Midwife Connection

Discovering the midwifery community at the ACNM Annual Meeting By Susana Vega, CNM I do not lack love. I do not lack joy. I do not lack companionship. But when one of my roomies at last year’s ACNM 57th Annual Meeting & Exposition started pouring out Vagina Warrior buttons across our cheap, somewhat pungent hotel bed, I knew I had found the missing piece in my life. I knew it again while overhearing passionate debates over which education session was most interesting; breast cancer ...

By Stephanie Tillman, CNM, MSN I have come to believe that one of the hallmarks of a great midwifery practice is ability to integrate new midwives. As a recent graduate, I was thankful for the six weeks of outpatient orientation and ten births my new practice required before the experienced midwives “cut the cord” and sent me out on my own. Despite feeling adequately supported clinically, the warmth and kindness I had found in my classmates while in midwifery school did not carry over into th...

By Stephanie Tillman, CNM, MSN Whether you are on cloud 9 after receiving an offer from an employer, or still hunting for the perfect employment, getting a head start on all of the necessary licensure is a vital part of the process. I didn’t have quite all the information I needed when I started, and subsequently did not know I was missing my DEA until a pharmacist called me to deny a prescription. Lesson learned, and love passed on to y'all! Let's make sure you have the full list. Certif...

by Stephanie Tillman, CNM, MS Student loan grace periods creeping to an end? Monthly bills piled high from school? Ready to start working and willing to be flexible? There are midwifery jobs, and then there are jobs for a midwife. Flexibility is key in this tough economy, but this can also be viewed through a different lens: the more roles midwives hold, the more our work is advertised! Midwives are incredibly skilled. We work in public health, research, academia, policy, advocacy, and...

By Stephanie Tillman, CNM, MS After the last entry’s list of job hunting strategies, are you ready with a list of postings? Does performance anxiety have you stuck at an open draft email screen with a blinking cursor? Here are the next steps to getting your first (or next) midwifery job. Applying When it comes to applying for midwifery jobs, competition is fierce. Your cover letter and resume market and advertise the things that set you apart from the rest of the pool, so spend lots of ...