Midwifery Postgrad

[newtothis101]

Hiya, really looking for some advice/expertise..

I’ve always wanted to be a midwife but didn’t consider it straight after school, didn’t do any science A Levels (I got ABB in english lit, english lang & psychology) and went on to study English at uni. I now work in the education sector (office based role, not a teacher). I am in my mid-20s.

I’m starting to reconsider the midwifery route and appreciate it would mean taking Biology A Level (could I do this at a local college?) and doing another degree. I also know how hard it is to get onto the course.

Can anyone please advise on funding for a 2nd degree as I don’t think the NHS find this and not sure I can get a student loan as before? Also how can I pay rent alongside this all? And a way to get some experience beforehand to see if it’s definitely something I should do? And finally, is it worth it? We all hear horror stories about working for the NHS and I know it’s not a job I’ll earn a fortune in, but I just want to something I’ve always been interested. I would really appreciate any advice you can give, thank you!

New students will now pay tuition fees - you take out a student loan for living costs and fees

Funding rules are Students who already have a degree and are planning to undertake a nursing, midwifery or allied health profession subject as a second degree will now also have access to student loans through the student loans system

Courses affected:

Nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning and disability)
Midwifery
Dietetics
Occupational therapy
Orthoptics
Orthotics and prosthetics
Physiotherapy
Podiatry/chiropody
Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
Speech and language therapy
Operating department practitioner

This change applies only to new students. New students are defined as starting a course for the first time on 1 August 2017 or later

Try get an HCA post in a hospital get familiar with the demands of wards,health and being in that environment

I’d advise met and talk to a mw if possible, it’s a fiercely competitive course
Don’t take this the wrong way but a lot of people have an idealised image of nhs work and being a mw
You need an ability to be calm,work under pressure,meet performance targets,understand data,work with limited resources
Read press about nhs pressures,get an understanding of the pressure and climate

Do check the course requirements I don’t know if science is reqd
And yes if you don’t have a science do brush up on human biology
Finally good luck

It's not essential to have science A-levels, by any means. They are 'preferred' but you have good results in perfectly acceptable subjects; most universities would take you with those results.

However, in most good universities midwifery is still very competitive. Relevant work experience will stand you in good stead - that means working as an HCA, doing care work etc. It's understood by most universities that midwifery-specific work experience is hard to come by, but something that shows you have a practical understanding of the realities of working in the NHS would be very helpful for your application.

Lipstick is right re both funding and the pressures of the job. Underestimate the stress and pressure (both clinical and academic) at your peril! It is a tough course, and a tough job. You will be skint, knackered and stressed a lot of the time whilst studying, and slightly less skint once employed .

But it is still one of the best jobs in the world - just go into it with your eyes wide open.

Oh, and technically you won't be a 'postgrad' - all midwifery degrees in the UK are three-year undergraduate courses (BSc or, sometimes, BMid). Postgrad midwifery training qualifications are only available to qualified nurses.