Frequently Asked Questions

Licensed midwives provide care during pregnancy, labor and birth, the postpartum period. They provide newborn stabilization and care during the first month of life. In addition, they are authorized to provide primary preventive and reproductive health care across the lifespan. Midwives prescribe and administer medications, including vaccines. They order and interpret diagnostic tests. Midwives collaborate with other members of the health care team as needed.  

1. No. Applicants without a background in nursing must pass eleven prerequisite courses with a grade of C or higher. Information about the pre-requisites can be found at https://www.downstate.edu/education-training/school-of-health-professions/admissions/midwifery/requirements.html
2. There is one additional course in the program for these students. Otherwise the program is identical and students with and without backgrounds in nursing learn alongside one another. One way to think about it is that students enter the program through different doors, study in the same classroom, and leave through the same door.

1. Yes, we have modified rolling admissions and continue to review completed applications until the class is filled. Admission is only offered in the fall semester.

1. No. Courses are given sequentially and only offered once per year.

1. The advanced certificate track is a two-year program, while the master’s degree in midwifery takes three years to complete. There are no courses scheduled during the summer between the first and second years. There are courses given during the summer between the second and third years of the master’s program.

1. The Downstate Midwifery Program is not a virtual or hybrid program. Students are expected to be punctual and to attend all classes on campus.

1. The first year, most classes are asynchronous and do not require students’ presence on campus for more than a few days per semester.
2. The second year, students are required to be on campus several days/week in the fall semester and nearly every day for the first six weeks of the spring semester. In the second half of the spring semester, students begin their clinical rotations, which require presence at their sites for two full days/week for ten weeks.
3. The third year, students are required to be on campus nearly every day for the first six weeks of the fall semester. Then they begin clinical rotations for the second part of the term, twice weekly for ten weeks. In the spring semester, students are not on campus but in full-time clinical practice – approximately forty hours/week.

1. The program of study can be found at https://www.downstate.edu/education-training/student-services/registrar/programs-of-study/school-of-health-professions/midwifery.html

1. The Midwifery Program has established longstanding relationships with various clinical sites. If a student is interested in recommending a new site to the program, they can provide the faculty with the site’s contact information. The faculty will then evaluate the site’s appropriateness for partnership with the program. However, suggesting a site does not guarantee placement unless the site specifically requests the student. Ultimately, the faculty has the final say in determining all student placements.

1. Yes, it is feasible to work full-time during the first year of the master’s degree program. However, the program gradually becomes more demanding as students progress through it. It might be challenging for most students to work while studying during the second year and it’s not advisable to work full-time during the third year unless it is unavoidable.

1. Yes, the university provides academic support and guidance regarding study skills, test taking, and managing test-taking anxiety.

1. Yes. The Midwifery Program is committed to maintaining a diverse core and adjunct faculty and to welcome a diverse group of midwifery partners and experts to teach our students.

1. Yes. The Midwifery Program considers diversity one of the cornerstones of our success. We foster a supportive environment for students from all backgrounds and have strong anti-discrimination policies.

1. Midwives work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, family planning, abortion and fertility clinics, freestanding birth centers, homes, and the military. Some midwives work in large public hospital practices and some in smaller community hospitals – either as hospital employees or members of private practices.

1. Academic Support Services and Student Counseling are offered by the university at no additional charge. Faculty advisors may recommend students avail themselves of these opportunities or students may self-refer.
2. More information about student services can be found at https://www.downstate.edu/for-students/index.html

1. Midwifery is regulated through the NY State Department of Education. Graduates of the program who pass the national certification examination, which is administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board, may apply for licensure.
2. More information about licensure can be found at

 https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/midwifery/license-requirements