When Wanda Porter began her position as a medical office assistant, she was expecting just that, a job. What she got was much more.
She’s worked at OSF Medical Group – Rock Cut Primary Care in Loves Park for the last 10 years.
“It really is a family within my Mission Partners, and it’s a family within the patients. I plan on being here until retirement,” Wanda said.
A friendly face
Wanda is in many ways the face of her office, and she gets to know the families they serve quite well.
Once patients check in at the front, she’s one who brings them back to the room, goes over their chart with them, takes their vitals and listens to their concerns before they see the provider. She’s often the one who calls after their appointments to follow up on any test results.
“One of the things I like most about my job is the patient interaction. Especially working in family practice, you have a relationship with the patients, and that’s a pretty cool thing,” Wanda said.
She’s also trained to assist on certain medical tasks, which gives her an opportunity to work more directly with the providers and to serve the patients in another way.
“I assist my provider with all of his procedures, so I’m there holding hands and helping out. The biggest thing for me is knowing I made an impact on the patients. It makes you feel good when a patient says, ‘Thank you for being here,’” Wanda said.
Finding the right fit
In the last decade, Wanda’s gotten to know the families who come to OSF Medical Group – Rock Cut for care. Just as she’s taken an interest in them, many of them have shown they care for her as well.
Many of them ask her about her life and her children. When she took a leave of absence from work, she returned to find a stack of notes from patients wishing her well.
“I’ve become a part of their life, just like they’ve become a part of mine,” Wanda said.
Wanda was working as an office manager in a different clinic for 11 years, but it closed when the provider retired.
“I found myself wondering what I was going to do with the skills that I had. I applied for a different job, and when I got this one, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s been by far the most rewarding thing I’ve done,” Wanda said.
Working as an MOA, Wanda needs to be ready to handle whatever the day brings, but working as a team at OSF HealthCare, she’s always felt confident and supported.
“It can be demanding, but it’s demanding in a good way. You are never going to have the same day twice,” Wanda said. “If you’re a people person, this is really the job for you.”
To see current opportunities, visit osfcareers.org.
Last Updated: February 9, 2022