Midwives have cared for birthing women since the beginning of human history. Today, midwives are independent, licensed professionals. They are educated at SUNY Downstate at the graduate level. Midwives provide full scope care to birthing persons, families, and communities. They work within the health care system, collaborating with physicians, social workers, nutritionists, nurses, and other health care providers and specialists as the need arises.
Midwifery is a cornerstone practice at SUNY Downstate: Our program's roots go back to 1932, when the nation's first formal educational program for midwives began. Today, we are recognized nationwide for providing excellence in education, strong clinical experiences for students, innovation, and diversity. SUNY Downstate developed the first integrated program in the United States for people with nursing licensure and those from a great variety of professional and educational backgrounds.
The program emphasis its relationship to the community Downstate serves. Although our graduates can and do provide midwifery services in all settings, our particular focus is on urban, underserved populations, many of which include large numbers of immigrants and/or persons of color. In any given year, Black, Latinx or Asian students represent 30 to 70 percent of the midwifery program’s student body.