Mercy In Action’s Post-Graduate Diploma in International Midwifery and Maternal/Child Health Reviews

Mercy in Action’s Diploma of International Midwifery was a rich and enjoyable study. The directed modules covering global maternal and neonatal health issues and the general state of women around the world, along with the ways that midwifery can meet the needs, were helpful in understanding the big picture. Then, the country-specific research of those same areas gave me a deeper understanding of the lives and health of women around me in Nepal. I thoroughly enjoyed the course, the research, and the books that we were assigned to read. As an RN and a CPM, I felt the material was challenging and the more I put into the course, the more I got out of it. I have found that because of the research that the Diploma course led me through, I have been able to have serious, off-the-cuff discussions with health care workers about the state of women’s health in Nepal, and found them nodding along with my assessments and hopes. As well, along with another midwife trained in Helping Babies Breathe and Helping Mother’s Survive, I was able to join in teaching these courses to nurses, medical interns, and midwives in a rural hospital in eastern Nepal.

~Joy Hearn, RN, CPM, Diploma Graduate

Mercy in Action’s Diploma program is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in global health/maternal health to learn and grow. It gave me so many wonderful tools to use as a midwife who spent time in Afghanistan working on maternal health projects. This program prepared me to work in a low-resource setting and taught me how to support and empower local healthcare workers. While all of it was valuable, the highlight for me was going through the Helping Mothers Survive and Helping Babies Breathe trainings, which I was able to implement in Afghanistan. I always got positive feedback from my students, who found these trainings to be extremely beneficial, especially with the practical, hands-on element. I will always be grateful for everything I learned from the Diploma program and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in global health!

~Ricki Wegner, CPM, Diploma Graduate

The Diploma in International Midwifery and Maternal/Child Health has been a transformative experience for me as a midwife working in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Ethiopia. The program enhanced my ability to provide respectful, evidence-based, and culturally sensitive care. I especially valued the global maternal health strategies modules and the International Childbirth Initiative, which I have already begun implementing in my hospital through staff sensitization and training. The program was supportive, and the program's flexibility allowed me to continue serving my community while advancing my education. I now feel empowered to lead improvements in maternal and newborn care across my region, and I highly recommend this program to any midwife committed to making a global impact.

~Melese Gabure, Midwife, Diploma Graduate

Ethiopia

I loved the diploma program. This program was essential in preparing me for sustainable global practice. The program prepared me to work in an intercultural environment in a way that is thoughtful, culturally competent, and cooperative. I think anyone who’s interested in working with intercultural or underserved communities internationally or at home should do the diploma program.

I still reference a lot of books on the book list... The in-person component was also extremely helpful and I’m planning to implement the Helping Mothers and Babies survive curriculum in a training program for local nurses and midwives. I have recommended this program to multiple midwifery students and healthcare professionals.

~Madison Sekiziyivu RN BSN IBCLC, Diploma Graduate

Angola

As a midwife in private practice in the US, I generally work with a healthy and privileged population. This thorough, self-paced program was such a good reminder of the underprivileged of the world and all of the obstacles they encounter. I used to think of poverty as a risk factor, I know realize it is actually an unnatural condition that in itself produces complications and death which requires a different awareness and approach. I appreciate the emphasis on cultural sensitivity; exchanging our knowledge to empower one another and further equip health workers in low resourced areas. The program requires a more extensive amount of reading, research, and writing than I was prepared for. Working around a busy practice, it took me much longer than the 3-year expectation. So glad I was finally able to attend the workshop. It would be helpful to have those dates a year in advance. Each research paper I wrote was sent to a traditional midwife somewhere around the globe. It was really beautiful to have their feedback. I would like to encourage them to do be freer in sharing their experiences and more extensive in their feedback, it is very valuable. If one desires to teach, resources are well laid out. The MIA staff are all knowledgeable, down-to-earth, lovely and encouraging. I really appreciate that they not only study these ideas, they live it! I would love to hear even more about their experiences. I hope to use this program as a tool to enter and assist those who are less fortunate; helping to turn the tide on maternal and infant death. Thank you all for your love and care for all mamas and babies around the globe!!!

~ Ronda Perea, CPM, Diploma Graduate

I graduated as a Certified Professional Midwife in 2018 and immediately threw myself into what I always wanted to do: Help train more midwives and birth attendants in low-resource and high-mortality nations. That year I travelled to Senegal, Mozambique and Kenya volunteering and offering basic training to Traditional Birth Attendants. I was overwhelmed by the need, the many obstacles and the cultural aspects of the task as well as how unprepared I was. When I returned home, I heard about Mercy in Action International Midwifery and Maternal and Child Health Diploma. This was just what I needed to prepare me.

Looking back on my experience, I wonder how much better everything could have been had I obtained the knowledge I now have through this postgraduate course. I am getting ready to return to my birth country of Brazil and get involved with the VBAC scene there. I find strength in knowing that I can always return to the teachings I found here to help me thread lightly and respectfully, even when you want to offer help.

~Rita Willis, CPM, Diploma Graduate