title: Midwives in medical student and resident education and the development of the medical education caucus toolkit.
abstract: Midwives have been involved formally and informally in the training of medical students and residents for many years. Recent reductions in resident work hours, emphasis on collaborative practice, and a focus on midwives as key members of the maternity care model have increased the involvement of midwives in medical education. Midwives work in academic settings as educators to teach the midwifery model of care, collaboration, teamwork, and professionalism to medical students and residents. In 2009, members of the American College of Nurse-Midwives formed the Medical Education Caucus (MECA) to discuss the needs of midwives teaching medical students and residents; the group has held a workshop annually over the last 4 years. In 2014, MECA workshop facilitators developed a toolkit to support and formalize the role of midwives involved in medical student and resident education. The MECA toolkit provides a roadmap for midwives beginning involvement and continuing or expanding the role of midwives in medical education. This article describes the history of midwives in medical education, the development and growth of MECA, and the resulting toolkit created to support and formalize the role of midwives as educators in medical student and resident education, as well as common challenges for the midwife in academic medicine. This article is part of a special series of articles that address midwifery innovations in clinical practice, education, interprofessional collaboration, health policy, and global health.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radoff
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natch
authors.forename: Edie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McConaughey
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salstrom
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schelling
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seger
mesh_terms: D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D009721:Nurse Midwives; D011247:Pregnancy; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: interprofessional education toolkit; medical student education; midwives; resident education