Soraida Chavez, CCMA, medical assistant at the Vanderbilt Benign Hematology Clinic, knows her job description includes looking out for everyone in her community — patients and colleagues alike. Whether through her positive attitude, attention to detail or her natural ability to read what patients need, Chavez is a champion for her patients and tirelessly supports clinical staff.
For her work, Chavez received a Credo Award during the January 2025 VUMC Leadership Assembly.
“She makes being in clinic a joy,” said one of the people who nominated her for a Credo Award. “She is motivated, completing tasks quickly and always offering to help with any additional clinic needs. She is a great communicator. She interacts with all team members effectively and respectfully and has excellent patient rapport. Many of my patients have commented on her kindness and the ease that she puts them in.”
For her part, Chavez sees the clinical experience as a team effort to serve patients.
“We, as a group, try to make the patient comfortable,” Chavez said. “We try to give the best care for the patient because the patient is the reason why we are there.”
Chavez’s appreciation for the work of health care providers stems from her own experience as a patient, which spurred her interest in medicine.
“When I had my son back in 2008, he was born with a lung infection. All the nurses and doctors who assisted during the delivery took good care of me and my son,” said Chavez.
Having felt the impact of compassionate care as her son recovered, Chavez decided to pursue health care as a career and became licensed as a medical assistant.
Chavez’s colleagues have been spoiled by her attention to detail. One nominator shared that in addition to improving efficiency in the office, Chavez always seems to know where each provider is. Her superpower? She can identify everyone by their footsteps and the noises each exam room door makes, therefore knowing which rooms are occupied and by whom.
“This typifies the level of consideration and efficiency Soraida puts in everything she does,” the nominator wrote.
Chavez knows that personal celebrations make a difference at the clinic, too — which is why she goes out of her way to decorate her co-workers’ offices on their birthdays.
“It is such fun to arrive in the morning and be greeted by balloons floating out of your office,” another nominator added.
But perhaps the most important trait Chavez displays in patient care is her ability to connect with patients on a personal level, particularly those worried about their condition.
“I try to at least calm them down … and just let them talk,” said Chavez. “Sometimes with older patients, all they want to do is talk to you about their day, about their life.”
Chavez’s gentle demeanor with patients defines her brand of personalized care. One nominator recalled a time that a patient arrived at the clinic feeling overwhelmed, and Chavez ensured her visit was comfortable.
“She’d had a very difficult appointment earlier in the day, and her infant was fussy. Soraida spoke with her kindly in her native language (Spanish), held her baby and got her water,” the nominator shared. “By the time I met with the patient, she felt comfortable enough to discuss health concerns she’d not admitted previously, citing the patience she’d received from Soraida. This is just one example of the compassion and humanity that Soraida approaches each patient with.”
When the time came to submit nominations for the Credo Awards, Chavez’s colleagues did not hesitate to put her forward. And upon learning she’d been recognized, they celebrated her with a surprise party at the 2024 Thanksgiving potluck.
“Everybody was acting very strange that day,” Chavez recalled. “Everybody was already there when I got there, and they were like, ‘Surprise!’ I was like … ‘Surprise to who?’ I didn’t understand what was going on in that moment … I had no clue whatsoever.”
Chavez’s surprise at receiving an award underscores the humility with which she approaches her work and relationships.
“We work together as a team,” Chavez said. “That’s the whole reason I like Vanderbilt. I’ve worked in other places before, and Vanderbilt seems more like family. You spend more time at work than you do at home, so basically, the people you work with are family also.”
View Soraida Chavez’s video from Leadership Assembly.
If you are a VUMC employee, you can nominate a colleague for an Elevate Credo Award, Five Pillar Leader Award, or Team Award. Visit the Elevate website to fill out a nomination form. Employees demonstrate credo behaviors when: they make those they serve the highest priority; respect privacy and confidentiality; communicate effectively; conduct themselves professionally; have a sense of ownership; and are committed to their colleagues. Elevate award nominations are accepted year-round. If a nomination is received after the cutoff for an award selection period, the nomination will be considered for the next period. VUMC VOICE will post stories on each of the award winners in the weeks following their announcement.
