Medical Assistants hold important jobs in today’s healthcare field and may be changing the way doctors and patients interact. Dubbed “health coaches” by some facilities, Medical Assistants can truly impact overall patient care and treatment. In one study, “teamlets” with Medical Assistants onboard found that patients showed improvement in all measures of patient success. Whether working in institutional settings or private offices, Medical Assistants can perform a wide range of services for doctors and patients alike. In the front office, they may answer phones, schedule appointments, call in prescriptions, handle referrals or work with medical records. In clinical settings, they are often called upon to take patient blood pressure, conduct simple lab tests or administer hearing and vision tests. Most importantly, they help alleviate patient fears and often serve as a liaison between the physician and patient. The U.S. healthcare landscape is changing and the demands on clinicians’ time have never been more pressing. In order to meet the preventive, chronic and acute care needs of patients, physicians need to approach patient care as a true team effort. Medical Assistants are vital members of this team and their role is honored the third week in October each year during Medical Assistants Recognition Week. October 23^rd is also Medical Assistants Recognition Day. The Medical Assisting program at Porter and Chester Institute prepares students to qualify to become either a Certified Medical Assistant or a Registered Medical Assistant in as little as 9 months. Porter and Chester Institute has been providing career training in New England for more than 65 years and has 9 campuses located throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. Classes begin soon! Call for information at: 800-870-6789