CNM Advice Needed for Frontier Midwifery Program . Please Help

[quote=lmazz;3956838]Hi Everyone,

I am thinking about applying to Frontier's Midwifery program, but I am trying to figure out if this is a realistic goal. I have one young child and one on the way. I currently work 24 hours/week in a postpartum/GYN unit. That being said... does anyone know if you should have Labor and Delivery Experience to do this program.

** I just applied in late July 09. I have no L&D experience. I got into the first class I applied for. I have OB/GYN office prenatal/postpartum experience, so no you do not have to have L&D experience. I had been wait listed for Class 71, with acceptance to Class 74 (March), but I just got the call this Monday 11/2 that they had a space for me. I was only wait listed because of the large number of applicants. The L&D experience is a good/bad thing. As a CNM you are not training to work as an RN in L&D, it does make some of the material more relevant and easier to understand, but the director of the bridge program, did not have L&D expereience when she became a CNM, RN's that have worked L&D sometimes have bad habits that they have to break. This was all told to me when I did my telephone interview**

The admission director mentioned that some clinical sites won't accept midwifery students unless they have had L&D experience. Has anyone had any trouble with this? I am also concerned about the fact that I have to find my own preceptor.

**They help you with this there is an RCC (Regional Clinical Coordinator) that helps you set up your preceptorship. I have never heard of anyone having a lot of difficulty finding a preceptor, sometimes they don't get them as close as they want them to be, but I am talking about maybe 45 minutes away. A good way to connect with current students at all levels of the program is to join Facebook. Frontier has a page and you can get a lot of friends that are students that way and they just love talking about their experience at Frotnier. I have friends that are graduates and currently practicing, ADN/bridge & currently in clinicals.**

We have a decent amount of practices in my area, but I have never heard of a Frontier midwifery student at any of the practices. Lastly, does anyone know if you can work part-time and care for two children throughout the program including the clinical portion?

** I have heard that you can work during the first part, but usually not during clinicals. There are many options to get stuff payed. I am planning on applying to the NHS for a scholarship, they pay full tution and a stipend and then you work for them for 2 years. Or the last year, I am going to take the max in student loans. I am being very conservative this year with the loans, so if I need to I can get the max later and not have an enormous amount of debt. Graduate students that meet all eligibility requirements can obtain up to $20,500 per year in student loans.**

** My advice is don't wait until the "perfect time" because there will always be something wrong, if you do it and have to work it out, it usually does. Life hand you a lemon, make lemonade!!!**

P.S. if you want to look me up on face book: Teresa Anderson-Oaks