Welcome to the MANA News Student Edition!

Dear MANA Student Midwives,

We are thrilled to dedicate this issue of the MANA News to you - the future of the midwifery profession! Our organization depends on your involvement, and we want you to know that MANA is your home. We need your voices!

Today's student midwives are faced with issues specific to our current midwifery climate. Which credential to work towards? Attend an accredited program or complete a portfolio process? Where to practice? How to integrate into the maternity care system? How to run a business? So many questions...with answers that are often limited.

Lack of access to clinical training opportunities, especially in the out of hospital environment, continues to be a major issue. As the number of students vying for apprenticeship increases, access to training becomes more difficult. We would love to hear what barriers to training you face in today's world. And, we would love to hear your ideas for innovative approaches to this dilemma.

You are important to us. The MANA Board will be showing our appreciation for you by once again offering a free student pre-conference workshop at the 2015 MANA Conference, and hosting a casual dinner for students to meet with the MANA Board on Friday evening. We have launched a new Facebook page for MANA students, moderated by MANA volunteer Juliana Taylor, to help us open the line of communication for your voice (find the group here - all student midwives welcome!). Please join us - at the conference, on social media or in whatever way that makes sense for you.

Thank you for your dedication to mothers and babies! And thank you for being a part of MANA - Where All Student Midwives Matter!

~ Sarita Bennett, DO, CPM
Vice President, MANA Board of Directors
Sarita & AEME Students with model pelvis

How To Choose A Pathway and A Program

15 Questions To Ask Before Choosing Your Program

MANA Director of Public Affairs Treesa McLean has assembled the top questions she encourages potential students to ask when considering a pathway and a program. We'd love your feedback on what questions you considered as you started your journey! Learn more at the MANA blog.

Prison and Birth

Desiree Robles, a student midwife at Midwives College of Utah, shares with the MANA community the current state of maternity care for incarcerated women in the United States, along with policy recommendations for improving outcomes for mothers and babies. This post is the first of an occasional series of articles written by students. Interested in contributing? Contact MANA at Publicaffairs@mana.org. Read Desiree's article here.

MANA Virtual Film Festival

Free Screening of "Catching Babies" for MANA Members - Two Weeks Only!

What if we could change the world by changing the way babies are born? "Catching Babies" is a 60 minute documentary film that weaves the stories of mothers and midwives on the journey to bring life into the world. Filmed along the US-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, "Catching Babies" follows four young women as they study midwifery at Maternidad La Luz. As the women juggle their rigorous academic struggles, they must also provide quality health care to mothers and babies. Watch the sister-midwives as they live and learn in this transformative space, which gives birth to babies, mothers and midwives. MANA student members and members are invited to a free screening, two weeks only: July 22nd - August 6th. Click here to view. (Please do NOT share this link with others or on social media - thank you!)

Videographer Barni Axmed Qaasim is a storyteller and filmmaker who creates art to envision a just and sustainable world. Barni created CATCHING BABIES after witnessing a childhood friend, midwife Andrea Ruizquez, support a family through birth. Barni is currently working on a new documentary about a community-led substance abuse support group with filmmaker Sara MacPherson.

Learn more about the video here.

Student Rate at #MANA15

Student rates are available for the MANA 2015 conference. MANA student members receive up to $200 off the cost of a full-conference registration; non-member students receive up to $140 off the full-conference fee! Register now, before Early Bird discount rates expire on July 31!

To qualify as a student you must be actively involved in an apprenticeship with a practicing midwife or be attending midwifery school. A letter from your preceptor or school stating this relationship must be included with your registration.

Scholarships at MANA

With support from the Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery (FAM), MANA will again be offering registration scholarships to attend the conference. Priority will be given to those who have not received a MANA scholarship in the past. Applications are available until July 31, 2015. Apply today!

Call for Student Posters at #MANA15

MANA is accepting submissions for poster presentations for the Harris-Braun Outstanding Poster Award for Research. Poster content could include preliminary or final results from a research project, a review of best practices for a maternal-child health issue, a history of an outreach project or initiative, or a summary of the evidence on a particular clinical intervention. Submissions are due September 1.

For more information about posters, or to see examples or tips, check out our blog post.

Free Student Skills Pre-Conference Workshop at #MANA15

Hosted by Experienced Midwives

Please join us for the Student Skills Workshop at MANA 2015 Conference! The Student Skills Workshop is a free half-day pre-conference workshop for student midwives on Thursday, October 15. Students will have the opportunity to have hands-on clinical training with local midwives. The workshop theme is "Skills for the Immediate Postpartum". It will cover topics such as: facilitating delivery of the placenta including appropriate timing of clamping and cutting the cord; examination and assessment of the placenta; immediate care of mother and newborn; and much more.

This workshop is perfect for both beginning and advanced students and a great way to start your MANA2015 Conference experience. Pre-registration is required for this free workshop. Explore this and other great precon sessions for students here.

Save the dates:

Jul 22-Aug 6: "Catching Babies" Virtual Screening

Jul 31: Early Bird Registration Ends

Jul 31: Scholarship Applications Due

Oct 15-18: SHINE: MANA 2015 Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Facebook

Twitter

Website