The University of British Columbia is reviewing its four-year midwifery program to figure out if it can continue despite the lack of funding.
The program is the only one in Western Canada and currently accepts 10 first-year students every year. The other universities that offer the degree – Laurentian University, McMaster University and Ryerson University – are all in Ontario.
The ministry of advanced education and the ministry of health directly fund the program, which has graduated 40 students since its start in 2002.
“For the beginning program, no one was really sure what would come out of it,” said Linda Bartz, a spokesperson for the faculty of medicine at UBC.
It is still unknown whether the program may close as a result of the review. “There is no question the faculty, the school and the ministry of education want this program and want it to succeed,” Bartz said. Midwifery services are provincially funded in B.C., and the demand for midwives during childbirth is growing in the province and in Canada, according to Bartz.
“It’s not unusual for a program to be under review,” Bartz said. The results of the review may impact future classes, and according to the university’s website, “The review or [the] implementation of any changes may not be completed in time to admit students for the fall 2010 term.” Students are being told to also apply to midwifery programs at other universities for the next school year.
However, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) only allows students to apply to one university midwifery program in Ontario for any year. Ryerson, Laurentian and McMaster universities were not available to comment on the effect this review might have on the number of out-of-province students accepted into their programs. For UBC students currently enrolled in the midwifery program, the review will have no impact on their studies or their future graduation.