Program Description

The Direct Entry Midwifery Program offers an Associate in Science degree upon graduation from a comprehensive three-year program designed for students with no previous midwifery or nursing background. Midwifery Program graduates are eligible to take the examination to become a Florida Licensed Midwife. The program is approved by the Florida Department of Health, Council of Licensed Midwifery.

Licensed Midwives are community-based practitioners who provide comprehensive, holistic, individualized maternity care and alternative birthing services to low risk clients. They also serve as health care team members for at risk pregnancies. Midwifery care is family-centered and individualized to consider the client's unique cultural, ethnic, psychosocial, nutritional, and educational needs and supports healthy lifestyle habits that benefit the whole family. Licensed Midwives have been delivering babies in Florida since 1931. The goal of the Florida Midwifery Resource Center is for 50% of low-risk deliveries to be attended by midwives.

The Associate in Science Degree in Midwifery will give you the knowledge and technical skills you need to provide safe, independent, comprehensive maternity care to low-risk clients in a variety of birth settings. Additionally, the Program will teach you to provide safe prenatal and postpartum care as part of the heath care team and to provide maternity services to at-risk clients while collaborating with the physician.

Supervised clinical practice providing client care is included in your program and offers you the opportunity to interact with individuals in a variety of maternity care settings.

Accreditation

The Associate in Science Degree in Midwifery program is approved by the Florida Council of Licensed Midwifery and is accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council.

Midwifery Education Accreditation Council

Address:
Midwifery Education Accrediting Council.
20 East Cherry Avenue, Flagstaff, AZ 86001


Telephone:
(928) -214-0997

E-mail address:
http://www.meacschools.org/index.html
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site

Clinical Objectives

MDW 1820 Midwifery Clinic 1
You will observe maternity clinical sites and practitioners and become familiar with the clients, polices and procedures at the facility, and with the services provided. By the end of the semester, you will be assigned to a primary clinical site for prenatal and intrapartal management under a Florida Licensed preceptor.

MDW 1822 Midwifery Clinic 2
You will observe and assist in prenatal care: intake interviews, physical exams, specimen collection, anticipatory guidance, and nutritional assessments. You will learn to individualize care according to the client's culture, family, education and lifestyle needs. You will observe and provide doula support during childbirth in the hospital, birth center and/or at home.

MDW 2824 Midwifery Clinic 3
You will perform, under supervision, initial and repeat pregnancy exams and co-teach a series of childbirth classes. You will observe and assist at labors and deliveries, postpartum care and newborn examinations.

MDW 2826 Midwifery Clinic 4
You will perform prenatal care under supervision. When you have completed the required 25 birth observations, you will co-manage, under supervision, labors, deliveries and new-born care including perineal management, placental delivery, postpartum care of mother and baby and discharge planning. You will observe and assist in providing well woman gynecology and family planning services.

MDW 2828 Midwifery Clinic 5
Under supervision, you will manage the care of 50 mothers and babies through childbirth and postpartum, perform and repair episiotomies as needed and suture first and second degree lacerations, provide help with breast-feeding, infant metabolic screening, anticipatory guidance and education. You will provide well woman gynecology under supervision, including guidance with family planning methods.

Additional Clinical Experiences
You will participate in public speaking events, educational and legislative activities, and attend meetings of the Midwives Association of Florida, the state professional organization.

Curriculum

Students are admitted to the Midwifery Program in August of each year. A total of ninety (90) credits must be completed for an Associate in Science degree. Applicants to the Associate in Science in Midwifery must take most of the general education and basic science courses before admission to the midwifery program. Those courses that must be taken before admission appear underlined in the list that follows

In addition, we strongly recommend that you take the rest of the general education and natural science courses, especially Microbiology and Microbiology Lab (MCB 2013 and MCB 2013L), before admission to the Midwifery program.

All courses must be completed with a C or better. You may take each course no more that two times to earn a grade of C or higher. To be considered as a factor in your admission to the program, the grade must be reflected on your AGIS/Transcript at the time selection is made.

Course content is sequential, and students should plan to enroll in all Midwifery courses in the order and during the terms indicated in the following curriculum outlines.

* If you have been enrolled continuously at MDC since before August 1998, you may take the following courses instead:

Natural Science Courses (19 Credits)

Curriculum Course Plan

Classroom and clinical instruction incorporate the core competencies of the Midwives Alliance of North America as well as the Florida Department of Education curricular framework.

First Year -Semester 1 (12 credits) - (Fall)

Semester 3 (8 credits) - (Summer Term)

Licensure

Florida Council of Licensed Midwifery

Mailing Address:
Council of Licensed Midwifery
4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN #C06
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3256

Telephone:  (850) 245-4162

E-mail address: MQA_Midwifery@doh.state.fl.us
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site

Information Sessions

Attendance at an information session is required for applying to the Midwifery Program and decide if becoming a Licensed Midwife will best help you meet your professional career goals. Midwifery Program Information sessions will be held at the Medical Center Campus in Room 1330-E. Days and times change each semester so please call to schdule your attendance. Alternative arrangements can be made for those living in another geographic area. Contact the Program Coordinator, Justine Clegg, at 305-237-4234 or call Diann Gregory at 305-237-4460.

At the information sessions, we will...

1. Describe the profession of Licensed Midwifery in Florida, as compared with Certified Nurse-Midwives

   • Scope and limits of practice

   • Laws, rules and regulatory agencies

   • Employment opportunities

   • Community, statewide and national issues and trends

2. Explain the educational program at Miami Dade College

   • Admissions Requirements

   • Application procedures

   • Program requirements and costs

3. Provide time for questions and answers; and

4. Show a video of midwifery practice

Performance Standards

To progress in Midwifery courses and ultimately to graduate, students must meet performance standards required for midwifery.

Prerequisite Course Completion Policy

Students who apply to the Midwifery program by May 1st and who have completed or will complete by projected enrollment date the minimum required courses (see the Midwifery Curriculum) will be listed in order of credits that have been completed or will be completed by the end of the summer semester. Students will be selected until the class is filled, with the first priority given to those who have completed all natural science courses, followed by those who will complete these courses (34 credits total) by the end of the summer semester. Those who will have completed the same number of credits, selection will be based upon date of application. If you have enrolled in a course at the time of selection, you will be provisionally accepted pending completion of the course with a a grade of C or better. The number of seats is limited, based on the availability of clinical experiences. Students who apply after May 1st will be considered if seats are available.

If space is available, any students who apply after May 1st will be considered once they have completed the application process and will be selected according to the above criteria.

Taking general education and basic science courses along with Midwifery Program courses can be challenging. Midwifery Program courses are difficult. An academic overload can place a heavy burden on you. Natural science courses give a good foundation of knowledge base. If you have not completed a prerequisite course you will be working with a knowledge deficit which may make it difficult to fully appreciate or understand the Midwifery course content.

A student who completes all required courses and arranges a strong personal support system before entering the Midwifery Program will have the best chance of succeeding in the program. Campus resources such as the library and Student Career Center are available to help you. Adequate personal support, good study skills and use of college resources are especially important if you take additional courses along with Midwifery Program courses. Ask your Midwifery faculty promptly for any assistance that you need.

Progress in Midwifery Program

In order to progress in the course work and ultimately to graduate, students in the Midwifery Program must maintain a level of achievement in accordance with the guidelines on this page.

1. A grade of C or above is required for all courses in the Midwifery Program and to continue on the clinical site.

2. A grade of C or above is required in all Midwifery courses in a given semester to progress to the next semester.

3. A student who earns a grade of D, F, or W in any Midwifery course may not continue on to other Midwifery Program courses, but may take the same course the next time it is offered.

4. A student who has earned a D, F, or W grade twice in the same midwifery course may not continue in the Midwifery Program.

5. A student who has not completed all required deliveries by the end of the relevant academic year will be required to re-enroll in MDW 2828 in the next fall term and purchase student liability insurance.

6. Students must adhere to the plan for completion of general education and science courses agreed to upon entry to the Midwifery Program. Failure to do so may affect your ability to continue in the program.

7. A student who is unable to adhere to the policies and procedures of clinical affiliates will NOT be able to progress in the Midwifery Program.

Required Disclosures

Individuals who have been convicted of a felony and or have had a license denied in another healthcare field or in Midwifery in another jurisdiction may not be eligible for licensure as a Florida Licensed Midwife. Any applicant who has an arrest record must fully disclose all information to:

Council of Licensed Midwifery

Address:
Florida Department of Health
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #CO-6
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3256

Telephone: (850)-245-4444 Ext. 3489

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be in place for all students seeking to enter an associate degree in midwifery January 2002 or later.

If you have any questions on any of the selection requirements, please call the Midwifery Program Coordinator at (305) 237-4234

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for consideration, all students must:

• be admitted to Miami Dade College as a degree-seeking student.

• maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all college course work.

• complete the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) and all courses that are either required or recommended, based on CPT scores. ( Usual College exemptions to CPT apply)

• complete prerequisite midwifery courses requirements with a "C" or above.
  These are:
  ENC 1101
  CHM 1033
  MAC 1105 (or any 3 credit college level math course)
  BSC 2085 and BSC 2085L *
  BSC 2086 and BSC 2086L *

Note: * At least one part must have been taken within 10 years of beginning the Midwifery program.

Additional Requirements

• You are a student in good standing with the college, and if you are enrolled in or transferring from another MDC Medical Campus Program, you are eligible to continue in that program.

• Attended 1 Midwifery program information session (Medical Center Campus).

• Completed an essay typed and double spaced, (min 250 words)
  "Why I want to be a Licensed Midwife."

• Completed the college computer competency testing requirements.

Application Process (Effective June 1, 2001)

To apply to the Associate Degree Midwifery Program, applicants must:

1. If you have not been enrolled at MDC during the past 12 months, compete an Application for Admission or Readmission to college credit courses. Choose the Medical Center Campus as the "preferred" campus.

2. Make an appointment to take the CPT through testing services on the Medical Center Campus or through the testing center at any of the other MDC campuses.

3. Attend a Midwifery information session.

4. If you have previously attended any other college or university, arrange for the official college transcripts to be sent to the Midwifery Program and the Registrar at the Medical Center Campus by the due date for program application materials.

5. Complete the prerequisite courses.

6. Submit an Application for Program Selection and the essay to the Midwifery department at the Medical Center Campus. Completed application and essay must be received by May 1st for August entry.

General Information for All Applicants

Eligible applicants not selected will be kept on stand-by until the semester begins and will be contacted if another applicant declines an invitation. Once the semester begins, applicants not selected will be placed in the pool for the next class. Applicants not selected in two (2) selection pools must reapply, if they are still interested in being considered for admission.

Where to Send Application Materials

Send your MDC application (or fill out on line), Official high school transcript and transcript from any college or university you have attended to the Registrar with a copy to the Midwifery Department at Medical Center Campus.
Send your application for Program Selection essay on " Why I want to be a Licensed Midwife" and transcripts from any college or university you have attended to the Midwifery Department.

Address:
Miami Dade College
Medical Center Campus
Midwifery Program
950 N.W. 20th Street
Miami, Fl 33127

Important Phone Numbers

 Visit the Medical Center Campus on the Web at www.mdc.edu/medical/
Note:  You have to be connected to the Internet to access this web site
 

The mission of the Medical Center Campus is to provide students with affordable, accessible, quality education in health care careers. Faculty and staff strive to respond to the changing needs of students, health care providers, and health care consumers in the community at large through collaboration with health care and business communities. The Campus provides an environment that is conducive to learning by recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles, cultures, and resources of its students.