To minimize harm and maximize access to education, we follow the traditional medical education concept of “see one-do one-teach one.”  IHuB’s philosophy is that one single birth conducted skillfully, humanely, safely, and with high maternal satisfaction is more indicative of competence than multiple births done to complete a requisite. 

As a humane institution, our trainig program honors humanity by maximizing the utilization of simulation practice and decreasing the required number of births attended per student, limiting the potential for harm and breach of privacy to women and their offspring. Guided by the principles of the International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE) for Simulation-Based Learning, demonstration of skills by simulation is incorporated throughout the curriculum for this certification.

Simulation-Based learning is increasingly accepted as a valid way of developing critical skills in healthcare, and it has become more commonplace and available in acquiring midwifery skills such as birth emergency management and breech birth skills.  Besides the benefit of less risk of harm for patients of new midwives, simulation-based learning closes the wide gap between student midwives and preceptor/patient availability. This gap prevents many dedicated, skilled, and willing student midwives from completing certification requirements on a reasonable timeline, delays the growth of the midwifery profession, creates unnecessary gatekeeping, and keeps underserved areas without access to needed services.

Simulation-Based Learning also allows students to complete their training online from any place with an internet connection. IHuB believes that, in this era of global communication, there is no reason for learning to be limited to location or physical presence.  

To obtain IHuB’s recognition as CBA, students must submit all required simulations throughout the curriculum, reports of in-person observation of a minimum of three births, documentation of one birth where the student is the primary attendant, and case presentation of one additional birth as primary attendant. To evaluate the quality of the service offered, the student must put the mother in contact with the preceptor during pregnancy and weeks after the birth.

Students are encouraged to complete their first birth only when they feel confident in their skills, and to complete more observations, simulations, or assisting births in a secondary role until they feel confident enough. To give faith that this is the case, students are asked to sign a self-declaration of competency as a prerequisite to attend their first birth.