In 1995, the Midwifery Regulation Advisory Committee recommended that basic midwifery education in Alberta be a baccalaureate degree in midwifery. Later, the Midwifery Health Disciplines Committee under the Health Disciplines Board, established that the midwifery education program in Alberta will be modeled after the Ontario program. While the University of Alberta in Edmonton, was the approved site for midwifery education, the program was put on hold until midwifery is funded.
How to become a midwife in Alberta: three routes to registration.
- Inter-provincial reciprocity. To be eligible, a midwife must have an unrestricted license from her provincial governing body and have practiced for at least one year in that capacity.
- Graduation from an approved education program. Four-year direct-entry programs leading to a university degree (see below)
- Prior learning and
experience assessment (PLEA). For international trained midwives or
those trained by apprenticeship or self-study. PLEA includes a portfolio
assessment, an extensive national written exam and clinical and OSCEs
(objective structured clinical examinations). The PLEA is being replaced by the Multijurisdictional Midwifery Bridging program.
- “The Multi-jurisdictional Midwifery Bridging Project (MMBP) is a bridging program for qualified midwives educated outside of Canada. It’s designed to help each midwife learn how to use her skills in a Canadian context. The MMBP will assist in preparing a midwife to meet the requirements for registering and practising as a Canadian midwife. For more information on this important new program please visit the following website: www.midwiferybridging.ca. The deadline for applications for the program beginning spring 2009 is October 14, 2008. ”
Approved Midwifery Education Programs
- University of Birtish Columbia: www.midwifery.ubc.ca
- Laurentian University (English and French): www.midwifery.laurentian.ca/
- McMaster University: http://www-fhs.mcmaster.ca/midwifery/
- Ryerson University: http://www.ryerson.ca/midwife/
Other Canadian Midwifery Education Opportunities
International Midwifery Education Programs
- In the United States: Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) and American College of Nurse Midwives
- In New Zealand: www.midwiferycouncil.org.nz or midwife.org.nz
- In the UK: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk or www.nmas.ac.uk
- Other countries: International Confederation of Midwives
To apply for registration
in Alberta contact the registrar of
midwives for a new registrants information package and to find out
when the next assessment process (PLEA) is being held.
See also: The PDF handout Exploring
Midwifery as A Career by the College of Midwives of BC