Clinical Immersion:
Midwife Training Honduras
Study Midwifery Abroad
The Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program is considered to be an entry-level opportunity for students interested in working toward professional midwife certification. Studies will focus on the philosophy and fundamentals of the midwifery model of care, exploring best practices in midwifery skills and techniques in comparison to alternative modes of obstetrical care. Throughout their coursework, students will investigate existing conditions of child and maternal health at the local, national and international level and begin to define their own personal philosophy of care.
As part of the Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program, clinical rotations will be lead by an experienced preceptor and will include exposure to prenatal, birth, postpartum and infant care in both the hospital and birth center setting, and in the home setting with traditional midwives. In addition to clinical experience, Midwife International’s Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program will include a significant community service component. Students will design and complete a service project that provides direct support to local organizations who are working to promote maternal health, breastfeeding, infant health and the midwifery model of care in their community.
At the end of the Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program, students will be prepared to take a more active role in assisting midwives and will be well on their way to pursuing the next levels of midwifery education. Upon completing the immersion program, our students will understand how to:
- Monitor the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle.
- Provide the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
- Minimize technological interventions and identify and refer women who require obstetrical attention.
The Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program is intended to be the first building block in a series of steps toward professional midwife certification. Students who wish to broaden their skills and prepare to take an active role as an assistant or primary midwife are invited to consider placement for 2-3 additional years at one of our advanced sites upon completion of the entry-level program.
Site Details
Our Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program is made possible through partnership with Un Mundo and intended for students who wish to explore the art of midwifery in the context of rural home birth. Students will be paired with a dedicated preceptor who will oversee a rigorous book study curriculum, complimented by home birth rotations with traditional midwives who are part of the Viva La Partera Project. Viva La Partera (Long-Live the Midwife) Project is a support network intended to increase access to improved healthcare services for women and children by strengthening natural healing practices in the Cangrejal Valley, Honduras. Midwife training Honduras curriculum will emphasize community organizing and cultural heritage. Home-stay placements with local midwives, leadership training and service projects at this site will be overseen by Un Mundo, whose mission is to promote dignity, community, and self-sufficiency while facilitating access to health care, education, and livable wages in marginalized Honduran communities. Portions of the clinical experience will take place in the hospital with supporting organization Dar a Luz Honduras.
Maternal Health and Midwifery in Honduras
Nearly 50% of deliveries in Honduras, and over 70% of deliveries in rural areas, are attended by traditional Mayan midwives, also knows as community midwives. Moreover, 57% of all births in Honduras occur in rural areas, indicating heavy reliance on midwives to facilitate deliveries. Yet recent studies have indicated strained dynamics between community midwives and health clinics in rural areas. This has unfortunately caused midwives to use their own money to purchase essential materials that they are trained to use, such as gauze and cotton wool.One reason for the tension between community midwives and health clinics is the lack of formal recognition of midwives who have received training through a certificate.
Moreover, recent interviews with clinic workers, midwives, and villagers in the Cangrejal Valley have indicated a clear disparity in health services available to remote communities in the region and a resulting need to integrate existing midwives into the local health system to strengthen the capacity and utility of midwives who have yet to realize their full potential to serve their communities. Bolstering respect with an organized network of community midwives that are recognized for their training will help improve dynamics between the midwives, clinics, and the women they serve, ultimately leading to better birth outcomes and efficient use of resources.
Midwife International’s Clinical Immersion: Midwife Training Honduras program offers an exciting opportunity to help resource-constrained communities improve these maternal health outcomes, reduce neonatal mortality, gain clinical experience, and build toward your professional midwifery certification.
Click here to learn more about Viva La Partera and Un Mundo.
Want to Become a Midwife?
Consider applying to our midwife training immersion programs offered around world; learn more about our 3-year midwifery school in Guatemala; read inspiring stories about how to become a midwife; check out our experience-based approach to midwifery education; or learn about any of the various opportunities we have for you to work toward your midwife certification.
And don’t forget to visit our Midwife Training FAQ or our Midwife Training Tuition and Fees pages for additional details, or contact us directly to learn how Midwife International can enrich your professional pursuits!
