Successful completion of the NMI Challenge Program qualifies candidates for California Licensure who have not attended an approved program as outlined by the State of California. The Challenge Program is intended for individuals who have provided primary midwifery care for at least 10 births in an out-of-hospital setting, as provided in the home or freestanding birth center.
Requirements for Licensure
National Midwifery Institute’s California Midwifery License (CML) Challenge Program is not equivalent to our Certificate Program and is not an educational program. Further, CML Challenge Program students do not graduate from NMI. If a student decides to change programs within NMI, tuition does not transfer between the Certificate Program and the CML Challenge Program.
The cost of the CML Challenge Program is $7500. An additional fee is assessed for exam re-takes.
In order to complete the CML Challenge Program, the following are required:
1. Fulfillment of midwifery didactic requirements:
Complete National Midwifery Institute gap analysis process to confirm completion of academic midwifery requirements consistent with California Midwifery Practice Act. (B&P Code 2512.5 and 2513).
2. Fulfillment and verification of experience requirements:
The following clinical experiences are required by the CA Medical Board for midwife-applicant’s choosing the challenge route to licensure (B&P Code 2513b and Title 16 1379.15):
20 initial/new antepartum visits
75 return antepartum visits
20 labor management experiences
20 deliveries (primary attendant)
20 newborn assessments
40 postpartum visits, at least 10 of which must be within the first 5 days of birth
Clinical experience must also meet the currency definition of having occurred within ten years prior to the midwife-applicant’s date of application to the CML Challenge Program, AND at least 50% of the clinical experience must have occurred within five years prior to the midwife-applicant’s date of application to the CML Challenge Program.
All clinical experience must verified by a licensed physician/ surgeon, and by a licensed midwife or certified nurse-midwife. Clinical experience is verified either through direct observation, by chart audit (client codes with de-identified records), or by phone conversations with former clients or a midwife/other person who was present at the birth. Note that clients must grant permission for their identity to be shared for phone verification purposes.
Each verifier must provide their midwifery or medical license number and all licenses must be current and in good standing.
3. Verification of Additional Trainings:
Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP), dates must be current at the time of the CML Challenge Written Examination, and;
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Basic Life Support (CPR/BLS), dates must be current at the time of the CML Challenge Written Examination.
4. CML Challenge Written Examination:
Successful completion of the CML Challenge Written Examination to confirm the midwife-applicant’s comprehension of core midwifery knowledge and licensing requirements for California midwives. (B&P Code 2513).
