[byrd262]

Hello everyone,
I just wanted to get some feedback from CNMs, CNM students, and others. What CNM programs, in your opinion, are the strongest? This can be based on your personal experiences or the experiences of your peers.

[CNM2B]

Hi! U.S. News and World Report makes a list every year---I found this list of the best CNM programs (their score is on the right) for 2008:
1. Oregon Health and Science University 4.22. University of Pennsylvania 4.03. U. of Calif.--San Francisco/San Francisco General Hospital 3.9 University of New Mexico 3.9 Yale University (CT)3.96. University of Illinois--Chicago 3.7 University of Minnesota--Twin Cities 3.78. Emory University (GA)3.6 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor 3.6 University of Utah 3.6 University of Washington 3.612. Columbia University (NY)3.4 Frontier Sch. of Midwifery and Family Nursing (KY)3.4 Univ. of Colo.--Denver and Health Sciences Center 3.4 University of Florida 3.4 University of Kansas 3.4 Vanderbilt University (TN)3.418. Marquette University (WI)3.3 New York University 3.320. SUNY--Downstate Medical Center 3.221. Case Western Reserve University (OH)3.1 Georgetown University (DC)3.1 University of Maryland--Baltimore 3.1 Wayne State University (MI)3.125. California State University--Fullerton 3.0 Medical University of South Carolina 3.0 Ohio State University 3.0 Shenandoah University (VA)3.029. East Carolina University (NC)2.9 SUNY--Stony Brook 2.9 University of Cincinnati 2.9 University of Miami (FL)2.933. San Diego State Univeristy 2.8 University of Indianapolis 2.835. University of Rhode Island

Hope this helps! Of course there is a lot more than "rankings" involved, but I found this to be a good starting point. Good luck!

[clhRN2b2010]

I think you will also need to factor in how and where you see yourself practicing. For example, some of the schools mentioned have a better reputation for being more homebirth, or natural birth oriented. Others might give you more experiance or focus in higher risk populations or more medicalized models.

Ofcourse, as a student you want to see both but philosophy is really important and I'm not sure how US News ranks that. I feel like the decision of which school will be difficult and time consuming, but very important one and one that will require lots of research and interviewing both school administration and current/past students.

[beckinben]

Originally Posted by clhRN2b2010

I think you will also need to factor in how and where you see yourself practicing. For example, some of the schools mentioned have a better reputation for being more homebirth, or natural birth oriented. Others might give you more experiance or focus in higher risk populations or more medicalized models.

Ofcourse, as a student you want to see both but philosophy is really important and I'm not sure how US News ranks that. I feel like the decision of which school will be difficult and time consuming, but very important one and one that will require lots of research and interviewing both school administration and current/past students.

Personally, I wouldn't put a whole lot of stock into the rankings. It is much more important to find the program that fits you. If you think you might want to go on and teach or get a phd and do research, you might be better off at a school that offers doctoral programs so you can be exposed to research. If you want to do home birth, you might be better off at a school that offers clinicals in home birth settings. If you don't speak Spanish, you might be better off at a school that does not see a huge Spanish-speaking only patient population. Talk to current students at the schools you are thinking of and get their experiences.