EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana have partnered with Ascension St. Vincent to design a best-practice Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) training program, supported by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds through the City of Indianapolis. This initiative creates a sustainable pathway for adults seeking CMA certification and employment while directly addressing critical staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. 

“The significant demand for highly skilled Certified Medical Assistants (CMAs) led Ascension St. Vincent to connect with EmployIndy,” said Rachel Callahan, a Certified Medical Assistant at Ascension. ““With a projected 15% growth in healthcare jobs, we needed to build internal talent and attract new professionals to fill open roles.” 

A major barrier that Ascension St. Vincent observed was the financial strain of unpaid externships on students, which often led to low completion rates. “The perception was that students did not take their externships seriously, partly because completing unpaid externships created a significant financial burden for them,” Callahan noted. 

With leadership from EmployIndy and Ascend Indiana, healthcare providers shared best practices, and ARPA funding enabled stipends for externship participants—boosting completion and reducing financial stress. 

The program’s impact is reflected in participants like Sparkle R., who transitioned from customer service to healthcare at age 30 despite fearing it was too late to make a career change. Inspired by her child with autism, she aimed to create more comforting experiences for patients with disabilities. “This program gave me the confidence and skills I needed,” she said. Sparkle now works at AMG Cardiology and aspires to become a Cardiac Sonographer. 

Looking ahead, Ascension hopes to expand the partnership with EmployIndy. “Funding cuts are affecting our ability to sponsor students,” Callahan noted. “We’re exploring sustainable models to continue offering paid externships.” 

This collaboration offers a replicable model for healthcare training—strengthening the talent pipeline, transforming lives, and improving access to compassionate care. You can download the Medical Assistant Talent Pipeline Replication Guide here.  

Ready to grow your business and build a powerhouse talent pipeline? EmployIndy partners with employers to unlock valuable resources that fuel organizational growth and workforce development. Connect with us at [email protected] to explore what’s possible.