting
the assistance of her brothers, sisters and other physicians to
help her build her dream.
“HIV and unprotected sex are big problems, and if we sweep
them under the rug they’re going to become a bigger problem.
The age of people who contract HIV is getting younger, and it’s
not going to change by ignoring the problem. This battle has not
been won, but I’m doing all I can to make a difference and
change the world around us. It’s not easy, but as long as
I do my part, that’s what matters.”
Learn about other NHSC success stories.