New Orleans consistently ranks in the top 5 cities in America for new HIV infections, and it also has the highest rates of acute and chronic Hepatitis C infections in the state of Louisiana. There is also a high rate of positive syphilis tests with Louisiana being in top 11 highest case rates of primary and secondary syphilis as 2021 per the CDC. As such, we have the opportunity to have a huge and meaningful impact on our community by screening for HIV, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis and connecting patients to care!

The program works in almost all of the student-run clinics, including New Orleans Mission, Grace House, and others such as Broadmoor Food Pantry, and through a partnership with Street Medicine. Shifts are at various times throughout the week and generally last between one to two hours, so it’s very flexible with your schedule. We test between 70 and 90 people monthly and tend to see about a 30% positive rate. In addition to testing, we have opportunities for research, patient navigation, and expansion projects open to all trained volunteers.