So, What Exactly is a M.A.R.S. Appointment?
A M.A.R.S. appointment is a free and confidential opportunity for males ages 13-25 to learn more about their own sexual and reproductive health from a trained peer health educator.
This is not a medical exam. There are no needles and no rubber gloves.
What Can I Expect?
M.A.R.S. appointments are about 45 minutes. When you first come in, a M.A.R.S. Outreach Worker will invite you to complete a voluntary survey to help M.A.R.S. learn about the sexual health needs of males.
Then, the appointment is open to discuss whatever aspects about sexual and reproductive health you would like to learn more about.
Topics that often come up during appointments are:
- Relationships and communication techniques
- Sexual performance
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Birth control methods
- Testicular health
- Condom use
At the end of the appointment, you will receive a $20 gift card to Fred Meyer. You can earn another $30 in gift cards by completing three follow-up surveys.
That's a total of $50* in Fred Meyer gift cards, just by learning more about your sexual health!
*$20 for the initial appointment and $10 for completing each of three follow-up surveys
Free Rapid HIV Testing
Through M.A.R.S. you can also receive a free rapid HIV test. This test does not involve any needles – an oral swab is all that is needed. You can have results in less than one hour.
Testing for Other Sexually Transmitted Infections
While you are here, a M.A.R.S. Outreach Worker can also help you set up an appointment with a clinician to test for additional sexually transmitted infections. If you’ve been sexually active, complete testing for sexually transmitted infections is recommended before becoming sexually active with a new partner.
What do Guys Say about their Appointment?
To date, over 500 males have attended a M.A.R.S. appointment.
For over 90%, this was their first sexual health appointment.
Ninety-three percent (93%) were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their appointment and almost 98% said they would recommend a friend.
Read what guys had to say about their appointment in their own words. Testimonials
To Schedule an Appointment
Scheduling an appointment is easy. Contact Us.