The Course
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The course Most direct entry courses are now three years long, however some degree courses are four years. This varies from one university to another. Both degree and diploma courses enable you to work as a midwife on qualification, however a degree is useful if you want to go into research, management or teaching on completion. There is very little difference between the course structures, but if studying for a degree you must produce a dissertation in your final year. The main difference between the two programs is unfortunately money. The money
Most students will be eligable for a reduction in council tax payments, but are not usually entitled to any further benefits. Getting a place You must be at least 17 1/2 at the start of the course. Men are welcome to apply, however this remains uncommon. Places are available at some universities for overseas students. Most universities require a minimum of 5 GCSEs/O'levels/highers at C or above, and this should include English. Many universities offering the degree course also ask for two A-levels, however an access course is often accepted instead. Mature students should be able to demonstrate evidence of recent study, and access courses are especially useful for getting back into the routine of study. Competition for places on a midwifery course can be tough, so additional qualifications are always useful. Experience in a nursing or midwifery setting can give you an advantage, so it can be useful to ask your local midwifery unit if you can spend a few days with them. It gives you a useful insight into the job, and looks good on the application form. Many students get experience working as a nursing assistant for a few months, and some have been involved with organisations such as the NCT. All of this will demonstrate to the selection board that you know what the job involves and you are comitted. Applications are made through NMAS for diploma places, and UCAS for degree places. Interviews Interviews vary, but often involve some group work and role play, and sometimes written tests. Interviewers are looking for a mix of candidates that work well within a group, so it is important to participate in activities without dominating the group. They will almost always include a one-to-one interview. These are usually conducted by a university lecturer and a practicing midwife. You must be well informed about recent news related to midwifery and healthcare, so make sure you watch the news and read the papers for a few months beforehand. It may even be worth subscribing to a midwifery journal, I would recommend 'practicing midwife' or MIDIRS. Try and read a few midwifery books before you go. I've recommended a few on the library page. Make sure you have a good understanding of the role of the midwife. If asked what a midwife does, do not answer "she delivers babies". You must show an appreciation of what the job involves, which is a lot more than delivering babies !! There is no strict dress code for interviews, however I wouldn't recommend turning up wearing jeans and trainers ! Make sure you're comfortable in what you're wearing, there's no point wearing a suit and looking stiff and uncomfortable all afternoon. One of my tutors told me her worst interview was with a girl that had filthy nails, so make sure those nails are short and clean !! Once you're a student Teaching is based at the university for 50% of the course, and you'll usually find that you don't get to hospital for at least the first few months. The course is full time, and depending on the university you will usually get about 7 weeks off per year. This can be longer for degree students. Universities are very strict on extra time taken off, and all of it must be made up, even if you have a doctors note. Modules studied can be very different from one university to another, so I will not discuss them here. It is worth noting that many subjects may be studied alongside nursing and other healthcare students. In hospital placements, you will usually be allocated a mentor. This is a qualified midwife that you will initially just follow around, and as you progress will observe you in practice. As you go through the course, you will have placements in different areas of the hospital, and this usually includes at least one nursing placement, special care baby unit, lots of Community placements, delivery suite and wards. You will also attend a range of clinics. Most hospitals will expect you to adopt the shift pattern of your mentor, including nights, weekends and on-calls, however this is not a formal requirement until the second half of the course. In your final months you will be working mostly independently of your mentor. Assessments occur throughout the course both in university, and while on placement. This is usually a mix of exams and essays. Most universities will only allow you to re-sit these once if you fail unless extenuating circumstances can be demonstrated.
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