Apprenticeship Opportunities
OPIED. FOR INSPIRATION ONLY.
Midwives have traditionally trained through an apprenticeship model of learning, and this remains the best way to learn the realities of attending home births.
There are several programs to train CPMs, including working in high-volume birth clinics and preparing oneself academically through on-line or other distance coursework. However these routes may not include or offer experience in actually attending home births and in being in an autonomous midwifery practice. While such training is valuable, I believe it is incomplete without the apprenticeship component and I urge all potential CPMs to commit to a minimum of a 12 month apprenticeship in addition to their clinical and academic training.
For student midwives who wish to train solely as apprentices, expect some rigorous academic work (usually through an online course) concurrent with your time spent attending prenatal/postpartum appointments and births. This process usually takes a minimum of 3 years and requires a strong commitment to midwifery and to personal challenge. It can be difficult to manage other jobs, a family and a personal life during this time, although with dedication and perseverance, it can be done. It is not however an easy route, or one to be embarked on casually.
Open Circle Homebirth accepts apprentices who have demonstrated such commitment and who are able to devote themselves to learning midwifery with my practice for a minimum of 6 months. I require my apprentices to have some academic work under their belt when they start with me and to maintain CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation certification when they begin attending births.
Apprenticeship Basics
If you're committed and ready, please submit the Apprenticeship Application and we'll be in touch.
Midwives have traditionally trained through an apprenticeship model of learning, and this remains the best way to learn the realities of attending home births.
There are several programs to train CPMs, including working in high-volume birth clinics and preparing oneself academically through on-line or other distance coursework. However these routes may not include or offer experience in actually attending home births and in being in an autonomous midwifery practice. While such training is valuable, I believe it is incomplete without the apprenticeship component and I urge all potential CPMs to commit to a minimum of a 12 month apprenticeship in addition to their clinical and academic training.
For student midwives who wish to train solely as apprentices, expect some rigorous academic work (usually through an online course) concurrent with your time spent attending prenatal/postpartum appointments and births. This process usually takes a minimum of 3 years and requires a strong commitment to midwifery and to personal challenge. It can be difficult to manage other jobs, a family and a personal life during this time, although with dedication and perseverance, it can be done. It is not however an easy route, or one to be embarked on casually.
Open Circle Homebirth accepts apprentices who have demonstrated such commitment and who are able to devote themselves to learning midwifery with my practice for a minimum of 6 months. I require my apprentices to have some academic work under their belt when they start with me and to maintain CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation certification when they begin attending births.
Apprenticeship Basics
- Student midwives are expected to have an understanding of basic anatomy and physiology, pregnancy and birth at the beginning of their apprenticeship. This knowledge base will be expanded upon throughout their apprenticeship.
- Healthcare and obstetric skills such as taking vitals, monitoring fetal heart rate, physical examination, venipuncture and counseling are learned and built upon during the course of clinical office days.
- Student midwives will attend appointments and become familiar with OCH clients, policies and guidelines for approximately 1-3 months before they begin attending births. Their readiness to attend births will be determined by myself and other midwives/apprentices in the practice.
- The clients' comfort and security is always the top priority. The clients can choose to decline to have any apprentice present in their prenatal care or at their birth.
- Student midwives are expected to attend all prenatal and postpartum appointments for clients they are on call for. This usually is 2 or 3 days a week for prenatals and postpartums as needed.
- The student midwife is on-call for clients 24/7. The student must have reliable transportation, childcare, and the ability to respond to any birth call within 15 minutes.
If you're committed and ready, please submit the Apprenticeship Application and we'll be in touch.
