Development of a Cocurricular Program to Prepare New Graduate Midwives for Rural Practice

Limited maternity care access is a significant challenge affecting rural communities across the United States and Colorado, and midwives are a viable solution to closing these gaps. The Health Resources and Services Administration's MatCare grant program was designed to increase access to midwifery care for underserved populations through support for midwife trainees who will work in rural and underserved communities after graduation. We operationalized the MatCare aims to create the Colorado Rural Midwifery Workforce Expansion Program. In this program, the students follow the rural midwifery track and complete the Preparation for Rural Professional Practice (PRPP) curriculum. The PRPP is a cocurricular program that provides future rural midwives with additional didactic and clinical training opportunities, leadership development, and mentorship that will support the growth of midwifery in rural areas. A rural workforce preparation program equips midwives with specialized knowledge and skills that support their integration into rural environments. Midwives have the potential to improve access to health care when employed as primary maternity care providers.