branflax

Hi everyone! I have a not so quick question about suggested paths to get to where I want to be... I just graduated from law school, and have been investigating other options for careers. One of the things I've always admired is nursing, specifically, certified nurse midwifery. I am not going to jump into it without looking and shadowing and researching EVERYTHING, so I was hoping someone could let me know which path I should pursue. If this is the path I go down, I would like to end that path by opening my own practice (using some of my JD and continuing education in the health law field). So I've looked at the requirements for my state for being a CNM, and first I need to be able to certify as a RN, and to do THAT I'll need to go to school again. I could get a diploma, a 2 year AA (more like 3, I'll have to take all the pre-requisites), or the bachelors. I would really like to avoid the bachelors, because I'll already have to take more credits to do the midwifery certification AFTER I pass as a RN, and I'd really rather spend my time not in the classroom but doing the grunt work to get the experience on the floor. So I am leaning towards the AA and then some work experience and then CNM. My main questions are... what is the CNM path AFTER one becomes an RN? What sort of experience (paid or unpaid) can you get as an RN with an AA? Does it make sense to get the AA in my circumstance? How can I find a CNM to shadow? Do you recommend any volunteer work before applying to Nursing school? And more importantly, does anyone here have experience in a very small or private midwifery practice? How do you/did you like?