Current Events

There has been many things that meical assistants has done for our society today. The Lions Community Hearing Bank and the Hearing Research Institute are dedicated to promoting awareness. The groups provide free ear health care along with hearing aids, when appropriate, to indigent children and elderly needy adults. Dr. Robert E. Pickard, medical director of the institute, and Mark Glickman, president of the Hearing Bank, worked with Dr. Jack Michel of Larkin Hospital at this year's Calle Ocho Festival to also provide free diabetes screenings and blood pressure readings. Dr. Michel sent medical assistants to help process the many people who wanted to have their blood pressure checked while several Lions members checked blood sugars. Pickard also recently returned from his annual visit to Tallahassee where he supervised the institute's Hearing Awareness Days at the Capitol. Free screenings are offered to legislators, staff and visitors. As Doctor for the Day at the House, and at the Senate another day, Pickard worked at the Capitol Clinic with nurses Michelle Fijman and Carole Beckman. Rep. Julio Robaina sponsors Pickard in the House and Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla sponsors him in the Senate. Dr. Juliann Woods, Florida State University chairman in the Department of Communication Disorders, works with Pickard and the institute, along with Lisa Myrick of the Tallahassee Audiology Associates on the screening project.