The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing has received preaccreditation status from the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education to establish the state’s first nurse-midwifery program, which will launch in fall 2026.
The master’s-level degree program will help aspiring midwives reach the workforce after two and a half years of graduate training. Many of the courses will be taught virtually, though the students will convene in-person each semester for a skill-development session at the main UAMS campus in Little Rock or the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville.
The students will complete their training by working alongside certified nurse-midwives, as well as advanced practice registered nurses and physicians, at clinical placement sites in the state.
A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is an advanced practice clinician who assists not only in labor and delivery but also provides primary and reproductive health care from adolescence through menopause. In Arkansas, nurse-midwives provide services at UAMS as well as in private practices, specialty clinics, federally qualified health centers and home birth practices.
Samantha Crouch, DNP, CNM, assistant professor in the UAMS College of Nursing and director of the Nurse-Midwifery Program, said the midwifery care model addresses many of the health care gaps that contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality. Research has shown that midwifery care is associated with shorter hospital stays, higher patient satisfaction and lower health care costs, she said.
The program’s creation is part of a statewide effort to reduce Arkansas’ rates of maternal and infant mortality, which rank among the highest in the nation.In recent years, the Arkansas Legislature has moved to expand access to midwifery care by granting full-practice rights to nurse-midwives and allocating $500,000 in state funding for the UAMS Nurse-Midwifery Program.
“Establishing the Nurse-Midwifery Program at UAMS is an important step toward improving health outcomes for mothers and their children,” said Interim Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D. “I’d like to thank our state leaders for all the support they have provided in this much needed endeavor.”
Crouch said there are about 50 certified nurse-midwives in Arkansas but that fewer than 20 are actively practicing, with many of them located in the central and northwest regions of the state. She said a goal of the program is to place more midwives in rural communities where women face a shortage of options for obstetric care.
“By conducting a lot of our coursework through virtual instruction, we’re trying to empower students from rural parts of the state to earn their degrees and fill these care gaps in their communities,” she said.
The commission’s decision to grant preaccreditation allows the College of Nursing to begin seeking students for the program’s inaugural class. It’s the first of three phases in the accreditation process; the others, initial accreditation and continued accreditation, take place after the program begins graduating students.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and be a registered nurse (RN) with no disciplinary actions or limitations on their license.
Crouch said the program plans to accept six applicants in each of its first two classes, adding that she hopes to see that number rise in future years as nurse-midwives join the workforce and create more clinical training opportunities for students.
“There areclinics in Arkansas that would love to hire nurse-midwives, and I think there are plenty of people who would be excited to join this profession,” she said. “As we start graduating students and getting them into the field, this program will have a lot of room to expand.”
Sarah Jane Rhoads, Ph.D., DNP, dean of the UAMS College of Nursing, said the midwifery program reflects the college’s efforts to identify and address areas of critical need in the health care workforce.
“Expansion of midwifery options in Arkansas, specifically in rural areas, will enhance the quality of care for women by increasing their access to primary and maternal health services,” she said.
For more information or to apply for the Nurse-Midwifery Program, visit nursing.uams.edu/programs/mnsc/nurse-midwifery.