This course introduces essential health care skills for supporting individuals during the childbearing year. Content includes clinical terminology, documentation, and standard precautions. Students will also complete competency skills in CPR, NRP, CLC, and Doula training. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course introduces fundamental microbiology concepts relevant to midwifery practice. Students will examine the structure, classification, and identification of microorganisms, with a focus on those impacting maternal and newborn health. Hands-on training includes bacterial staining, culture methods, wet mounts, amniotic ferning, and proper microscopy techniques across antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and well-woman care. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course examines the history, culture, and politics of midwifery in the United States from the 17th century to the present. Students will analyze how developments in medicine and dominant cultural shifts contributed to the decline of midwifery and affected childbearing families. Key topics include professionalization, licensure, education, medicalization of birth, and the emergence of homebirth and natural birth movements. The course also explores cultural, religious, and social determinants of maternal health, introducing cultural competency and ethical frameworks for modern midwifery practice. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course examines the structure of the U.S. public health system at the federal, state, and local levels, with emphasis on disease prevention and community wellness. Students will explore key programs such as WIC and SNAP, develop skills for counseling clients who are HIV positive, and understand screening and intervention strategies for domestic violence, substance use, child abuse, and neglect. Additional topics include mandatory reporting, trauma-informed care, and recognizing and responding to sex trafficking. Students will also evaluate community resources for at-risk populations. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course introduces health history-taking and head-to-toe physical examination skills, with emphasis on adult assessment. Students will learn how comprehensive assessments inform care, identify risk factors, and support health promotion. Instruction focuses on critical thinking, effective communication, cultural awareness, and recognizing the need for focused assessments. Basic therapeutic strategies to reduce disease risk are also covered. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course provides student midwives with knowledge of nutrition during preconception, antepartum, and postpartum periods. It emphasizes individualized client education on nutrition and non-allopathic supplements. Students learn to assess dietary patterns, tailor guidance to cultural preferences, recognize malnutrition effects, and identify risks related to underweight, overweight, and eating disorders. The course also focuses on improving access to adequate nutrition during pregnancy. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course places students in diverse birth settings, including birth centers, hospitals, and home birth practices. Under preceptor supervision, students will observe and begin hands-on participation in client care. Course activities include charting encounters, maintaining case and time logs, completing daily evaluations, and submitting birth management reports. Students will document progress toward NARM skills and MEAC core competencies with preceptor approval. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

Students continue practicum placements for observation and introductory hands-on participation, focusing on antepartum and basic birth support skills. Emphasis is placed on applying techniques learned in the Midwifery Fundamentals & Skills Lab to practicum experiences. Students will use a tracking system to record case and time logs, daily evaluations, birth management reports, and skills performed under preceptor supervision. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course emphasizes risk assessment and documentation in antepartum care. Students will record practicum experiences with attention to accurate, timely documentation and confidentiality. Concepts from concurrent Human Structure and Function and Physical Health Assessment courses are integrated to connect theory with practice. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course provides student midwives with the knowledge and skills to deliver care from initial contact through the onset of labor. Topics include signs of pregnancy, genetics, embryology, fetal development, optimal nutrition, the normal course of pregnancy, and common discomforts. Students learn to identify conditions affecting pregnancy, perform risk assessments, and manage deviations from normal. Emphasis is placed on comprehensive antepartum care and comparison of medical and midwifery models, preparing students for supervised practicum experiences. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course covers the normal labor and birth process, including mechanisms of labor, maternal and fetal assessment, and recognition of normal variations versus complications at each stage. Students will relate pelvic and fetal anatomy to labor progress and evaluate management options based on risk and benefit. Topics include intrapartum assessment across care settings, labor management, risk screening, selected emergencies, and psychosocial support for clients and families. Upon completion, students will demonstrate skills in managing normal labor and delivery, identifying complications, and implementing appropriate interventions, including consultation, collaboration, and transfer of care. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course prepares midwifery students to assess and manage the normal postpartum period, recognize deviations, and respond effectively. Topics include late postpartum hemorrhage, complications, disease states, and postpartum risk screening. Students learn to provide nutritional guidance, manage common discomforts, conduct postpartum visits, and support maternal well-being, newborn bonding, and mental health. Emphasis is placed on consultation, collaboration, and referral as needed. The course includes lactation education and training leading to Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) certification. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course examines normal newborn physical and behavioral characteristics and common neonatal complications. Key topics include fetal-to-neonatal transition, especially cardiac and respiratory adaptation; signs of distress; physical and gestational age assessment; and routine screenings (metabolic, hearing, CHD). Additional content covers circumcision, feeding, immunizations, jaundice assessment, medication use, NICU risk screening, and newborn home visits throughout six weeks of life. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course covers the fundamentals of well-woman care from adolescence through menopause. Topics include history-taking, physical examination, contraception, infertility, unplanned pregnancy counseling, human sexuality, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Students develop skills to assess, treat, and counsel across the reproductive lifespan, including contraception and infertility management, STI care, and menopausal support. Additional topics include lab interpretation, gender-based violence response, and national screening guidelines. The lab component provides hands-on training in gynecologic and breast exams, specimen collection, and in-office microscopy for vaginal infections. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course introduces fundamental principles of pharmacology—pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and medication use in midwifery. Students study commonly used drugs and those specific to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, newborn, lactation, and gynecologic care. Topics include FDA pregnancy categories, toxicology, substance use, labor and postpartum medications, antibiotics, supplements, complementary therapies, lactational and psychiatric pharmacology, STI treatments per CDC guidelines, and exogenous hormones. The course emphasizes safe medication administration and effective collaboration with prescribing providers in women’s health. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course focuses on developing midwifery skills during the intrapartum period. Under preceptor supervision, students begin performing key tasks independently, applying concepts from Physical Health Assessment and concurrent Antepartum and Intrapartum courses to bridge theory and practice. Learning is supported by current midwifery and obstetric research, with emphasis on labor physiology. Students document practicum experiences in the tracking system and are evaluated through daily assessments and birth management reports. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course develops midwifery skills in postpartum care, newborn management, and recognition of intrapartum complications. Students integrate knowledge from concurrent courses to bridge theory and practice while strengthening their role as primary care providers. Practicum work is documented in the tracking system and evaluated through daily assessments and birth management reports. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course examines the professional, legal, and business aspects of midwifery practice. Content includes practice establishment, coding and billing, malpractice insurance, Medicaid, protocols, and community standards of care. Students will explore best practices, collaborative management, consultation, referral, transport, peer review, data collection, benchmarking, and self-care. Special considerations for home and birth center settings are addressed, including coordination with hospitals and emergency services. Legal responsibilities such as birth certificate completion, public health reporting, and risk assessment are reviewed. By the end of the course, students will outline strategies for building a successful practice and defining the midwife’s role in the community. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This course introduces research methods in midwifery and medical science using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Students will learn to critically evaluate research across multiple paradigms and evidence levels, with emphasis on research design, methodology, and the application of evidence-based practice in clinical care. The course also examines how research informs standards of care at individual and jurisdictional levels. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

In this course, students will use the simulation lab to practice and demonstrate required midwifery procedures, including emergency protocols. Through skills assessments and instructor-led scenarios, they will apply appropriate management across antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and neonatal care. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and integrating comprehensive skills within community-based practice. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course.

This advanced internship allows students to apply the full scope of midwifery care across antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn periods. Students engage in primary-under-supervision practicum practice to meet NARM Continuity-of-Care requirements, while demonstrating sound judgment, performing urgent interventions, and managing births in diverse settings. The course emphasizes readiness for independent practice through comprehensive documentation, daily evaluations, preceptor feedback, and case reflection. By completion, students are expected to show full competency in all MEAC-defined midwifery skills and finalize their practicum portfolio. Writing assignments, as appropriate to the discipline, are part of the course