Am I taking all the steps I need for Midwifery?

Hi! I am a 31 year older mum of two and finally. FINALLY. After 10 years of trying and failing I am starting an access to HE in September.
I’ve panicked about it before but I want this more than I ever have and I was looking for some advice on applying to unis.

I have had a MMC myself, which started my interest in midwifery. The support I received at this time was less than stellar and with my second pregnancy even worse. I decided that midwifery care needs more people, or more of the right people. I care deeply about supporting women who have had troubles in any way through the most challenging time.
From what I hear, this is a great reason and most unis always get “I love babies” which I do, but it’s not why I want this.

I have had random jobs (tough ones, including apprenticeships) in retail and the service industry as I had a young family. I volunteer with NCT (membership coordinator) and have had some gynaecology work experience. I am waiting to hear back for volunteering with women’s aid, hospitals and more work experience.
I am confident about my grades. I attempted the access course a while back and got most of the way through before running out of money but I had straight distinctions.

I just guess I am asking if any of this is enough. I’d love to have had a maternity support role but there are never any where I live. I have to be able to get this first time trying, I don’t know if I can afford to take another year off work to apply again and without being able to be sure that I could get a relevant job in that time it’s stressing me out.

I need this so badly.

Any help or advice is so greatly appreciated!

Reply 1

Winner winner

13

Firstly, I’m sorry for your loss and the poor care you received. I have many miscarriages and stillbirths and such a range of care, which led me to my application for midwifery too.

It sounds like you’re doing lots to make sure you have a strong application. I think after that, half the battle is the personal statement. Make sure you sell yourself in that and then you’ll be able to shine at the interview.

Reply 2

Jibbity

OP

6

Original post by Winner winner

Firstly, I’m sorry for your loss and the poor care you received. I have many miscarriages and stillbirths and such a range of care, which led me to my application for midwifery too.

It sounds like you’re doing lots to make sure you have a strong application. I think after that, half the battle is the personal statement. Make sure you sell yourself in that and then you’ll be able to shine at the interview.

I am so sorry for your hardships. It’s so awful but it’s so common and we just don’t talk about it. It definitely needs to be addressed more be midwives. We can’t be sweeping it under the rug.

Thank you so much for your advice. I am definitely going to be getting all the help I can with my personal statement lol

Reply 3

Fortysomething

9

Have you got all the GCSEs needed? It’s such a popular course that some unis are very strict about needing these as well as access courses especially English maths and science - you may need to retake these if you don’t already have them
I’ve applied for nursing and have had to retake science recently and had to send gcse certificates in twice despite having higher qualifications so these are really important

Good luck with your application

Reply 4

Jibbity

OP

6

Yes I’ve got everything I need in that. I did health and social care at college but dropped out. It’s really just the fact I can’t get any ward experience, like when my mum did nursing she was able to get a HCA job prior to uni but as I’ve been committed to raising my kids (they’re basically teenagers now so that’s all eased off) I couldn’t manage to work shifts. I know the retail and service industry jobs will give me loads of transferable skills (I mean how many more can you have after working at McDonalds lol) but I just want it to be enough.

Thank you so much. Good luck to you too!

Reply 5

Fortysomething

9

Original post by Jibbity

Yes I’ve got everything I need in that. I did health and social care at college but dropped out. It’s really just the fact I can’t get any ward experience, like when my mum did nursing she was able to get a HCA job prior to uni but as I’ve been committed to raising my kids (they’re basically teenagers now so that’s all eased off) I couldn’t manage to work shifts. I know the retail and service industry jobs will give me loads of transferable skills (I mean how many more can you have after working at McDonalds lol) but I just want it to be enough.

Thank you so much. Good luck to you too!

You could apply to your local nhs trust to go on the bank as a band two health care assistant- this means you cover shifts due to vacancies or staff on leave or sick- it means you choose which shifts to do and you can continue while studying your degree. You can even just do a few shifts a year but it might be easier to fit around an access course eg you could work the odd weekend shift and they’re always in need of bank staff. You should get some training as well such as the care certificate as a bank staff which will help your application.

Reply 6

Jibbity

OP

6

Original post by Fortysomething

You could apply to your local nhs trust to go on the bank as a band two health care assistant- this means you cover shifts due to vacancies or staff on leave or sick- it means you choose which shifts to do and you can continue while studying your degree. You can even just do a few shifts a year but it might be easier to fit around an access course eg you could work the odd weekend shift and they’re always in need of bank staff. You should get some training as well such as the care certificate as a bank staff which will help your application.

This is such a great idea! I had no idea you could do bank as HCA with no actual qualifications. Last I looked I thought I needed a level 3 (which I will be working towards anyway which may help if that is the case). My access course is only three days and I do about 10 hours volunteering so I think I’ll be able to manage the odd bank shift.
Thanks so much for this, great advice!

Am I taking all the steps I need for Midwifery?

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