Graduate Midwifery Program

Western Health’s Graduate Midwifery Program provides a supportive and rewarding transition to practice, enabling graduates to consolidate their skills as confident Registered Midwives. The structured program is supported by experienced educators, clinical support midwives, and colleagues, and includes study sessions focused on clinical decision making, core midwifery skills, continuity of care, and professional practice.

Information Evenings

We welcome you to join us at our information sessions. These sessions will give you an opportunity to learn more about our graduate midwife programs, meet staff, and ask questions.

The Midwifery Education team will conduct a tour of Joan Kirner Women's & Children's hospital.

Dates: Wednesday 20 May 2026, and Tuesday 26 May 2026.

Time: 4.30 pm to 6 pm. If you would like to join a hospital tour, please meet at 4 pm at Joan Kirner main reception, Ground Floor Foyer.

Location: Auditorium Level 1, WCHRE Building, Western Health Sunshine Campus 176 Furlong Road St Albans VIC 3021

Eligibility

• Must be completing an Undergraduate degree in Midwifery or Double degree in Nursing/Midwifery in 2026
• Must hold a practicing certificate with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) by 2027
• Must not have undertaken any other Midwifery or Nursing Graduate Program

Program duration

The Graduate Midwifery Program runs for 53 weeks.

Year 1: An early career supported program with rotations across the continuum of pregnancy care.

Optional Year 2 – Grad+ Program: A 12-month program that includes two theoretical postgraduate-equivalent subjects and options for additional rotations.

Both years are offered at 64 hours per fortnight (0.84 FTE).

Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Program

Rotations

• Major rotations - Antenatal, Birthing and Postnatal
• Special rotation opportunities – 3-month Bacchus Marsh Maternity Exchange, 3-month Newborn Services rotation and 6-month MGP rotation.
• Annual leave – 4 weeks pre allocated in program
• Four supernumerary shifts for first rotation and two supernumerary shifts will be provided at the commencement of each new rotation thereafter

Intakes

• February 2027
• April 2027
• July 2027
• September 2027

Bacchus Marsh program

Bacchus Marsh Hospital provides a great opportunity to develop your skills in caring for women across the continuum. Our staff will support you on your learning journey as you strengthen your midwifery skills to deliver women centred care to women and their families. You will also develop skills to collaborate and refer within a dedicated multidisciplinary maternity team. An ideal program for those midwives who hope to work in a rural unit or in a continuity of care model in the future.

Rotations

• Integrated Maternity Unit (9 months) includes antenatal assessment, birthing, postnatal care, antenatal clinic (supernumerary), domiciliary care (supernumerary), special care nursery (supernumerary).
• Maternity rotation (3 months) at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital to get exposure and experience working within a tertiary level health service.

Intakes

• February 2027
• April 2027

A team of Clinical Midwifery Educators, Clinical Support Midwives and Ward Midwives are available to guide and support in the clinical setting. The Midwifery Program Coordinator and Line Managers are available for support to all graduates.

Criteria for completion

• Satisfactory clinical hours (minimum 64hrs/fortnight)
• Completion of Clinical Objectives each rotation
• Satisfactory AMSATs and Annual Performance Development Review
• Participation in Graduate Study Days
• A certificate will be presented on successful completion of the Graduate Midwife Program

Study days

• 2 days orientation for all graduates at commencement of program
• 2 graduate midwife skills/study days during orientation fortnight
• 2 training days (1 additional training day at Bacchus Marsh) for mandatory competencies (FSEP and PROMPT)
• 3 allocated professional development days (Lactation Consultant Day, Career Day and End of Year Day)

These study days aim to prepare graduates for commencing in the organisation, ensure competencies are met, practice development addressed and enhance knowledge and bridge the theory to practice gap.