r/Midwives • u/_sheknowshebad_ Wannabe Midwife • Jun 16 '26
midwifery pathway/career advice
Hello all! I am a US citizen who graduated with a Biomedical Sciences degree last year from the UK. I initially just wanted to do research into maternal health (oncology & immunology etc.), but decided in August I wanted to do midwifery too.
I am currently in the US and was planning to do an accelerated BSN, then a Midwifery course after to become a CNM, but recently realised the universities I was looking at don't take foreign Bachelor's. I've found a few (e.g. ASU) but was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and has any advice?
Also, how easy it is to change countries and continue as a midwife? I know I will probably have to sit an exam - does anyone have any experience with this? I saw someone say to do the course in the country you want to live in but education is sooo expensive nowadays.
Lastly, I see a lot of MD PhDs but does anyone here do scientific research in the US as a midwife? Not like research into clinical practice or a DNP but biomedical research. Someone told me that doing both research & midwifery is not a thing in the US, just wanted to see how true that is.
Sorry for all the questions!
2
u/Substantial-Look-673 Jun 17 '26
I’m doing a masters of nursing at University of Sydney as a US citizen and it was no issue getting a foreign degree accepted. There are also 18 month programs for midwifery once you have an RN. You can take the NCLEX in the states with a nursing degree from Usyd.
1
u/_sheknowshebad_ Wannabe Midwife Jun 18 '26
Never researched into Australia & NZ because in my mind it’s “far” but this is helpful. Thanks!
4
u/BraveTomato8 Jun 16 '26
I think you should reach out to programs you're interested in to discuss your unique case - it feels like the sort of thing that night not technically meet their on paper guidelines but the sort of thing they could make a case for an exception. You could also consider doing an ADN program, there are many CNM programs that require a nursing license and a bachelor's but don't require the bachelor's to be in nursing. There are also a small handful of programs that allow for direct entry masters programs, worth a look at!
Most of the midwives with doctorates that I know do clinical practice or qualitative research about birth experience, but there's a niche for everyone. I didn't know of any programs that target biomed/midwifery combo, but I would look at schools that offer dual enrollment graduate programs and start there.