Student Midwives
Information for Clients About Students
Thank you for including a midwifery student or interprofessional student in your care!
We are a teaching practice and are dedicated to supporting the growth and continued excellence of Midwifery in Ontario. Midwifery students, from the Midwifery Education Program, have clinical placements with Cambridge Midwives for periods of three months to one year. Students are involved in all aspects of midwifery care – prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum. Midwifery students offer fresh points of view, enthusiasm, energy, eagerness to learn and dedication to contributing to our client’s experiences.
You can play a vital role in the education of student midwives who are completing the practical portion of their training. Your willingness to open your care and experiences creates opportunities for the future as we train the next generation of midwives to provide care to our clients and their families. You are contributing in a real way to the sustainability of midwifery care for Ontario families.
Clients are important teachers for midwifery and interprofessional students. Inviting a student to be part of your team will enhance your experience and your care while enhancing the skills of the learner.
Interprofessional Students
In addition to midwifery students, our practice occasionally has medical, nursing or other health and social service students learning from our midwives. Please consider welcoming them – it is truly valuable to improve interprofessional understanding about the role of midwives.
About the Midwifery Education Program
Education
All midwives practicing in Ontario have graduated from rigorous midwifery education programs. They become experts in uncomplicated birth and emergency procedures by studying health, social and biological sciences in the classroom, completing clinical placements under the supervision of experienced midwives, attending births as secondary and primary care providers, and providing prenatal and postpartum care in midwifery clinics and clients’ homes.
There are four possible educational paths to becoming a midwife in this province:
- The Midwifery Education Program (MEP), offered at Laurentian, McMaster and Ryerson universities, is a four-year degree program that awards graduates a Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) degree in Midwifery.
- The Aboriginal Midwifery Training Program at Tsi Non:we Ionnakeratstha Ona:grahsta’, the Maternal and Child Centre on Six Nations of the Grand River territory, is a four-year education program for Indigenous midwifery students.
- The International Midwifery Pre-registration Program (IMPP), offered through Ryerson University, is a bridging program that prepares experienced, internationally educated midwives to practice in Ontario.
- The Midwifery Post-Baccalaureate Program for Health Professionals (PBHP) is an accelerated stream of the Midwifery Education Program that accepts candidates who already have health professional baccalaureate degrees and significant maternity care experience.
Reprinted with permission from: https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/regulation-education
FAQ
What are the benefits of having a student?
The student will give clients labour support, information and extra time.
The student will be an extra pair of helping hands so that there is more time to spend with you.
Will my midwife still care for me?
A midwife teacher will always be present or nearby when you are with the student.
Will the student be at all of my visits?
The student will be at as many of your visits as possible so you can get to know each other.
Will the student be at my birth? What will the student be doing?
The student will usually be at your birth. They may be helping to take care of you, or may catch your baby. The midwife teacher will show the student how to care for you and your baby.
What if the student doesn’t know how to do something?
The student will say they don’t know and will ask the midwife teacher for help.
Do I have to have a student?
Your midwife will suggest that you meet the student and see how you feel about having a student involved. If or how the student is involved is always your choice.
I’m happy to have a student. What can I do to help?
Tell the student what you like and don’t like about their care. You are helping the student to learn.
What clients say about the experience of including a student?
“I think it is wonderful that students are given hands on opportunities with experienced midwives”
“We were very comfortable having the student be our primary care giver. We felt the student had enough knowledge to serve us”
“Our student was exceptional and contributed greatly to the whole birthing experience. We were grateful for the help.”
“The student was amazing. I hope the same student can be just as involved in my next pregnancy, maybe as my midwife!”