What can I do with my midwifery degree

I am coming towards the end of my degree and i have realised for a while now that it isn't for me. What can i do with this degree in terms of jobs or courses?

Reply 1

Satori Tendō

19

It's quite a specific course but I nabbed this from UCAS site:
"Understandably, the vast majority of midwife graduates will go on to become practicing midwives in the NHS.
-Interdisciplinary skills also lend themselves to careers as:
-community health worker
-learning disability nurse
-care worker
-psychologist
-family project worker
-nurse "

In terms of courses, you can research conversion courses. These are courses for people like you who have changed their mind about a degree or job and would like to go into a completely different career path. This can include courses on: Psychology, Law, Medicine, Teaching, Nursing, IT, Computer Science, Business, Engineering etc...
They are usually quite short too depending on what subject

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-courses?extra-criteria=21371&featuredCourses=29651%2C125428&page=2

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

paub

11

it would have been better for yourself and the number of practicing midwives if you had discovered that 3 years back. you have cost the nhs a lot

Reply 3

hellohello5

OP

4

Original post by paub

it would have been better for yourself and the number of practicing midwives if you had discovered that 3 years back. you have cost the nhs a lot

I've cost the NHS a lot?? I have worked for free for 3 years, full time, during coronavirus, as part of staff with patients of my own, without getting paid, having to pay for travel AND having to pay over 9k each each year for the course. It has cost MYSELF a lot, time and money.

Reply 4

McGinger

18

Many jobs in the NHS - they may not initially pay as much as Midwifery - https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/search_vacancy/

And there are also Masters level courses to lead you into other, totally different areas such as Psychology, Social Work, Law etc - https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/conversion-courses

Reply 5

zoeschoolstuff

14

Original post by paub

it would have been better for yourself and the number of practicing midwives if you had discovered that 3 years back. you have cost the nhs a lot

Lol hardly, you do know student midwives work for FREE doing full time hours, the NHS owes them if anything. Just cos you do the degree doesn't mean you are now indebted to the NHS . Sometimes we realise things late, it happens

Reply 6

Satori Tendō

19

Original post by hellohello5

I've cost the NHS a lot?? I have worked for free for 3 years, full time, during coronavirus, as part of staff with patients of my own, without getting paid, having to pay for travel AND having to pay over 9k each each year for the course. It has cost MYSELF a lot, time and money.

Did you use the NHS learning support fund?

Reply 7

McGinger

18

Original post by Satori Tendō

Did you use the NHS learning support fund?

This thread is not asking 'have I let the NHS down/cost them money' - the OP is asking for career/pathway suggestions so please can you respect that and keep your other opinions to yourself.

Reply 8

Satori Tendō

19

Original post by McGinger

This thread is not asking 'have I let the NHS down/cost them money' - the OP is asking for career/pathway suggestions so please can you respect that and keep your other opinions to yourself.

oh no, I was just curious about how that works (since they've paid over 9k, maybe not all midwifery students get it?). I have no opinion on it, just a question.
They don't have to answer

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 9

paub

11

Original post by zoe.nyaku

Lol hardly, you do know student midwives work for FREE doing full time hours, the NHS owes them if anything. Just cos you do the degree doesn't mean you are now indebted to the NHS . Sometimes we realise things late, it happens

it costs over £51,000 to train a midwife/nurse. Workforce Plan for England 2015/16. (2015). Health Education England. so probably a lot more now.

Reply 10

lucyyy12

18

a lot of jobs now just ask for a degree in anything so I guess keep an eye out

Reply 11

desii_x0xo

1

that is just incorrect, the trusts are paid to have student midwives and we as students technically pay to go to placement. Please think properly before sending such an unhelpful and rude message.

Reply 12

Lily-Anne098

12

Original post by hellohello5

I am coming towards the end of my degree and i have realised for a while now that it isn't for me. What can i do with this degree in terms of jobs or courses?

Hi, i know its been a year since you made this post but i am curious about what you are currently doing because i am also in the same position that you were in. I qualify soon as a midwife but i really dont want to stay in this field. I was thinking maybe going into health visiting?

Reply 13

HolisticMidwife

Original post by Lily-Anne098

Hi, i know its been a year since you made this post but i am curious about what you are currently doing because i am also in the same position that you were in. I qualify soon as a midwife but i really dont want to stay in this field. I was thinking maybe going into health visiting?

Hi Lily, I'm not the OP obviously but I'm just about to start my midwifery degree in Scotland in September and was wondering myself about career options besides being an NHS midwife. For me it's not that I don't like the idea of being a midwife, or don't find what we'll learn interesting, it's more I don't like the NHS system and they certainly don't practice what they preach. I've spent time in a postnatal ward recently and I find it rather chaotic, part of that must be my unfamiliarity. The midwives there said they don't like their jobs because they're in and out of the bays without enough time to fully holistically support women. The amount of notes staff need to complete is a barrier and not something I look forward to, the new digital notes system seems more complicated than the traditional paper notes. All that time spent writing notes and becoming distracted by colleagues in the office could be spent with families. Anyway I digress...

Yes you can become a health visitor. I'm sure they're under as much stress or more than midwives though with caseloads and staff shortages. Here in Scotland we have the family nurse partnership which is special health visitors for young first time mums who support mums from pregnancy until child is 2. This is definitely something I'd like to do after my degree, if I manage to complete the degree that is. You could also work in the third sector for charities/community work. If you're interested in breastfeeding/infant feeding support here in Scotland we have specialist feeding midwives, infant feeding support workers, breastfeeding support workers in the community for some places. There's also coordinator positions for 3rd sector voluntary breastfeeding support groups such as Breast Buddies and La Leche League. All these roles have better hours, ditching the 12 hr shifts. I quite often have ideas for setting up my own charities but remember I'm only one person and still have bills to pay 😂

There are independent midwives I believe, it seems a bit confusing and complicated though and there doesn't seem enough of them to make it a viable career option, plus I don't like the idea of providing care only to people who can afford it. You could also be a doula or join a company or start your own doing antenatal/postnatal classes. I know people who do antenatal yoga, birthing classes, baby yoga/massage, postnatal fitness classes etc and they seem quite happy and are providing much needed services to the community.

Well done for sticking it out, there must be something that's keeping you around even if you don't want the job at the end. It's okay to change your mind. Is there anything that has put you off or anything you'd like to change if you were able to that would make the job more enjoyable?

What can I do with my midwifery degree

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