WHA - Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s

Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee, 2025 Community Benefits

Growing and Developing Our Health Care Workforce
Hospital-Supported Initiatives

Supporting the Medical Workforce: The Center for Healthcare Careers Provides Training for Healthcare Positions

Ascension Wisconsin is a proud partner of The Center for Healthcare Careers (CHC) of Southeast Wisconsin. The CHC is a nonprofit workforce development partnership created in response to the growing demand for healthcare professionals. Southeast Wisconsin's leading healthcare employers have come together to form this unique, employer-driven partnership.

It was founded and funded by four major healthcare systems: Ascension Wisconsin, Aurora Health, Froedtert Health, and Children’s Wisconsin. The organization plays a critical role in developing healthcare talent. One of its key initiatives is the Medical Assistant Accelerated Pathway to Employment Training (MAAPET) program.

To address the ongoing shortage of medical assistants, CHC launched MAAPET in December 2020. This fast-track training condenses education into a 14-week program, significantly reducing the time and cost barriers for aspiring Medical Assistants (MA). The program boasts impressive outcomes:

90% completion rate
90% of graduates securing full-time MA employment
91% retention rate after six months
81% retention rate after one year
98% pass rate on the National Healthcareer Association MA certification exam (compared to the 60% national average)

Since its inception, 174 trainees have enrolled in MAAPET, supplying skilled medical assistants to healthcare systems across Southeast Wisconsin.

Ascension’s Participation, Impact and Future Opportunities

In 2024, Ascension extended eight external offers for two cohorts and had six participants complete the program. All were placed into Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) roles, and four remain with Ascension today.
At this time a total of six cohorts are scheduled from 2025 to 2027, offering at least 24 seats for Ascension participants.
Participants are hired as clinical trainees during orientation, classroom, and clinical training. Upon program completion, they transition into MA/CMA roles in Ascension Medical Group clinics across the greater Milwaukee area, this mostly includes positions in hospital-based clinics through Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital.

“I honestly don't know where I would be right now without the MAAPET program,” said MAAPET Trainee Elijah Hickman. “It gave my career a direction. This training encourages people to build themselves up and prepares them well for the job. Participating in this program was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

Prevention in the Park Brings Health, Safety and Community Together in Milwaukee

**Community members enjoy a day of health, safety and injury prevention at "Prevention in the Park" at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital - Milwaukee Campus.**

Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital - Milwaukee and its community partners came together at North Point Water Tower Park in June 2025, to host “Prevention in the Park”, a free, family-friendly event focused on health, safety, and injury prevention.

Community members who attended the event received hands-on learning, free health screenings and watched live demonstrations. Visitors had the opportunity to meet with local first responders, physicians, nurses, and health educators while enjoying interactive exhibits and safety resources for all ages.

Ascension Wisconsin nurses provided free blood pressure checks and provided education on heart attack and stroke prevention, maternal and child health, and trauma awareness. Demonstrations included hands-only CPR, fire safety education, and injury prevention techniques.

The event also featured participation from key community partners, including:

Milwaukee Fire Department, showcasing a fire engine and Survive Alive House
Bell Ambulance and Child Critical Care Transport, offering ambulance tours
Milwaukee Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit, drawing crowds of families and children
Flight for Life, educating attendees about critical care air transport
Poison Control, Children’s Wisconsin, and other partners offering vital resources on home and personal safety
Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Regional Burn Center - educating the community on how to prevent burns in the home and what to do in emergencies

Free resources, such as gun locks, bike helmets and tourniquet kits, were distributed throughout the day.

"We know that prevention starts with awareness and access, and that's what this event is all about—bringing resources directly into the community in an approachable, family-friendly setting," said Dan Wright, Chief Nursing Officer, Ascension Wisconsin. Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital president, Andre Storey said, "We’re grateful to our community partners for helping us create a space where education, safety, and compassion come together to support healthier lives and a safer summer."

"Prevention in the Park" underscores Ascension Wisconsin’s commitment to addressing community health needs through proactive outreach and collaborative partnerships. With summer just beginning, the event set a positive tone for safety, wellness, and community connection across Milwaukee.