The requirements to become a midwife vary by region. Some countries require midwives to have nursing degrees while others may only require students to complete a certification program. For students hoping to study midwifery online, the best place to start may be a local college or university website. Many educational institutions offer online courses, allowing students to complete most of their degree from home. It is important to note that the practice of midwifery is illegal in some places, such as several states in the United States, so a student may first want to ensure they'll be able to utilize the education.
When choosing an online program it is important to find one that has turned out many successful graduates who are practicing midwifery legally. It is also important to define their goals for midwifery, and choose education appropriately. Some governing boards require that midwives have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. To begin looking for current online course offerings, students can check advertisements in midwifery professional journals. These publications often list many educational opportunities, including schools for midwifery online, that offer either direct entry or nurse practitioner programs and prepare students for examinations for licensing. Many of these programs require hands-on experience in the student’s community. This hands-on experience is usually similar to an apprenticeship and is typically completed with a licensed midwife.
Midwives typically are required to have experience with many medical procedures in order to become licensed to practice midwifery. A program for midwifery online usually gives students direct entry or professional training — this is also called traditional midwifery, but not all places recognize this type of midwife. Unlike a nurse midwife, a traditional midwife can’t deliver babies in the hospital even in an emergency, and has much less education. However, many pregnant women prefer a traditional midwife because there seems to be more of a holistic or spiritual approach, and less reliance on drugs or interventions.
One of the best educational resources may be local midwives. Most veteran midwives started out through apprenticeship with other midwives, and as regulations became stricter, they were forced to get more education and licensing even after decades of experience. Aspiring midwives can ask these women which schools are offering the best programs online, and if there are other students in the area who are also studying midwifery online.
