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The Associate of Science in Midwifery (ASM) Program is the foundation for all midwifery skills. Our program allows students to earn an ASM degree to become a Direct-Entry Midwife and readies them to pass state or national licensing/certification exams.  It includes care for client and infant. Client care covers annual wellness exams to postpartum care through the childbearing years.  The ASM program is divided into clinical and academic requirements.  Traditionally, midwifery students learned under the guidance of an experienced midwife in an apprenticeship.  The goal of our ASM program is to support this apprenticeship model of midwifery education while remaining flexible enough to suit most educational settings. We now offer all academics online through our distance education program, taught by NCM's online professors.

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NCM supplies an accredited comprehensive academic and clinical curriculum to ensure the education of a competent, confident midwife. We recognize the specialized and distinct experience each preceptor brings and allow for flexibility in a myriad of apprenticeship settings, which honors the individual needs of each student and preceptor. Students are required to contract with their own preceptors which helps to ensure a cultural match and allows the student to stay in their community or the community they wish to work within. Students and Preceptors are free to study at their own pace (please note: some courses have an expiration date of 7 years, after which they must be redone to ensure the student has current information; please check the student handbook), in a way that meets their preferences and increases convenience and satisfaction.

 

ASM Program Overview

 

Student and Preceptor Enrollment:

  • Please see the Enrollment section of the NCM Handbook.

  • ASM Student applicants are required to find their own clinical preceptor(s). The National College of Midwifery provides academic professors.  

  • Students must have at least one clinical preceptor when they enroll in the College. Since there are certain NARM skills that require evaluation from 2 different clinical preceptors, students will ultimately need to secure at least 2 clinical preceptors in order to complete the clinical portions of the program.

  • Preceptors can teach the clinical portion of the program. Academics will be taught by NCM's online professors.

    • Please note that although it is only required the student has a contract with one clinical preceptor in order to enroll, at least two clinical preceptors are required to complete the program.  The 2nd clinical preceptor is ONLY REQUIRED to complete an evaluation of the NARM Skills requiring two signatures.  Any number of a student's clinical preceptors can each supervise and evaluate any combination of academic and clinical requirements, as long as all requirements are completed, and that the student has had the 4 NARM skills evaluated by two different clinical preceptors.​​​

 

Credits:

112.88 
(116.88 for California Students: To satisfy the standards of Midwifery Licensing by the California Medical Board there are a few additions to the regular coursework. www.mbc.ca.gov )

 

Program Length:
The ASM is a three-year equivalent program, which can be completed in a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years. Check out the interactive ASM Plan of Completion.

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Co/Pre-requisites:
High School Diploma or GED,
3 credits of College Level Math*,

4 credits of College Level English Composition*.

ASM students in California must additionally complete:

  • Chemistry: 3 credits*

  • Child Growth and Development: 1 credit*

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Academic Requirements:

80 Academic Credits (84 for California Students)

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All Midwifery (MW) courses and the General Education courses Cultural Issues, Genetic Screening, and Laws & Regulations must be taken within 7 years of graduation, including transfers.

 

Math & Human Life Science (12 credit hours):

  • BIO155G -Anatomy and Physiology (4 credits)

  • BIO120-Fetal Development (1 credit)

  • SOC102-Genetic Screening (1 credit)

  • HON205G-Applied Microbiology (3 credits)

  • MATH112G-Fundamental Math (3 credits)*, co-requisite

  • California Students (must complete an additional 4 credits):

    • MOD1-SCI102G-Chemistry* (3 credits)

    • MOD2-SOC104-Child Growth & Development* (1 credit)

 

Critical Thinking & Psychosocial Issues (14 credit hours):

  • PSY224-Communication & Counseling (1 credit)

  • HON248G-Cultural Considerations (3 credits)

  • HON223G-Evolution of Human Sexuality (3 credits)

  • MW350-Perinatal Ed Including Lactation (3 credits)

  • ENG200G-Analytical Writing (4 credits)*, co-requisite

 

MW 300 Antepartum Management (6 credit hours): 

  • MW300-AP Basic Skills (1 credit)

  • MW301-AP Risk Screening (0.5 credit)

  • MW302-AP Physical Assessment (0.5 credit)

  • MW303-AP Provision of Care (1 credit)

  • MW304-AP Complications (0.5 credit)

  • MW305-AP Pharmacology (1 credit)

  • MW306-AP Nutrition (0.5 credit)

  • MW307-AP Diagnostic Lab Tests & Procedures (0.5 credit)

  • MW308-AP Observation & Charting (0.5 credit)

  • MW309-AP- CPR (0 credit)

 

MW 320 Intrapartum Management (6 credit hours):

  • MW320-IP Basic Skills (1 credit)

  • MW321-IP Risk Screening (1 credit)

  • MW322-IP Physical Assessment(0.5 credit)

  • MW323-IP Provision of Care (1 credit)

  • MW324-IP Complications (1 credit)

  • MW325-IP Pharmacology (0.5 credit)

  • MW327-IP Diagnostic Lab Tests & Procedures (0.5 credit)

  • MW328-IP Observation & Charting (0.5 credit)

  • MW329-IP IV THERAPY(0 credit)

 

MW 340 Postpartum Management (6 credit hours):

  • MW340-PP Basic Skills (1 credit)

  • MW341-PP Risk Screening (1 credit)

  • MW342-PP Physical Assessment (0.5 credit)

  • MW343-PP Provision of Care (1 credit)

  • MW344-PP Complications (1 credit)

  • MW345-PP Pharmacology (0.5 credit)

  • MW347-PP Diagnostic Lab Tests & Procedures (0.5 credit)

  • MW348-PP Observation & Charting (0.5 credit)

 

MW 360 Newborn Management (6 credit hours):

  • MW360-NB Basic Skills (1 credit)

  • MW361-NB Risk Screening (1 credit)

  • MW362-NB Physical Assessment (1 credit)

  • MW363-NB Complications (1 credit)

  • MW364-NB Provision of Care (0.5 credit)

  • MW365-NB Pharmacology (0.5 credit)

  • MW367-NB Diagnostic Lab Tests & Procedures (0.5 credit)

  • MW368-NB Observation & Charting (0.5 credit)

  • MW369-NB NRP -Neonatal Resuscitation (0 credit)

 

MW 380 Well-Woman Reproductive Health Care (6 credit hours):                                              

  • MW380-WW Risk Screening (0.5 credit)

  • MW382-WW Physical Assessment (1 credit)

  • MW384-WW Provision of Care (1 credit)

  • MW387-WW Diagnostic Lab Tests & Procedures (1 credit)

  • MW386-WW Family Planning (1 credit)

  • MW385-WW Pharmacology (1 credit)

  • MW388-WW Observation & Charting (0.5 credit)

 

Professional Issues (24 credit hours): 

  • HON222G-History of Midwifery (3 credits)

  • HON225G-Ethics (2 credits)

  • HON390G-Laws/Regulations (3 credits)

  • MW250-Protocols (1 credit)

  • HON393G-Community Health (3 credits)

  • MW350-Out of Hospital Birth (3 credits)

  • ENG202G-Bus. & Prof. Communications (3 credits)

  • HON211G-Statistics (3 credits)

  • HON220G-Midwifery Literature & Art (3 credits)

 

Additional Academic Requirements

The following items completed during the HON390G-Laws & Regulations and MW250-Protocols Courses must be submitted electronically to the College:

  1. Informed Consent Form

  2. Emergency Transfer Plan Form

  3. Practice Guidelines

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To View Each Course's Syllabus

View the syllabi for each of our courses by clicking this link and selecting NCM Syllabi from the index.

 

*Prerequisite college-level courses and additional California requirements must be completed at an outside accredited college or university.  These may be completed concurrently with NCM coursework (See NCM's policy on accepting transfer credits in the NCM Handbook. All Midwifery (MW) courses and the General Education courses HON248G Cultural Issues, SOC102 Genetic Screening, and HON390G Midwifery Laws and Regulations must be taken within 7 years of graduation.) 

 

Clinical Requirements:

  • A minimum of 2 years of clinical experience under the supervision of the student's official NCM preceptors at a single site or a variety of sites.

  • All clinical activities must be directly supervised  by the student's official NCM preceptors and must be completed to the level of Mastery

  • The following, including the requirements of the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM)

 

Observes:

10 Births as Observer

 

Assists Under Supervision:

3 Initial Prenatal Assists

22 Prenatals Assists

20 Birth Assists

20 Newborn Exam Assists

10 Postpartum Exam Assists

 

Primaries Under Supervision:

30 Well Woman / Family Planning

20 Initial Visits

55 Prenatals

25 Birth as Primary

20 Newborn Exams

40 Postpartum Exams

 

NARM Continuities of Care: 5 of the 20 Delivery Newborn & Placenta as Primary must be for women for whom the student has provided primary care. All of these 5 Births as Primary Under Supervision must include Full Continuity. Each must include 5 prenatals spanning 2 trimesters, the birth, newborn exam, and 2 postpartum exams.

 

NARM Out of Hospital Births: 10 of the Births as Primary Under Supervision must be in an out of hospital setting, and must occur within 3 years of taking the NARM Exam.

 

NARM Clinical Skills: Clinical Skills practiced and completed to mastery throughout both academic and clinical training.

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The Associate of Science in Midwifery degree is granted upon completion of program requirements and passing of the NARM exam, see www.narm.org

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STUDENT APPLICATION

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ASM
ASM
Associate of Science in Midwifery

Become a Direct-Entry Midwife!

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