Congratulations to Keith Matthews, a graduate student in the DNP program in the College of Nursing, who received the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship for 2023. The Montgomery native who is working on his doctoral degree (DNP), received both his bachelor’s degree (2009) and master’s degree (2014) from Auburn.
Since graduating with a master’s degree in nursing, Matthews has worked as a nurse practitioner at Unity Wellness Center, an AIDS Service Organization (ASO), in Opelika, Ala. “The position was open when I was applying even though I knew nothing about HIV. Over the years, HIV has become my passion and I can’t see myself working with any other patient population. It’s a vastly interesting field and the patients and their challenges make my work even more exciting,” he said.
What got you started on improving lives of men living with HIV?
“Improving the health of others has always been important to me, but getting to serve this marginalized population was the next logical step. Even though my primary work is HIV, I also address primary care and mental health needs.’
According to Matthews, all the patients that come to ASO have been diagnosed with HIV. “On a national level, half of new HIV diagnoses occur in the South. Alabama has about 24,000 people diagnosed with HIV but due to the stigma associated with the disease, the incidence rate is under reported. Where HIV was once a death-sentence, advances in antiretroviral therapy can now help an infected person become virologically suppressed and live a normal life span as someone without HIV,” he added.
What can you do to improve their lives? How will the fellowship help you in your research/practice?
“With current therapies, patients can remain virologically suppressed on as little as one pill taken daily. And once they achieve virologic suppression, they can no longer transmit the virus! My goal is to get all my patients to optimal health. By working with their case managers, we are able to address medical needs as well as assist with housing, insurance, and food needs.
The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship will help me develop future research projects and studies that can positively impact HIV care and the overall health of my patients. I will be focusing on Mental Health screenings and treatment for my patients. Over the years working at Unity Wellness, I have seen the negative impact of untreated mental health conditions on HIV adherence and overall health. I will be screening all patients at Unity Wellness Center for depression, anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse then look to connect them with appropriate counseling services and potential treatment with medications. Fortunately, I will be able to perform my fellowship duties at my current practice site.
What do you hope to achieve during your tenure as a Fellow?
My hope is to gain more skills in leadership development, future project coordination, and network with some of the best healthcare workers in Alabama!
“Keith is an unbelievable DNP student,” said Dr. Linda Gibson-Young, professor in the College of Nursing. “He consistently impacts care of those living with HIV. He is a true leader as an FNP and as a nurse in Alabama,” she added.
Chelsea Gayre, a graduate student in the Nurse Practitioner Program received the 2022 Fellowship. It is an opportunity where fellows will learn to effectively address social factors that impact health and develop lifelong leadership skills. In doing so, they will follow the example set by famed physician-humanitarian Albert Schweitzer for whom the fellowship is named.
Founded in fall of 2015, the Alabama Fellows Program is one of thirteen active Schweitzer programs across the U.S. dedicated to developing a pipeline of emerging professionals who enter the workforce with skills and commitment necessary to address unmet health needs. Alabama Schweitzer Fellows are competitively chosen from students enrolled in graduate and professional schools around the state, who demonstrate a passion for cultivating positive change in Alabama communities where the need is greatest.
