Questions to ask potential preceptor

[BirthLovinMomma]

I have an interview soon with a potential preceptor and I would love to take a list of questions with me. Anyone have any ideas of what they would ask? (or DID ask)

Thanks!!
~Nina

[MidwifeErika]

I would ask a list of questions of what she wants out of you if she doesn't have it outlined already:

*am I expected to go to every prenatal and postpartum
*at what point in labor will I be called
*do you have an general outline of how I will progress through an apprenticeship (such as x many births as an observer and then x many as an assistant, etc)
*what sorts of classes do I need to take
*what will my duties be when first starting out
*will I be on call all of the time, or are there other students who I will share call with
*what equipment will I be expected to carry

This is just a jumping off point.

Good luck!

[Peppamint]

the list above is great, other questions that come to mind are:

-do you have a apprentice handbook? (this is a great way to understand each other well when you start)

-do you have a contract for apprentices? (ditto)

-what is the financial agreement regarding apprenticeship? (in some areas of the countries, apprentices pay their preceptor. In others, it's simply an exchange of your help with her business/clients for her teaching- that's what we do here.)

-does she require you to be enrolled in a midwifery course or school? does she require any training ahead of time?

-how many clients does she generally take every month?

[MidwifeErika]

A few more:
*will you need to drive yourself to births or will you ride together (and save on gas)
*how quickly does she expect you to be able to come once she calls
*are prenatals held on certain days and if so, will you also be expected to go to prenatals that are rescheduled for non-clinic days
*does she take any time off through the year and will you also be able to be off call during the same time period
*will you eventually be going to prenatals and postpartums alone or will these things always be done together
*are you also needing to keep a cell phone, texting service, pager, internet on your phone, etc as part of the apprenticeship
*will she be available to spend some time with you going over homework assignments or explaining things you don't understand

[mwherbs]

tell me some of your favorite birth stories.
can you observe some prenatals before you make a commitment
has she trained anyone before, can you talk to any of the gals she has trained
how was she trained

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

can you observe some prenatals before you make a commitment

A trial period is nice! My preceptor and I did a couple of prenatal days and a birth before we got out a contract and started negotiating (all told it was about a month before we signed the contract). If you spend all that time together and realize it's just not going to work for whatever reason, it will be easier to step back... and you will have been introduced to clients as a potential apprentice.

[Port Orchard CBE]

Originally Posted by mwherbs

tell me some of your favorite birth stories.
can you observe some prenatals before you make a commitment
has she trained anyone before, can you talk to any of the gals she has trained
how was she trained

Yes! We have a winner!!!

You can probably find out more from these few questions than any others. LOVE them!

Kendra (midwife assistant in WA State)

[Sijae]

In addition to all the things mentioned above I would also be interested in how "hands on" she is and would ask questions about what she likes to do at prenatals, at the birth, what kind of tests she recommends etc. I'd want to know how willing she is to bend the "rules" and for what things she "risks out" clients. I'd look at her client agreement and the info she presents to her clients as an indicator of how well our values might mesh.

Laura

[jenmidwife2b]

I would definitely talk to others that she has trained, I wish that I had done that with my last preceptor, would have saved me a lot of grief.

[Sijae]

Originally Posted by jenmidwife2b

I would definitely talk to others that she has trained, I wish that I had done that with my last preceptor, would have saved me a lot of grief.

I'm curious what kind of problems you had with your preceptor. Do you mind sharing?

Laura

[jenmidwife2b]

Well, turned out that none of the other ladies whom had apprenticed with her had become midwives. She had been practicing for more than 28 years and had never had anyone become successful as a midwife under her. This is not a good sign at all, and something that I wish that had been revealed to me at our initial meeting. After working with her for a few months, I could definitely see why training with her had turned them off of midwifery. So, after six months, I decided to go and get more training abroad.

It was not worth the stress, her refusing to sign NARM paperwork for my pep process for things I had done with her, and constant verbal abuse by her to continue apprenticing with her, but neither was I going to let her way of doing things influence my decision to become a midwife. I am a homebirth midwife, but in spite of her, not because of her.

Now I had a couple other midwives that I apprenticed under short term that were lovely women and they had had other apprentices go on to become midwives.

[Sijae]

Originally Posted by busybusymomma

A trial period is nice! My preceptor and I did a couple of prenatal days and a birth before we got out a contract and started negotiating (all told it was about a month before we signed the contract). If you spend all that time together and realize it's just not going to work for whatever reason, it will be easier to step back... and you will have been introduced to clients as a potential apprentice.

Huh, I'm curious what kind of things are in your contract and what required negotiating. It sound much more serious and formal than my apprenticeship.

Laura

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by Sijae

Huh, I'm curious what kind of things are in your contract and what required negotiating. It sound much more serious and formal than my apprenticeship.

Laura

That month was less about negotiating and more about getting to know each other and seeing if we would be a good fit, and working on the contract so that it covered the things we both felt were important.

I can't find my copy of the contract for some reason, it's not with all of my other apprenticeship/NARM paperwork for some reason. Otherwise, I'd share in more detail!

[mamato3cherubs]

: Great thread

[Sijae]

Originally Posted by mamato3cherubs

: Great thread

Lisa, are you going to update your blog?

Laura

[empoweredmidwif]

Jenmidwife2b, I'm writing a book for women who want to become CPMs.  It looks at the different paths we can take and focuses a lot on the community apprenticeship.  Would you be willing to let me use your statements? If so would you want your handle used to give you credit or your name?

Here's what I'd like to use:

I would definitely talk to others that she has trained, I wish that I had done that with my last preceptor, would have saved me a lot of grief. [It] turned out that none of the other ladies whom had apprenticed with her had become midwives. She had been practicing for more than 28 years and had never had anyone become successful as a midwife under her. This is not a good sign at all, and something that I wish that had been revealed to me at our initial meeting. After working with her for a few months, I could definitely see why training with her had turned them off of midwifery. So, after six months, I decided to go and get more training abroad. - Jenmidwife2b

Thanks, and feel free to email me directly at [e-mail]

Cassaundra Jah