About
Dr. Emily Holt, DO, MPH is a board-certified Family Physician and the founder of Poppy Direct Care in uptown New Orleans. She earned her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude with honors and her Master of Public Health from Tulane University, with concentrations in Epidemiology and Maternal and Child Health. She then completed medical school at Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine and her Family Medicine residency at Columbia University-New York Presbyterian in Manhattan.
Before medical school, Dr. Holt worked as an EMT for New Orleans Emergency Medical Services. She later provided comprehensive family medicine to patients of all ages at St. Thomas Community Health Center and served as interim Assistant Medical Director of Tulane Campus Health, where she joined the Eating Concerns Team and developed a strong clinical focus on young adults. She is passionate about sexual and reproductive health, LGBTQ+ and gender affirming care, eating disorders, mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and OCD, and complex chronic conditions such as Long Covid, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and Fibromyalgia. Dr. Holt describes her approach as 'old-school, modern medicine' - holistic, evidence-based, body-positive, and centered on shared decision-making. She gives every member her cell number and attends medical conferences annually to stay current. Her husband Scott, their three sons Michael, Everett, and Russell, and her father-in-law - Grandpa of Holt and Son Plumbing - physically helped transform the Poppy clinic space.
Education & Training
Undergraduate
Tulane University, B.A. (magna cum laude with honors); Master of Public Health (Epidemiology and Maternal and Child Health concentrations)
Medical School
Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Residency
Family Medicine, Columbia University–New York Presbyterian, Manhattan
Additional Training
Master of Public Health, Tulane University, concentrations in Epidemiology and Maternal and Child Health
Certifications
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Holt right for?
Dr. Holt is an excellent fit for adults ages 18 to 65 who want a primary care doctor who engages with the full picture of their health. Patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, or complex diagnoses such as Long Covid, EDS, or fibromyalgia benefit from her thorough, coordinated approach. She is particularly skilled with patients navigating eating concerns, mental health conditions, or reproductive and sexual health needs. Her practice centers on body-positive, non-stigmatized care, making her a strong match for LGBTQ+ patients and anyone seeking gender affirming or trauma-informed care.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Holt treats a wide range of conditions across adult primary care. Her clinical focus includes eating disorders, anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, menstrual disorders, PCOS, sexually transmitted infections, and reproductive health concerns. She also manages complex chronic conditions such as Long Covid, hypermobility syndromes, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, alongside common conditions like diabetes, hypertension, asthma, migraines, and IBS.
Yes. Dr. Holt provides LGBTQ+ inclusive care, including gender affirming hormone therapy. Poppy Direct Care operates as an explicitly inclusive, safe, and shame-free practice. Dr. Holt also offers PrEP for HIV prevention and STI testing, treatment, and prevention as core services.
Dr. Holt manages outpatient mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and insomnia. She takes a holistic view of mental health and integrates it into primary care rather than treating it as a separate concern. For patients with eating disorders, she also offers a dedicated Eating Concerns Add-On with multidisciplinary coordination.
Dr. Holt practices holistic, evidence-based medicine rooted in osteopathic principles. She describes her approach as 'old-school, modern medicine' and functions as a comprehensivist - she digs into root causes, explores how lifestyle and environment shape health, and works with patients through shared decision-making. She is a firm believer in vaccine science and does not prescribe daily benzodiazepines, opiates, or medical marijuana.
Dr. Holt earned her medical degree from Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her Family Medicine residency at Columbia University-New York Presbyterian in Manhattan. She also holds a Master of Public Health from Tulane University, with concentrations in Epidemiology and Maternal and Child Health.
Yes. Dr. Holt holds board certification in Family Medicine. She maintains her certification through annual continuing medical education and attendance at medical conferences.
Yes. Dr. Holt developed her expertise in eating disorders while serving on the Eating Concerns Team at Tulane Campus Health. Poppy offers a dedicated Eating Concerns Add-On to membership, which provides outpatient medical management and coordination with a multidisciplinary team for members with active or recent eating disorders or disordered eating concerns.
Yes. Dr. Holt offers an Advanced Coordinated Care Add-On for members managing one or more complex conditions requiring frequent visits and specialist coordination. Conditions she addresses through this program include Long Covid, hypermobility syndromes, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Dr. Holt gives every member her personal cell number for direct text communication. Members can also reach the practice by phone, email, and through the practice's online booking system.
Doctor profile last updated March 29, 2026