Contact

To learn more about the MMA Midwifery Studies Intensive and how to register, please send inquiries to Rebecca Corliss Beck, CPM at 508-341-7191 or rebeccamidwife@gmail.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the Classes start? August 2024 – September 2025

How often are the classes held? The classes are usually held on alternating Saturdays, with most months having two classes. The classes generally run from 9am-4:30pm with a few exceptions which will be listed in the master schedule.

Where is the class held? Northampton, MA

What is the cost of tuition? The fee for the intensive is $4000.

When are the payments due? Deposit to hold a spot is $150 by June 15, 2024. The full tuition balance is due on the day of the first class. After September 1, 2024 there will be no refunds. Early bird special $3800 in full by June 15, 2024.

Are there scholarships available? There are limited resources for scholarships but we encourage students to speak to us regarding financial hardship to help them find solutions. To promote diversity in our community, we offer Student Midwives of Color partial scholarships.

Am I guaranteed an apprenticeship at the end of the course? Like many midwifery schools we cannot guarantee you an apprenticeship. You will have a chance to meet many of the midwives in Massachusetts and get a sense of which preceptor midwives might be ready to take on an apprentice. Apprenticeships can take years, so while most preceptor midwives take on apprentices, they might be in the midst of training one or more students. Some students choose to travel for their training, which can mean relocating. But many students wait for openings and move forward with doula work, childbirth education and staying in touch with the midwifery community in their area.

Will I be Certified as a Midwife when I am done with the course? This program does not make you a certified midwife. You can take what you have learned in this course and pursue the further clinical studies and on hands work that it takes to become a midwife. The National Registry of Midwives has examinations and requirements that you can work towards fulfilling to become a Certified Professional Midwife. See www.narm.org for more information on how to become a certified professional midwife.

CPM Certification Information

In order to qualify for the exam to become a certified professional midwife (CPM), candidates must compile a portfolio showing mastery of practical skills and attainment of academic/didactic learning. This portfolio must be compiled on official NARM forms, using a skills and learning checklist which is available from NARM for a fee. More details are available at www.narm.org.

Students should contact NARM directly with any questions. The MMA Basic Midwifery Course is NOT accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) and so students who intend to become CPMs after completing the MMA Basic Midwifery Course must use the PEP process.

Students who think they may want to become CPMs should order the official NARM forms as early as possible, and begin the process of documenting their skills and competencies as they attain them. It is hard to go back and document after the fact. All skills and competencies identified in NARM’s forms must be signed off by a preceptor or instructor in order to qualify a candidate for the CPM credential. Course instructors and coordinators can sign off on skills that they have personally witnessed students demonstrating mastery of. Please make a point of requesting that instructors and/or coordinators sign off on your forms if you believe that it is appropriate/they have personally witnessed you performing a skill or competency with mastery. Signing off on your forms is ALWAYS at the instructor’s/coordinator’s discretion, and they may request further demonstration of your skills.

Are you MEAC accredited?

No, the MMA Midwifery Intensive is not MEAC accredited and instead lends itself to the PEP process. MEAC accreditation is mandatory in some states, but not in Massachusetts at this time. For more information regarding MEAC accreditation visit www.NARM.org.

What is the PEP process?

PEP stands for Portfolio Evaluation Process (PEP). If you decide to become a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) you will need to complete an apprenticeship period with a senior midwife who is a CPM or a CNM. You would work through a process called the Portfolio Evaluation Process (PEP). Through the PEP process you keep a portfolio of your education, skills experience and the work you complete and births/prenatals/postpartums you attend during your apprenticeship. You submit this portfolio to NARM and once it is accepted you may sit for the NARM national certification exam to attain the CPM credential.

Practical Experience
The MMA Basic Midwifery Course is intended to provide you with academic and didactic information about midwifery. The intention is that most practical skills, though they will be taught during the course, will be practiced during a clinical apprenticeship. Clinical experience and training is a vital component to becoming a well trained midwife. That being said, some classes will focus on practical skills, and many will include a practical skills component. There is one skills practice day scheduled for the end of each year, which will give students a chance to practice skills learned throughout the course, demonstrate their skills to experienced midwives, and get signed off.