Eight Mount Royal University students made history Thursday when they graduated from the first and only midwifery program in Alberta.
The graduates all wore red shoes, a tradition that started at the midwifery program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.
“It’s a momentous day for Mount Royal and for the province as a whole,” said Chad London, dean of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies.
Demand for midwives has grown since midwifery became regulated as a profession in Alberta in 1998, and became publicly funded in April 2009, London said.
He said women appreciate the continuity of care — before, during and after birth — and the choice of where to give birth.
“There are 55,000 births a year. Four per cent of those are cared for by midwives,” London said, adding the number is closer to 15 per cent for British Columbia and Ontario.
Currently there are about 70 registered midwives in Alberta. They, along with the eight new graduates, will be able to serve as supervisors for future students of the program, London said.
He said enrolment will grow as the province adds more registered midwives.
Before the program was introduced in 2011, Albertans had to travel out-of-province to attend the six other midwifery programs in Canada, or even overseas, London said.
Seven of the eight grads have already landed jobs.
One of them, Elizabeth Finn, is headed to Kelowna for work.
“I think it’s going to give women in Alberta a lot more options as far as who their care providers are and the way they want to experience their pregnancy and birth,” said Finn, who became interested in the program while studying to become a nurse.
Fellow grad Melanna Mamo, who got a job in Vancouver, said she chose midwifery as she’s been interested in the field since she was a child.
“I went to my first birth when I was 13 years old and it’s been what I wanted to do since I was really young. There was really nothing else.”
