The Nurse-Midwifery fellowship program combines didactic and clinical training over a 12-month period. Curriculum experiences can be directly suited to personal interests, past experiences, and future career paths.

The goal of the fellowship is to build on existing midwifery skills, provide additional clinical training, and foster leadership through formal mentorship and completion of a quality or research project.

Trainee experience

Fellows participate in outpatient (prenatal and postpartum visits) and inpatient care (triage, labor and delivery, and postpartum), as well as regular education sessions, journal clubs, leadership development, and mentorship opportunities. Fellows are supported in the completion of a process improvement, quality improvement, or research project. Fellows also complete Team STEPPS, ALSO training, and participate in various enhanced education sessions. Additionally, fellows will attend the Minnesota ACNM-Affiliate 1-day Optimal Outcomes conference.

Clinical training and rotations

Nurse-Midwifery fellows complete clinical training at two different facilities.

The first six months (approximately) of the fellowship are spent in Rochester, Minnesota. During this time, the fellow completes outpatient and inpatient clinical experiences with a schedule that mirrors that of a full-time staff midwife. There is also designated time for didactics, mentorship, and the quality project.

The next three months (approximately) will continue to be in Rochester, but the fellow will be working on completion of “elective” options and working on their project. The fellow will work with the program director to select elective opportunities based on future goals, learning needs, and areas of interest. These experiences may include:

• First Assist Training (ACNM course during elective time and clinical application time at health system site)
• Ultrasound Training (Online course and clinical application time in Rochester)
• General GYN/UroGyn/Colposcopy clinic
• Diabetes and pregnancy training
• Perinatal Psych training
• Early Pregnancy Care Clinic (management of first trimester bleeding/pain and loss)
• Complex Care Clinic (management of high-risk pregnancies)
• Leadership training/opportunities
• And much more!

After completing their elective block, the fellow will rotate to one Mayo Clinic Health System site for approximately three months to finish their fellowship. Possible health system sites include: a community health system site in Red Wing, MN, or a regional health system hub site in Mankato, MN or Eau Claire, WI.

Schedule and hours

Nurse-Midwifery fellows will be expected to work a standard 40-hour work week (80 hours per pay period). Additional temporary call hours may be required based on birth volumes at some health system sites.

Facilities

Nurse-Midwifery fellows work in the Rochester-based midwifery practice for the first part of their fellowship. Patients are seen in the outpatient obstetric clinic in the Charlton building, and births are attended at the Family Birth Center in the Eisenberg building. Elective options are generally completed at Rochester-based Mayo Clinic locations. Clinical rotations will also occur throughout the Mayo Clinic Health System at one different site for approximately three months. Possible sites include Red Wing, Mankato, or Eau Claire.

Department and faculty

Mayo Clinic employs certified nurse-midwives in Rochester and throughout the Mayo Clinic Health System in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The midwifery team in Rochester specializes in obstetric care, attending approximately 800 births per year. Midwives in the health system provide full-scope obstetric and gynecologic care in a variety of care models with birth volumes ranging from 150-650 births per year. Mayo Clinic midwives work within a multidisciplinary, collaborative team with obstetricians, maternal fetal medicine physicians, nurse-practitioners, residents, and nurses.

Midwives enjoy high-level resource support with access to specialists in medical genetics, reproductive infertility medicine, and other medical and surgical specialties as needed throughout Mayo Clinic. Additional career opportunities for midwives at Mayo Clinic include academic advancement, leadership of committees and teams, participation in quality improvement projects and research studies, clinical education of a variety of learners, and development of leading-edge innovation.

Evaluation

Nurse-Midwifery fellows will be evaluated on a quarterly basis to ensure they are on track for program completion. Ongoing mentorship will be provided by the Mayo Clinic midwifery team. One-on-one feedback and support will be available from the Fellowship Program Director and Associate Program Director.