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Midwifery or Teaching??

Hey,
As my Plan B (ie. if after applying twice I don't get into study Medicine or I mess up my A-Levels so don't have a chance of ever getting in) I can't decide whether to do midwifery or do a biological sciences degree and then teaching. I think I'd like both, because of loving both biology and wanting to be in the healthcare profession, but I've been told teaching is by far 'above' midwifery in terms of status... Apparently midwifery is also not very academically challenging, and it would be hard to still be below the Doctor (the reason I don't want to do nursing) when I'm a frustrated medic.
Hmm...
Any help on which would be a better choice?
Thanks in advance :smile:

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Reply 1

terpineol

What on earth possess you to think of madwifery?

I would personally go for teaching, or indeed prison over madwifery any day.

Reply 2

Renal

Really, I think that's something to decide when the time comes - your outlook and feelings will be different to what they are now.

But don't become a madwife, unless you're a ****.

Reply 3

exppex

What's with the negativity about midwifery? (that rhymes! :yep:

)

Reply 4

terpineol

exppex

What's with the negativity about midwifery? (that rhymes! :yep:

)

I have yet to hear a positive word said about one by anyone who has ever worked with them.

They have a dreadful reputation in terms of what we hear from doctors for refusing to take advice, kicking up a stinking fuss about not getting their way, framing juniors for their mistakes by altering notes, and generally being a bunch of old witches.

The district nurses I have spoken to hate them for leaving the first weeks postnatal care to the district nursing staff, even though it comes under the midwifes responsibility. One also pointed out her time in hospital medicine drove her round the bend as the midwifes spent forever developing a bond with a woman, then to bugger off as soon as things went pearshaped as it was now 'medical'.

Reply 5

Helenia

See, I would far prefer midwifery over teaching. But I've always had good experience with midwives (unlike many medical students) and enjoy the whole obstetrics thing, so think I'd quite like it (though yes, I would probably feel frustrated). Teaching scares the crap out of me because some kids are such little *****.

Reply 6

Apri

As a qualified teacher, I would say you need to be certain you want to do it. People will always say it is the most incredibly hard job, but that is only true if you do not have the passion for it. Those of my colleagues who love teaching find it truly rewarding and satisfying - the most important thing to know is teaching is not about the subject you teach, it is about behaviour management and target setting. You need a passion for teaching little herberts, not for science. The best thing to do is to get some work experience in teaching, there is a paid work experience scheme - google TDA.

Good luck - and anyway, you will get into med this time so this is all academic!

Reply 7

AmyJayne19

thers a bloody big difference between midwifery and teaching!
And u have 2 kno u definatley want to do midwifery or u have no chance of getting in.! Trust me i kno how hard it is to get it.. and its my passion.. and i still didnt get in!!!

And it myt not be academically challenging to some people.. but whenu have to deliver 40 babies, do 100 antenatal and 100 post natal checks in 3 years.. its very very very hard work!!!!!

I work with midwives on a daily basis as a support worker.. and they are lovely! unless u piss them off like the junior doctors doo.. because they know ball alll! :smile:

Reply 8

Becca-Sarah

AmyJayne19

unless u piss them off like the junior doctors doo.. because they know ball alll! :smile:

Was that a sensible thing to write in the MEDICAL forum? :colone:

Reply 9

Gizmo!

teach med students?

give me strength....

Reply 10

Gizmo!

KittyCait

ahh, but you wouldnt be a medic. so you wouldnt be a frustrated medic.
and you wouldnt be a medic wannabe for long either, the longer you were a midwife - theres enough to be getting on wif in that career.

Reply 11

AmyJayne19

ok.. only the doctors tht i have been in contact with whilst at work kno ball all...lol
but hey wht do i kno im only a support worker and have to support new mums when their babies get sent 2 scbu for a stupid reason! x

Reply 12

digitalis

AmyJayne19

but hey wht do i kno im only a support worke

Probably the only sensible thing you have said!

The arrogance to claim junior doctors know "ball all" when you are a support worker?! I would love to hear your esteemed opinion on what exactly they were doing wrong, in your eminent opinion. Or you could just sit back and "support" anxious mums (does that involve making cups of teas and sympathetic noises?) whilst the big boys go and actually make the SCBU kids better.

Reply 13

Gizmo!

digitalis

What a pisstake! I'm actually amazed at your arrogance to come and say this on a medical forum! Do you have any idea what we have to do in medical school? Christ, I must have clerked at least 40 patients in 3 weeks! ironic that you sound just as arrogant there too, then...'40 patients in 3 weeks' you managed? boohoo you. midwives (and most people wif a career) work much arder than anyone trying to get into med school.
no wonder you feel that mere clerking in patients is a problem.

and the tongue was firmly in cheek with the balls all comment, you can see that quite clearly from the smilie

Junior doctors know a hell of a lot more than you do, I'll tell you that!

had a bad day?

Reply 14

Woody.

digitalis

What a pisstake! I'm actually amazed at your arrogance to come and say this on a medical forum! Do you have any idea what we have to do in medical school? Christ, I must have clerked at least 40 patients in 3 weeks!

Junior doctors know a hell of a lot more than you do, I'll tell you that!

Probably the only sensible thing you have said!

The arrogance to claim junior doctors know "ball all" when you are a support worker?! I would love to hear your esteemed opinion on what exactly they were doing wrong, in your eminent opinion. Or you could just sit back and "support" anxious mums (does that involve making cups of teas and sympathetic noises?) whilst the big boys go and actually make the SCBU kids better.

Hey, okay she made some pretty silly claims but there's no need to do exactly the same as she did and act arrogantly yourself, especially the bit in bold. That's a hugely important thing and you shouldn't try and pass it off as fickle. Being able to comfort and support patients makes a massive difference and anyway, as a doctor you'll need to do that and I would sincerely hope that when my doctor comforts me he is being genuine and not doing it 'for the sake of doing it' and thinking it's unimportant.

Reply 15

digitalis

Gizmo!

ironic that you sound just as arrogant there too, then...'40 patients in 3 weeks' you managed? boohoo you. midwives (and most people wif a career) work much arder than anyone trying to get into med school.
no wonder you feel that mere clerking in patients is a problem.

and the tongue was firmly in cheek with the balls all comment, you can see that quite clearly from the smilie

had a bad day?

Not at all actually.

I don't really care about other "people who have careers" tbh. I'm not trying to get in anywhere, as I'm sure you know.

No arrogance at all anywhere in my post, if you look closely. When she goes on about how hard midwifery is, did she consider that other people have to do similar loads? We have clerking targets, logbooks. Nurses have ********* of logbooks and reflective logbooks. Physios and dentists have their own patients ffs. That is the point I was making. And the general way she spoke about junior doctors, I felt I couldn't not reply!

Tongue firmly in cheek, really?

So firmly in cheek that she felt she needed to restate her opinion?

only the doctors tht i have been in contact with whilst at work kno ball all..

unless u piss them off like the junior doctors doo..

Clearly, all junior doctors piss off madwives.

Bad day giz?

Reply 16

Renal

digitalis

Clearly, all junior doctors piss off madwives.

Seriously, they do.

The existence of a profession that merely suggests that midwives might not be the be-all and end-all of obstetrics does piss of the miserable harridans.

Reply 17

digitalis

In all honesty, she probably doesn't even realise it. After all, how can one comment on the competency of another if you have absolutely no idea about their job.

Probably an osmotic effect of being around the midwives, what with the endemic doctor bashing that is prevalent and broadly acceptable in today's NHS.

Reply 18

Gizmo!

digitalis

Tongue firmly in cheek, really?

the smilie is there in her sentence for everyone to see. her post is a reaction to a post that belittles midwifery, so i dont know where you want the buck to stop.

but clearly it doesnt stop wif me.

Bad day giz?

you see, thats just bad sport.
after all, you over reacted, not me at all, thats why i asked you if you've ad a bad day for being uncharacteristically whiplash.

Reply 19

digitalis

Gizmo!

the smilie is there in her sentence for everyone to see.

you see, thats just bad sport.
after all, you over reacted, not me at all, thats why i asked you if you've ad a bad day for being uncharacteristically whiplash.

Meh, it is just something I feel pretty strongly about, I don't really see it as overreacting. I'm hoping it is a case of the internet making things difficult to read but who knows.

Quite a good day actually! Is it strange that I find public health interesting? :confused: