Happy hump day and holy icicles! Those suckers are hanging precariously over my back door. They’re pretty dangerous come April so we go out and smack them all down once the first snow starts to melt. It’s kind of like baseball practice but with ice and a shovel. I personally find it incredibly satisfying!
Today’s post is short but I’m so excited. I’ve been working on a page to help people that want to be midwives. I wish something like this was around when I was looking into schools and career paths. It’s going to be an ongoing project – and is definitely not meant to be 100% up to date at every moment – but it’s a start.
I was going to work on the page for a few more months, but then I realized there’s information out there for people that they could use TODAY. So, alas, it’s published. I’m a little excited over here and hope you love it as much as I do. I’ll continue to update it as often and as much as possible. And I’m counting on you all to keep me accountable too!
Let me know when links aren’t working or when programs open/close. Let me know about all the scholarship opportunities that I can publish for you guys. Can’t wait to see what you think.
“A midwife must have a lady’s hand, a hawk’s eye, and a lion’s heart.”
Aristotle
Make more midwives. It seems simple. It’s actually a multi-faceted, convoluted puzzle. This page is a place to bring it all together and to give anyone the tools they need to help make more midwives.
How do we make more midwives?
Check out these posts on the state (and future) of midwifery.
The list below details midwifery training programs in the United States. The tracks are divided between CNM and CPM offerings based on the desired career track (keep in mind, many CNM schools also offer dual training for a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner). This is not an all inclusive list but it my best effort to keep the list up to date (I truly wish I would have had a list like this when I was looking at midwifery schools in 2010). The schools differ greatly from one to another and I’ve tried to highlight the differences among the degree types. I strongly recommend doing your own research before committing to a school/degree plan! Lastly, sometimes you have to move cities to follow your dreams – don’t rule out a school because it’s too far away (read about my journey to midwifery here).
Distance education component (from site: we are unable to accept students living in the following states at this time – New York, Louisiana, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon)
Midwifery training will give you the skills to be a midwife and pass your certification exams, but won’t teach you the skills you need to succeed after graduation and create a sustainable career as a provider. The Successful Student Midwife guide offers in-depth success tips for school, after graduation, and in your first few years as a provider.
There are extensive reading lists to build a strong foundation of midwifery skills, time management skills and health care history. There is an interview prep guide with interview questions to help you prepare and rock you interviews – and when you get the job, there are guides to get you through your clinics and 24-hr shifts with less stress, more efficiency and plans to get you back home to your family and couch for recharging and rest.
The guide is a lifetime purchase – you buy it once, you get access to every updated version as long as it is updated. You could complete midwifery school without the guide – but you’re going to have to learn all the lessons in the guide on your own: through your own experience. It has taken me a decade to learn how to practice efficiently and so that I don’t burnout as a midwife. Don’t miss the opportunity to get the lessons I missed early and start your midwifery journey prepared.
The 62-page guide includes:
How to Prepare for Midwifery School
Tips for Success in Midwifery School
How to Prepare for Midwifery Clinicals
Tips for Midwifery Clinicals
Tips to Snag a Preceptor
What to Pack in Your Work Bag
What to Do Between Midwifery School and Your First Job
The Job interview: How to Prepare
How to Survive the 24 Hour Shift
How to Recover from a 24 Hour Shift
How to Prep for Clinic
Wisdom for Balancing Family and Home Life
FAQs on First Assist Courses and Colposcopy
Tips To Run Your Clinic Efficiently
Book Recommendations for Aspiring and Practicing Midwives
Tips from the Midwives (courtesy of Journey to Midwifery podcast)
Podcast Recommendations
Newsletter Recommendations
App Recommendations
Recommended Handouts and Tools
To Infinity and Beyond
Resume Template
This guide is the first step to helping you rock midwifery school – get yours today!
Like any other training, training takes money. Most people take out loans for midwifery training. But you don’t need to bear the entire cost yourself! Check out these finance websites, scholarships and loan repayment opportunities! Lastly, if you review the list and missed some deadlines this year, take a moment now and put the deadlines on your calendar for next year! Most scholarships are due the same time every year.
Also consider reading this post: The Cost of Being A Midwife. School is just the first cost in a long line of annual costs to maintain your training.
Course description: “This course was designed with you in mind to help you not only create a long-lasting and fulfilling midwifery career but also to regain a happy and healthy personal life.”
Course description: “This course is designed to help midwives develop the skills to create long-lasting, enjoyable practices that can continue for many years all while not sacrificing their personal lives.”
Course description: “The Prospective Student Package is designed for the person who is considering attending a particular college or university but has not yet officially enrolled in a clinical program. The mentoring program assists the prospective student in defining career goals and directing efforts and plans towards attaining those goals.”
Course description: “The Student Package is designed for the person who is studying in a program or at a particular college or university but has not yet officially entered clinical practice. The student program assists the student in successfully completing didactic and clinical programs successfully and preparing for initial clinical practice.”
Course description: “The New Practitioner Package is designed for the individual who has successfully completed a clinical program and has officially entered clinical practice. The new practitioner program assists the individual to transition from proficient practice to competent practice.”
Course description: “The Employment to Private Practice Package is designed for the individual who desires to transition from employed clinical practice to self-employment in practice ownership. The employment to private practice program assists the individual to transition philosophies and practice protocols while implementing business models to start with confidence and success.”
“The Practice Launch or Audit Package is designed for the individual or individuals who desire to start a clinical practice or who are already in private practice and require in-person support during a launch or audit.”
Are you in need of well woman, pregnancy, postpartum, birth or newborn care? Find a midwife in your community! Seek out their services. By choosing to see a midwife, you are showing your support!
Spread the word about who midwives are and what midwives offer! Share A Midwife Nation with them. Share your story. A Midwife Nation features birth stories and women’s stories regularly – share your story here!
Are you a member of the professional midwifery organizations? Your annual membership fee does a great amount of good towards lobbying on capital hill. If you’re like me and your life is consumed by mamahood, midwifery, and family with little time for advocacy – use your money to show your support for the profession.
Are you midwifery school faculty or program directors?
Take the grand challenge and offer a fully paid scholarship is a midwife of color!
My dream is to be able to support people trying to become midwives and to help all women have access to a midwife. I’d love to be able to bless people with scholarships to ease the financial burden of midwifery school and put more midwives out into your community! Interested in helping with this dream?
Keep reading the blog – your continued support through reading does more than anything else.
Share or recommend A Midwife Nation with friends, family, and patients. Share the website as a resource on community handouts. Share the website across the clinics and hospital systems you work in!
I’m loving all things midwifery. What other cool experiences are out there?
