So what's it really like to be in the Midwifery Education Program? The MSMC has interviewed students from all four levels to get their perspective. Our first interview is with current first year student, Jenni.
MSMC: What excites you most about becoming a midwife? Jenni: I am most excited to develop relationships with childbearing women and families. In my own pregnancies, my midwives were so supportive and I felt genuinely cared for. I want to be able offer that experience to others. Pregnancy is a process of becoming, and it’s such a fascinating process. I feel very excited at the prospect of being able to go through that experience with clients. My goal in life has always been to act in service of others. I’m looking forward to both the joyous exciting moments and the sacrifices, because in my own life I’ve learned that sacrifice is uncomfortable, but it shapes you into a better person. MSMC: What is the most interesting thing that you’ve learned this year? Jenni: How can I pick one thing?! I’ve learned so many things that I find fascinating! I’ve become that annoying person that tells you why your elderly dog is going deaf (its arthritis in his ossicles!) or why you shouldn’t eat salt if you have high blood pressure. I learned about how antibodies in breastmilk work to defend babies from infection which is really neat. I’ve learned life skills, like crockpot cooking and delegation of household duties (and when that doesn’t work, the fine art of cutting corners). I’ve learned better ways of keeping myself organized, and when that failed I developed a close relationship with the kind folks who run the lost and found. I’ve learned about my classmates’ strengths and determination and I’ve found my own strength. MSMC: What was the most challenging part of the application process? Jenni: I think for me the most challenging part was deciding whether or not to go through with it! With 4 young kids at home I often wondered if I was biting off more than I could chew. I went back and forth on it a lot. I had concerns about childcare, placements, finances, and living arrangements. It required careful planning and a lot of discussion with my partner. In the end I decided to go for it and I don’t regret it. I’ve really enjoyed being in first year. I am nervous about how the future will go, but sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith! MSMC: How did you find balancing your home, social, and school lives this year? Jenni: This has undoubtedly been the biggest challenge of all for me. It has been a steep learning curve not only for me, but my family as well. I was a stay at home mom for 7 years so it’s been hard figuring out how to balance my kids and homework and housework. I think the most important thing I had to learn was to let go of the guilt. At times I would feel badly if I went to study with friends and we were taking a break or just chatting because I felt like it was time I was cheating my family out of. But I had to realize that it was okay to take that time and build relationships and blow off some steam because that is part of being a student too. Feeling guilty wasn’t going to help me or my family. The challenges aren’t necessarily harder than I imagined they would be, just different. For example I was worried about whether I would be able to continue to breastfeed my 1 year old and that hasn’t been a problem at all. But sorting out childcare for the exam period was aggravating, and my laundry situation is out of control! I try and tackle it all with a sense of humour. MSMC: Do you have any advice for people considering applying to McMaster? Jenni: I’m not sure I feel totally qualified to answer this question as I’ve only been a student here for 4 months (although they’ve been a really great 4 months!). I would advise anyone worrying about the application process to be yourself. I know that’s clichéd advice, but our class really is a diverse crew from all ages and all sorts of different backgrounds, so it’s evident that there isn’t any one sort of “type” who is selected as midwife material. I think Mac is a great place to be learning midwifery and I’m really glad to be part of the program. Every student has different perspectives and experiences that they bring to the program. Stay tuned for more interviews with McMaster students! Have any questions about the MSMC or McMaster Midwifery? Contact us here or check out our Facebook Page. Comments are closed.
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