Birthing a Career in Midwifery

As an undergraduate student at UC Davis, Heather Sach'a Palmer often found herself contemplating career options in midwifery. But it was not until a friend told her about volunteer opportunities at a local community health clinic that those thoughts took shape. This experience, combined with a volunteer doula opportunity at a local hospital, proved to be the kindling she needed to get started.

According to the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNW), the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives in the U.S., a midwife is a registered nurse who has additional training in obstetrics and gynecology. Beyond just the delivery of babies, midwives are involved with the entire spectrum of care, from early prevention to family planning. Many women who are the recipients of care from midwives statistically come from low-income, vulnerable populations. As such, the efforts of midwives are largely credited in reducing incidents of infant mortality, low birth weight and premature births.

Following up on her now-recognized passion, Palmer inquired into the admissions process at a Bay Area nursing school. To become a competitive applicant, she would need to garner as much volunteer experience as possible, along with foreign language proficiency. Palmer applied to and was selected for a Spanish immersion program in Cuzco, Peru—a unique experience that polished her Spanish/English skills while she worked at a birth clinic. “It was an amazing hands-on opportunity that I would have otherwise never encountered,” says Palmer. “Within a few short weeks, I was being mentored by a clinic health professional on how to deliver babies. Talk about a mind-blowing experience. I loved every minute of it!”

Palmer is now pursuing a pre-licensure nursing curriculum at the University of California at San Francisco. Once she has successfully completed her nursing board exam, she will begin a two-year program for a master’s degree in nursing, with a nurse practitioner specialization in women's health and midwifery. She will also be eligible to sit for the national exam to become a certified nurse midwife.

There are nearly forty accredited nurse-midwifery programs in the U.S. Achieving certification involves matriculation from an accredited nurse-midwifery program, as well as successful completion of a national exam. Licensing is handled on a state level and requirements can vary from state to state. Most only require a bachelor’s degree, although growing numbers of midwives also are acquiring a graduate degree, as some states require this educational credential to become a certified midwife.

As the women’s health field grows and evolves, health experts point to midwifery as a profession that will continue to expand in prominence. Midwifery jobs are particularly plentiful in west coast states like California, where the profession enjoys a very high acceptance level. Work exists in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, birthing centers, health departments and even private practices.

Many are discovering that a career in midwifery offers a great deal of independence not found in other nursing specialty areas. Certified nurse midwifes can care for normal, low-risk pregnancies, conduct gynecological and prenatal exams and perform deliveries. In most states, they can write prescriptions and authorize pain management regimens.

Palmer believes that those interested in women's health careers would be wise to explore the immense opportunities available in midwifery. “One of the benefits of this style of program is that it allows an array of career options,” she says. “It’s comforting to know that I'll have the flexibility to pursue several directions during my career in this field, whether I'm working in Peru or elsewhere.”

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