How to become a midwife?
This year is my last year of high school & of course every high school student at this point should be concerned about the path of life they want to take. I want to become a midwife, but I'm not sure on what steps to take to do so. My dream is to be a midwife & travel to countries such as Africa & Southeast Asia & help women with childbirth. Where do I start?
How many years does it take to become a midwife? Do you have to be a nurse before you become a midwife? ?
there are different types of midwifery certifications. you can become a lay midwife in which you have an apprenticeship with another midwife and just learn the trade that way, it usually takes years. you can also become a certified midwife in which you go to a midwifery school and take classes as well as do hands on training. and you can also become a certified nurse midwife in which you already have your nursing degree and then you go to midwifery school and take classes to become a midwife. i believe the cnm schools usually last for 2 years.
What is the process to become a midwife?
Graduate from high school. To prepare for an undergraduate program in nursing, it’s advisable to take classes such as biology, chemistry, algebra I/II, physics, statistics, and psychology (if available).Enroll in an associate or (preferably) bachelor’s program in nursing (2 – 4 years). While students can prepare for a graduate program in midwifery by completing an associate program in nursing, it’s generally preferable to pursue a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree.Become a registered nurse and gain experience (1 year). After graduating from an accredited nursing program, candidates generally become registered nurses within their state. Although the licensure process may differ across jurisdictions, it typically involves an application to the local State Board of Nursing and passing the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX).Apply for an ACME-approved graduate program in midwifery (2 – 4 years). In order to ultimately become licensed as a certified nurse midwife (CNM), candidates must first graduate from a master’s (two-year) or a doctorate (four-year) program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME).Sit for the national certification exam. To become a CNM, candidates must pass the examination offered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). This 175-question multiple choice exam is computer-based and offered at several sites around the U.S. five days per week. Each candidate is given four hours to complete the exam.Maintain certification (renew every 5 years). As stated above, CNMs are expected to either retake the certification exam ($500), or complete three training modules and 20 contact hours of continued education.
How do i become a midwife without going to college?
There are several well-known schools of midwifery. But I don't know their names or where they are. Try the web. Or, maybe even better yet, check the phone book in your area for midwives, and make an appointment to go in and talk to a few of them. They can give you a lot of help, as to schools, requirements, etc. Come to think of it, I believe I remember hearing that, to enroll, one is expected to put in a certain number of hours as a labor and delivery nurse first? But maybe not, maybe that just came out of thin air in my lame head. Ask local midwives.
What courses should high school students take to be a midwife?
If you’re considering any career in the medical field, the more advanced science classes the better.In the new era of education where taking ‘regular’ classes isn’t good enough anymore, it’s now instrumental.From the perspective of a U.S. student, I’d recommend these classes for the average student:Freshman year: Pre-AP BiologySophomore year: Pre-AP ChemistryJunior year: AP Physics/ Earth Science (preferably Physics)Senior year: AP Biology, Anatomy, etc. Preferably the first, alongside as many sciences as possible.Advanced math courses would be quite beneficial as well.Note: I’m not qualified to answer this. This is just the two cents of a Pre-AP Bio student who has a 72 in the class. :(
Can I become a Midwife without going to University?
You don't say what country you are from, so it is hard to answer your question. In many Asian and less developed countries, there are programs for midwife training that don't require university degrees. I have a friend in the Philippines that took a two year certificate program to become a midwife.
I am majoring in nursing right now but I want to become a Midwife.. what classes do I need? And more?
A midwife is trained to care for women during pregnancy, birth, and the immediate postpartum. She is trained to view pregnancy and birth as being natural and a "state of wellness". An OB/GYN is a medical doctor who is trained to diagnosis and treat diseases and complications; thus, some view birth as a disaster about to happen and treat pregnancy and birth as a disease that must be medically managed. OB/GYN's are awesome for caring for women with a very high-risk pregnancy, but tend to go overboard on healthy women with healthy pregnancies....I see that quite often. To become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), you must earn a Masters in Nursing. Most CNM's have several years Labor and Delivery nursing experience as RN's prior to applying to a Masters-level midwifery program. There are many states that legally recognize Certified Professional Midwives (CPM's), who are the experts in home and birth center births. Many CPM's earn degrees from Midwifery schools and others have extensive apprenticeships with other skilled and experienced midwives. To become an OB/GYN, you need to have 4 years of an undergrad degree (a BSN isn't a top choice when applying to medical school), then 4 years of medical school, 3-4 years of a residency, and often a year or 2 of a fellowship. To learn more about becoming a CNM: http://www.midwife.org/become_midwife.cf... To learn more about becoming a CPM: http://meacschools.org/accredited_school... OR http://www.narm.org/htb.htm While you are in college taking your prerequisites, I highly encourage you to get a part-time position as a Patient Care Tech or Unit Secretary in a hospital OB unit. Some facilities have a "birthing unit" and a separate Mother/Baby unit, others incorporate the entire Maternal/Newborn nursing department into 1 unit (LDRP); either way, you will gain invaluable experience while waiting to start clinicals and if that hospital hires "Student Nurse Externs", you can probably transition into that position after you've had a semester of nursing clinicals.....and then it's easy to secure a grad nurse/new RN spot. Best wishes with your career goals!!
Can you become a midwife with a bachelor of science in pre-med instead of nursing?
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing offers a Master of Science Entry to Nursing program where individuals with non-nursing degrees can enter nursing education as a graduate student and graduate with a master’s degree in nursing. You can then continue on to their midwifery program. A colleague of mine, when I was a staff midwife at Baylor College of Medicine, got her midwifery via this route.MSN: Entry into Nursing Practice | School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins UniversityMore university schools of nursing are beginning to offer a Master of Science Entry to Nursing program, for example, University of Arizona offers a Master of Science for Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN) degree for individuals with non-nursing degrees. When I was the director of a nursing program at Pima Community College, one of my instructors became a nurse via this route. His bachelor’s degree was in mathematics.Master of Science for Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN)U. of Arizona does not have a midwifery program, so you would have to complete their program, Pass the NCLEX, and then apply to a nurse midwifery program elsewhere. Here is a list of midwifery programs:Accredited Nurse Midwife Programs by DegreeGood luck!