What Training is Required to be a Certified Nurse Midwife?

Midwifery is an ancient profession that represents centuries of caring for women before, during and after the labor and delivery of a child. For those who choose the profession, it is a rewarding and challenging career.

We are fortunate to have caring, dedicated health care professionals who consider it a privilege to take care of you. Our Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM’s) are an important part of this team.

They attend births, provide prenatal and postpartum care, perform annual exams, conduct family planning visits and routine well-woman care throughout the lifespan.

Midwives Help Prepare a Birth Plan

Our expert midwives work with you in preparing your birthing plan, which may involve natural childbirth or using a birthing stool. They also work with women through low-risk pregnancy, labor and birth.

Midwives Care for Women Throughout Their Life Journeys

Sometimes, there is a misconception that midwives only concentrate on helping women who are pregnant. While aiding in labor and delivery is a large part of their role, midwives are able to provide care for women of all ages, whether you are having your first Pap smear or entering menopause.

Our midwives also conduct Centering Pregnancy ® classes and provide breastfeeding support for our moms.

Have you ever wondered what training is required to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife?

The journey requires years of diligent study and experience, first as an RN, and then in a graduate midwifery program.

What Training Is Needed to Be a Midwife?

The Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) has approved 40 U.S. midwifery programs. All programs offer the core curriculum necessary, even though each program may have different admission requirements and variations on pathways and degrees.

All midwifery educational programs involve some type of graduate education. While most require at least a bachelor’s degree in order to be admitted, there are some programs who will accept RNs who do not yet have a bachelor’s degree, with the condition that they complete one before they begin the midwifery portion of their program.

Depending upon the requirements of an individual program, you don’t have to be an RN, as long as you have a bachelor’s degree. However, if this is the case, you will need to take accelerated nursing classes as well as basic health and science courses before applying.

How Long Is a Midwifery Program, and What Is the Required Coursework?

Midwifery programs range from three to four years long, depending upon whether it’s attended full-time or part-time. The focus is on both academic coursework and clinical rotations. .

The academic coursework focuses closely on core studies in:

• Health assessments
• Research
• Leadership
• Pharmacology, which centers on the uses and effects of medications
• Pathophysiology, which deals with the causes and effects of diseases or injuries
• Perinatal care
• Caring for the newborn
• Postpartum care
• Primary care for women, including annual exams and education

The coursework is also combined with clinical requirements, which typically include between 500 and 1,000 hours during which students work under the supervision of health care providers and other Certified Nurse Midwives.

Once studies are completed, students have to pass a national certification exam, which is administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board. In order to maintain active certification, one must participate in the certificate maintenance program.

The career outlook for midwives is positive. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the profession is supposed to grow by 31 percent by 2026. This is much faster than the average for other jobs.

Today, midwifery is more than simply a career – it’s a calling, and these skilled professionals receive extensive medical training and certification by the North American Registry of Midwives.

We’re proud to have an amazing, dedicated team of midwives to not only help guide our pregnant patients but to also assist every woman at every stage of life.

Midwifery: Not Just a Career, But a Calling

We are proud of our team! Our goal is to provide a personalized experience centered around the needs of you and your family.

We have the only midwives in Chapel Hill who work with private practice physicians. Regional Midwifery is a service provided in conjunction with our sister practice, Durham Women’s Clinic, to provide comprehensive midwifery services to our patients. We provide 24/7/365 on-call services at Duke Regional Hospital.

A Dedication to Excellence: A Heart of Compassion

Leigh Ann Joel, one of our midwives, knew from a young age that midwifery was in her future. She said:

“I knew when I was nine years old that I wanted to deliver babies when I grew up. I believe being a midwife is much more than a career—it’s a calling. The most rewarding aspect of my job is connecting with women and their families and guiding them through the process of pregnancy and birth. I love to see the strength that comes from education, and taking time to answer questions and address concerns. If you listen, women tell you what they need.”

All of our midwives came to us with a similar sense of passion and a powerful spirit of dedication that has made them an important part of our patients’ lives:

• Amy Ellis Dixon was a labor and delivery nurse at Duke University Medical Center before getting her midwifery degree from East Carolina University.

“After many years of being a bedside labor nurse, I knew I wanted to further my career in women’s health. Becoming a nurse midwife allowed me to continue being a part of one of the most special moments during a family’s life, all while being able to provide continuity of care outside of the hospital!”

NC Midwife Programs

Do you have a passion to help mothers? Are you dedicated to providing quality health care and education to women? Perhaps a career as a nurse midwife is your calling.

There are several nurse midwife programs across North Carolina. You can learn more about these programs and the educational training it takes to become a midwife at the N.C. Board of Nursing.

Let Our Midwives and Other Members of Our Healthcare Team Provide the Care You Need at Every Stage in Your Life

For more than 40 years, we’ve cared for generations of women—many in the same family. We’ve welcomed new lives into the world and have helped couples face the challenge of infertility. Beyond family planning, we work with you on wellness exams and treat conditions such as endometriosis.

We invite you to experience the caring compassion of our team firsthand. See why we’re frequently named the best practice in Orange County. Contact us for an appointment.