Becoming a MW in Canada

[mommy2two babes]

Does anyone know how to become a MW in Canada? Specifically Ontario?
I am asking for my mom. A situation has come up that he will be able to be paid to do retraining in a field of her choosing. She helped deliver my DS at my HB in Oct and said it is something she really wants to do. I think she would make an awesome MW and want to be able to give her some more info.
Thanks
Krista

[sweetsadie77]

I'm a brand-new graduate of the Ontario Midwifery education programme at Ryerson...

Midwifery in Ontario is a four-year bachelor's programme at one of three universities (Laurentien, Ryerson, McMaster). The Programme is 1.5 years of classwork and 2.5 years of clinical placements (still have class in person or by distance 1X per week and some papers and presentations. Ryerson has a part-time option in which the first year and a half can be stretched out to make it a 5-7 year programme.
The high school prequisites are one each of an OAC/upper level English, Biology/Chemistry and a Social science with above 70% in each, and an overall average of 70%. University or college of these same three classes can count as well with the same above 70% requirement.
If one meets these requirements there's a second stage that varies between the schools but may include an application letter where one is asked a few questions about yourself and why you want to be a midwife. If the letter is well recieved there may be another step that involves an in-person or phone interview.
Applications are due in early winter. There is a yahoo group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...omidwivestobe/ that is for people appyling to the programme that may provide some insight to the application process. I would also look at the three school programme website for the specifics about that school.
www.midwifery.laurentian.ca
www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/midwifery
www.ryerson.ca/midwife
An applicant can only apply to one school per year.
Also, the clinical placements are a lottery system where you can end up at any practice in Ontario (you get to make three choices per lottery but there is no guarantee that you will end up with one of your choices. It is good to be flexible about this.
What else do you want to know?

[mommy2two babes]

Thanks. Sorry it took me so long to get back. I do have a few other questions. If someone is already an RN or a RPN what steps have to be followed to become a MW? Is it still the 4 year program? Is this who would be considered a CNM? How does that work with the lottery system? Do you have to move to the area where the clinic is? How long are the separate placements for? What are the locations of MW groups in Ontario?
One other thing out of curiosity. Why are there no birth centers ( that I know of anyways) in Ontario?
Thanks for your help.
Krista

[sweetsadie77]

Ontario does not not have a CNM program. I'm fairly certain there is no CNM program in all of Canada. A nurse would still need four years to complete the four year education programme. In the first year and a half there may be some classes that can have transfer credits applied to them (anatomy and physiology and maybe some electives if her education is fairly current), but not enough to complete in less then four years. You can find lists of midwifery practices in Ontario on the Association of Ontario Midwives website. However not all practices take students at all times so they might not be available for some "lotteries". There is some room for flexibility in the lottery in that students can switch placements if they are both agreeable. There are some places that are always wanted (like Toronto), where if you don't luck out in the lottery you are probably out of luck. The first two placements are three months each, then there are three one month placements, and then the last placement (three semesters) is usually a year long at one practice although some people end up with that placement split because practices can't always commit to a year.
A student does usually move to the practice's catchement area for the length of the placement. There may be some flexibility depending on how close they are and the size of the catchement.
I don't know why there aren't real birth centres in Ontario. Actually there is one, it is at six nations and is run by and for native american women in that area. There may not be more because of something to do with public health care; goverment not building any because they don't have money or motivation to do so and private sector not really prevelant in health care. I don't really know though, I do know there have been other plans for birth centres but that they haven't gone beyond that planning stage.
Hope that was helpful.