MA Professional Advancement Clinical Ladder | Vanderbilt Medical Assistants

The Vanderbilt Medical Assistant (MA) Professional Advancement Clinical Ladder is a performance-based advancement program. This program is designed to retain high-quality MA’s by recognizing excellence in engagement, clinical skills, and research. All full-time and part-time employees are eligible if they meet the requirements.

The Professional Advancement Clinical Ladder contains two levels:
- MA II*
- MA III*
*A minimum of ONE year of employment per progression for each level of the ladder.

The Goals of the MA Professional Advancement Clinical Ladder:

Retain Medical Assistants in direct patient care
Recognize and reward excellent performance in accordance with Professionalism Continuous Learning, and Organizational Development.
Promotes a safe and high-quality environment for positive patient outcomes
Offers professional growth and development as a Medical Assistant

Eligibility Requirements:
To participate in the professional advancement clinical ladder program, the MA must meet all the following eligibility requirements:

Must be employed at Vanderbilt for one year in a part-time or full-time position as a Certified MA and have an annual performance evaluation on file. PRN and temporary employees are not eligible.
Must maintain a minimum of 1 year of employment in a Medical Assistant role between MA II advancement and application for MA III advancement.
Must have performed at the Meets Expectations level on their most recent performance evaluation in all areas of standards. No section of the eval may have a Partially or Inconsistently Meets Expectations or below.
Must have completed all mandatory competencies and in-services required by VUMC and department on or before the initial deadline.
Must NOT have any documented written or final written progressive discipline on file within the rolling year of application.

Questions?
Please email us at: maladder@vumc.org


	The MA ladder has given me a strong sense of
inclusion, recognition, and ownership. It has led me to seek higher education and consider professional growth within Vanderbilt; a facility that has shown me so many times over the last decade how much it cares about its employees both professionally and personally. It is my hope that every MA here at Vanderbilt seizes this opportunity and makes it their own! Jessica N., MA III


	As the chair of the MA council since its inception,
I have longed for the role of Medical Assistants to be recognized as a more vital and useful team member throughout Vanderbilt. The MA Career Ladder is a monumental step for MA's throughout Vanderbilt to obtain credit for all the years of experience, and hard work through not only their respective clinics' work, but also the extra time given to committees, and involvement in the community, and recommendation from leadership. I am proud to represent Vanderbilt and all the accomplishments that my colleagues have been rewarded with level 2 and level 3 MA through the MA Career Ladder! Laura M. K., MA III