Approved Preceptor Qualifications:

1. Be a CPM, CNM, ND, NP, MD, DC, or other licensed or certified health care provider.
2. Have more than five years experience in the area you are certified/licensed in.
3. For those with out-of-hospital birth practices, be able to offer specific experience such as GYN or prenatal, venipuncture, vitals, etc.
4. Have a written agreement with each student, clearly outlining her responsibilities and your expectations.
5. Carry malpractice insurance, or have an  informed consent form that all your clients sign, which states that you do not carry malpractice insurance, and which legally waives the school’s liability for you and your student (yes, we know that they can still try to sue us, but it helps).
6. Love, Love, Love training midwives.

1. Provide a physical location and adequate clinical space; provide or help to arrange a variety of client encounters.
2. Provide the opportunity for the student to perform clinical activities. Be available for supervision, consultation and teaching.
3. Supervise, demonstrate, teach, and observe the student in clinical activities, in order to develop her skills and to ensure proper care of the client.
4. Delegate gradually increasing levels of responsibility to the student as her skills develop.
5. Schedule regular time to review objectives with the student in order to identify problem areas, and provide specific experiences in order for her to resolve these.
6. Allow the student to utilize documentation skills appropriate to midwifery management.
7. Participate in the evaluation of the student’s clinical skills and theoretical knowledge base through the following mechanisms:
1. Direct supervision, observation and teaching in the clinical setting.
2. Encourage and support students’ oral presentations.
3. Complete regular written evaluations for the purpose of monitoring  by the student and program.
4. Support the student in completing birth reports and other necessary school records.  Verify with signature and comments.
5. Facilitate relations between the student and other  professionals in the setting/community.
6. Participate in preceptor workshops or meetings with others who are training apprentices, when feasible.
7. Provide early notification if problems arise that would prevent the preceptor from accomplishing the above items or diminish the training experience for the student.

Approved Preceptors are paid a small stipend by the school to compensate for the administrative time. In addition, the student may pay practicum fee, which varies depending on the number of births you do. 

Other Benefits:

• Aviva students have shown themselves to be highly motivated, committed and dedicated. Our prerequisite process weeds out students who from inclination or life circumstances do not have the needed time, energy and ability for the demands of midwifery practice. Many will have at least one year prior training, have a solid academic background so you will not have to teach them everything from scratch.
• You will receive training materials on how to become a better clinical preceptor.
• You will have a third party to act as a buffer if issues arise.
• You will receive support and help in your role as a clinical teacher.
• You will be listed as approved preceptor on the web site, linking to your personal site if you have one.
• Discounts in continuing education courses offered by Aviva.

Download the Application here. Download the Approved Preceptor Form here.

Affiliated Clinical Sites

Affiliated Clinical sites are State Licensed Birth Centers which have met the above criteria for Approved Preceptors. In addition, they agree to be available for students needing specific clinical skills, like taking vitals, or IV's, if apprenticeship or internship positions are unavailable, as well as additional criteria. In addition to the benefits listed above, Clinical Sites are eligible to receive teaching materials, have access to educational resources such as the online libraries the school will have subscriptions to, as well as other resources. To place an application to become and affliated clinical site please contact development here.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Aviva Institute does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical disability in recruitment, hiring or promotion. Physical disabilities may be considered only as they relate to job requirements.