I attended a two day midwifery conference here in Colorado. I had
some really educational and mind-expanding classes! I just want to
also give a plug for the quality of education I'm receiving from
Aviva. I attended a class on Rh Factor and Rhogam and when the
instructor asked the class questions to see how much we knew about red
blood cells in general and the Rh factor, specifically, I could
knowledgeably and consistently answer them. There was actually quite a
few apprentice midwives that could not. I had several people after
class (including the instructor) asking what school I was attending,
so hopefully I will help increase the Aviva's student body!
----Sherri Antokin, Aviva student
I am a matriculating midwifery student at Aviva Institute I hold a BA in English Literature from Western Washington University (with a GPA of 3.8), so have some experience in higher education prior to starting at Aviva. I have found the program to be rigorous, challenging, professional, thorough, and highly responsive to feedback. I thoroughly researched this program, and compared the requirements course-for-course with Seattle Midwifery School before considering the program. I strive for excellence and am not tolerant of unprofessional, sloppy, or amateur conduct on behalf of the programs I select for myself. I have been completely satisfied with my experience at Aviva and do believe that the program's attention to quality and detail is giving me an excellent academic foundation in the study and practice of midwifery.
----Beth Arcese 1st year midwifery student
I chose this program for its great ability to provide an excellent education through distance learning. Without this type of learning environment and the well qualified instructors, I would be unable to fulfill my dream of becoming a midwife. I give Aviva my full support as it has been well deserved. The course designs and the rigor of course work, is one that will provide an excellent education for all their future midwives. I am proud to attend Aviva and I look forward to becoming a midwife through their program.
----Amy M. Banner 1st year midwifery student
In the short time that I have been involved with Aviva a whole new world has opened up for me. I wake up each day with renewed hope because of the detailed professional and personal instruction that I have been provided by the entire faculty and staff. I have been taking the prerequisites for the Bachelors of Science in Direct Entry Midwifery program Aviva offers. The thorough Anatomy and Physiology courses have indeed enabled me to begin intelligent dialog on the subject matter all the while not forgetting what path we are on. I have been enrolled in onsite college campuses prior and feel that the personal attention received for Aviva out weighs that of an onsite class of 20-30 or more. I have also enjoyed and benefitted from the interaction with other students via the Moodle program and have developed relationships with these wonderful people from all over the country. The trust because of the demonstrated knowledge and personal attention from the faculty that I have for Aviva ensures that I will continue my education to completion with this FANTASTIC institution.
----Beth Hartman, incoming midwifery student
I have a degree in social sciences that I received through an accredited school here in Sacramento, California. While obtaining my degree, I had the privilege to study under some of the highest respected professors in their field. It is in my opinion that the courses that I have taken here at Aviva Institute easily compare to the experiences that I have had in these other academic institutions. I would highly recommend anyone that is considering entering the field of midwifery to consider Aviva Institute as a viable option for their academics.
----Terresa Grace, incoming midwifery student
I began my journey to midwifery 10 years ago with an apprenticeship to a lay-midwife and although I learned a lot from her I also had huge gaps in my knowledge and understanding. Her answer was to have me read more books and attend more births. It did little to fill in my deeper understanding. I hungered after real concrete knowledge about the human body and how it works. I was stuck. I firmly believed in the midwifery model of care so my desire for scientific understanding seemed at odds with that end. Eventually my midwife moved away and I functioned as a fledgling lay midwife in her stead for a few months until I had a couple of scary births that clearly showed my ignorance. That was when I stopped practicing. It broke my heart to do so but I found my poor tattered copy of Heart and Hands to fall short of the mark when faced with a real emergency. That was 10 years ago and the heart of a midwife still burns within me. But I promised myself I wouldn't return to midwifery without real wisdom under my belt. I have taken the Doula course, the Medical Terminology course, and Anatomy and Physiology I and II. I am like a sponge. I was so thirsty for this knowledge. The amazing part is that I am getting the very thing I have so long desired! Real knowledge with true science behind it all, being taught with the Midwifery Model in mind. It is the very school I had envisioned during all those late night internet searches! I have considered some of the other "programs" where you stay for a few weeks to get enough births but knew in my heart that I would be gaining more hands on experience with little head knowledge to back it up. Aviva's program is preparing my mind! It is real college level courses that challenge that deeper part of my understanding. I had long dreamed of such a program but could only find ones for nurse midwives. Becoming a nurse midwife seemed a step backwards for me since I have seen so many beautiful natural births. Through my long search I can testify that this school is the best I've ever seen and because of the internet it is available to everyone. They are professional in their dealings with the students and have a great staff. Their technical team is awesome and very prompt to help with any issues. I am enjoying a wonderful learning experience with Aviva and truly believe in the work they are doing.
----Margie Kline, incoming midwifery student
I have been very pleased with the program at Aviva Institute. The courses are well-designed and challenging without being impossible. It did not take long to become comfortable with the on-line format and I have found the teachers to be exceptional and supportive. The discussion forums are invaluable in giving a classroom feel to the program. For me, the program allows me to complete a degree without having to travel or be out of my home to attend classes. Without this on-line option it would be impossible for me to be in college as I have a large family and a business to run. I also appreciate the flexible payment options and the affordability of the courses. I am grateful for this program and the opportunity it affords me to finally get a degree (I'm a 45 years old homemaker) and have a fulfilling career. -----Shawna Kelly-Wickersheim, 1st year midwifery student
After looking at all my options, I felt Aviva was the best possible school for me. For my style of learning, I felt a 6 week class would be better than cramming everything into two weekends. Additionally, I had an infant that only breastfed (no bottles), and it was comfortable for me to stay with him while completing my course. My instructor, Tamy Roloff, was amazing. She was so kind and knowledgeable. I felt I could ask her anything and my questions were always answered quickly and in depth. I came to know the group of students in my class and we shared life experiences that I know I wouldn't have been able to share face-to-face. There was openness and honesty to our discussions that really helped me understand what my role as a doula would be! The curriculum was very timely; we were directed to many sources that I doubt would have been available in a "traditional" setting. I absolutely loved the class and have recommended it to others. I look forward to furthering my education with more classes from Aviva.
----Dawn Fornear, Doula Student
Before entering the Aviva Institute I had two undergraduate degrees, one in Psychology and one in Sociology, and one year of Social Work graduate studies under my academic belt. I have two children, one of whom was born a year before I started with Aviva and one that was born during the first quarter of my second year at Aviva. I am a stay-at-home mother and hold a part-time position with the Aviva Institute. Thus far, the Aviva Institute is without a doubt the most transformative, organized, academically and intellectually challenging and well-balanced program I have had the privilege to take part in. The instructors are not only passionate and inspiring role-models, but they are engaging and encouraging of deep, thoughtful understanding and critical thinking. It is always expected that the work we as students do adheres to the highest academic standards and is of professional quality. Because Aviva Institute is a distance learning program, I have been able to take great strides in my path to becoming a Midwife while still holding true to my fundamental need to stay home with my children while they are young. There is no way I would be able to reach this dream and life balance without Aviva Institute. I am forever grateful. I truly believe that schools such as Aviva Institute are the wave of the future and that Aviva will be held as the model from which other distance learning programs will be formed.
----Brook A. Holmberg, 2nd year midwifery student
I find it really difficult to explain how I feel about Aviva, because no matter how I put it, I fail to do it justice.
I would never have imagined that midwifery education could be this awesome. When I spoke to women in other distance programs, I heard a lot about the difficulties of 'working alone' 'staying motivated' and 'receiving feedback.' When I looked at midwifery options, I chose Aviva because of its unique set-up. I am so glad that Aviva has a schedule and cohort groups. This allows me to receive feedback from instructors and peers, all in a timely manner. As a cohort, we are creating a network, distance aside. We are learning peer-assessment, and the skills we will need as professional who work with midwives, and other health care professionals. I also think that our instructors deserve a lot of credit. They are so fabulous. When they are teaching a course, they are very available to you, and always willing to work with you. We are not alone, floating in a sea of information. We're all in it together! There are also those special instructors who's passion for teaching midwives goes beyond the expectations. The ones that are available to you when they actually haven't taught you in months. These women bridge from instructor, to mentor. They are the ones that really keep us afloat, and we are so grateful to them. I think that Aviva's differences make it wonderful and so powerful! This school will take us from 'the calling' and make competent and successful midwives out of us! I would not want to be anywhere else!!!
----Eileen Roberts, 2nd year midwifery students.
I have consistently found the quality of the courses to be at a high level. The instructors are excellent, the course content is great and the class participants are enjoyable. I come from a strong academic background with a BA from New York University in political science and Russian language, an MPH from Tulane University in international health and development and a year of doctoral course work at the University of California at Berkley. I find the courses offered by Aviva to be of the same level of quality as the courses that I have taken at these institutions relative to the BA level. In particular, I am impressed with the range of material that is presented in the classes. I am consistently learning more than I expect and being turned on to a spectrum of information and resources that I did not previously know were available or how to access. Recently in the Cultural Diversity class, the supplemental reading that was recommended by the instructor has turned out to be very enlightening and helpful in my current professional capacity. In the case of this course and the History of Midwifery, I have continued my education beyond the end of the class through accessing additional reading material recommended during the course. I am especially pleased with the contact and interaction that takes place between the class participants. I find that the class participation is at a much higher level than is found in a typical classroom course. And, it is on an equal playing field not being dominated by the stronger personalities. All students are required to participate and are free to do so when it is convenient for them rather than when called upon by a teacher as happens in a regular classroom environment. I learn a lot from the diverse group of students that without this on-line educational option would otherwise not be brought together. I strongly support Aviva Institute as an educational entity. It is filling a vast hole in midwifery education.
----Sianna Tucket, incoming midwifery student
