When Matthew George, MD, graduated medical school at LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, he knew two things: that his destiny was to help more people prevent disease, and that he wanted to pursue a career in South Louisiana, where he felt a deep connection to the local culture. “Taking on new patients and making an impact in a new community – that's what I’m most looking forward to,” Dr. George said. “I’m looking forward to having patients that I can follow consistently and track their progress in becoming and staying healthy.”
Originally from Farmerville, La., Dr. George didn’t always plan to become a practicing physician. At first, he thought he would get his PhD in research. But an advisor in undergraduate school saw potential and encouraged him to take a medical track instead.
“I shadowed and fell in love with it,” Dr. George says about pursuing high-quality patient care. “I realized that I wanted to take a more hands-on approach and focus on treating people.”
When asked why he chose Family Medicine, Dr. George states, “I chose a path in Family Medicine because he recognized the potential to address patients holistically; to be a preventative care specialist while also addressing the myriad issues that patients frequently experience. In particular, I have a passion for championing HIV prevention by providing PrEP (including newer options like Yeztugo). Another goal is to encourage more people to understand the benefits of well-balanced diets.”
Dr. George currently practices on the West Bank. He joined the teams at Ochsner Health Center – Lapalco and Ochsner Health Center – Belle Chasse as an Ochsner family medicine physician. He hopes to make a positive impact on local public health by lowering local rates of high obesity and chronic conditions, like diabetes.
Dr. George talks about something the “real-world” has taught him. He states, “We are routinely seeing concerns in the news about Artificial Intelligence (AI) taking over career fields. In the year I have been out of residency, “real world” practice has reaffirmed that being a Family Medicine physician requires unique skills that can never be replaced by AI. Having seen the incorporation of AI into routine practice, I recognize that while these platforms aid in making workflows more efficient, they will never be able to look at someone face-to-face and give hands-on care that makes medicine so special. People crave a listening ear and need experienced hands to give them the care they deserve. A robot will never and should never replicate this.”
Dr. George graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Biological Sciences from Louisiana Tech University and earned his Doctor of Medicine from LSU Health Shreveport School of Medicine, where he also completed residency in Family Medicine. He has undertaken numerous research projects and currently serves on the Louisiana Department of Health HIV Task Force to facilitate rapid establishment of primary care and initiation of antiretroviral therapy
When not practicing, Dr. George loves spending time with his partner, Jacob; spending time with his dog Luca (a Dalmatian), traveling and sampling the (often overwhelming) cultural/food options available in the greater New Orleans area.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Matthew George as our June Member of the Month!
LAFP’s Member of the Month program highlights Louisiana family physicians in the Weekly Family Medicine Update and on the LAFP website. We feature a biography and a Q&A with a different LAFP member each month and his or her unique approach to family medicine. If you know an outstanding family physician colleague who you think should be featured as a Member of the Month or if you’d like to tell your own story, nominate yourself or your colleague by contacting Lee Ann Albert at