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Midwifery Thinks! Symposium

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Midwifery Thinks! is a national symposium celebrating midwifery scholarship and innovation in the United States. The first Midwifery Thinks! was dedicated to Dorothea M. Lang, a pioneer and courageous leader in midwifery who tirelessly promoted the profession of midwifery and the health of women and their families here in the United States and abroad. Now an established annual event, international leaders, local experts, and emerging midwifery leaders share strategies and find connections to promote maternal health.

Midwifery Thinks! 2025

Midwives’ Experiences of Racism & Discrimination to Retain a Diverse Midwifery Workforce in the United States

This event showcases the advances in midwifery from our keynote speaker, Dr. Amy Goh, who will present findings on midwives’ experiences of racism and discrimination in retaining a diverse midwifery workforce in the United States.  Our Doctor of Midwifery graduates, Dr. Colleen Donovan-Batson and Dr. Farinaz Bakraei, will also present their doctoral projects and findings. Dr. Donovan's project reviewed veterans' access to prenatal care outside of the VA system; Dr. Bakraei studied access to contraceptives by incarcerated or recently incarcerated individuals.

Keynote Speakers

Amy Goh, PhD, CNM, FACNM

2025 Doctor in Midwifery Program Graduates at Thomas Jefferson University

Presenters will share their Advances in Midwifery doctoral projects and findings.

Farinez Bakraei, DM, CNM

Exploring the Lived Experiences of Women With a History of Incarceration in Accessing Contraception

Colleen Donovan-Batson, DM, CNM, WHNP

Satisfaction With Birth Experiences Among US Childbearing Veterans Enrolled in Veterans Administration Healthcare

Past Symposia

Policy, Politics, & Midwifery

Jefferson College of Health Professions and the Midwifery & Women's Health Programs held its 5th annual Midwifery Thinks! Symposium highlighting midwifery scholarship and innovations. The virtual event featured scholars researching the midwifery workforce, physiologic birth, and perceived discrimination in the Muslim community. 

The online symposium was held on Sunday, September 10, 2023 from 1 PM - 4 PM EST. Continuing education credits have been applied for. Donations to the Liz Pickett Scholarship for students experiencing hardship are appreciated.

Keynote Speakers

Presenters Jennifer VanDerLaan, PhD, MPH, CNM, FNP and Karie Stewart, MPH, CNM, APRN, FACNM are researchers in the ACNM’s Workforce Study. They will share findings and implications for advancing midwifery.

Jennifer VanDerLaan, PhD, MPH, CNM, FNP

Karie Stewart, MPH, CNM, APRN, FACNM

Advances in Midwifery

Jefferson College of Health Professions and the Midwifery & Women’s Health Programs held its  Fourth annual Midwifery Thinks! Symposium highlighting innovations and midwifery scholarship. The virtual event featured scholars working in the midwifery model with diverse communities.

The online symposium took place on Sunday, August 28, 2022.  Continuing education credits have been applied for.

Midwifery Thinks! 2020 has been approved by the American College of Nurse-Midwives for 3.5 CEs.

The symposium took place on August 29, 2021.

Keynote Speakers
  • April Ward, MSN, CNM 
  • Thamarah Crevecoeur, CNM, DrPH
  • Julie Blumenfeld, DNP, CNM, IBCLC, FACNM
  • Teresita Carrasquillo
  • Maritza I. Raimundi-Petroski 
  • Barbara Hackley, PhD, CNM, FACNM

 The symposium took place on August 23, 2020.

2020 Speakers

  • Judith Mercer, PhD, CNM, FACNM: Umbilical Clamping: First Do No Harm
  • Erin Biscone DNP, CNM, FACNM, Kendra Faucett DNP, CNM, and Emily C. McGahey MSN, CNM: Midwifery and the US Birth Certificate: Why ensuring birth certificate accuracy should be the priority of every midwife
  • Lauren Anita Arrington, CNM, MSN, DNP: Launching the Reduction of Peripartum Racial / Ethnic Disparities Bundle: A QualityImprovement Project
  • Barbara Reale, CNM, MSN, FACNM: Patient Satisfaction with Provider Communication is Centering vs. Traditional Prenatal Care
  • Helen McLachlan, RN, RM, MNUrs, PhD and Della Forster, DipAppSci, BAppSci, MMid, PhD: Improving outcomes through midwifery research: A snapshot of innovative research from Victoria, Australia

The symposium took place on the Center City campus of Thomas Jefferson University August, 2019.

  • Saraswathi Vedam, RM, FACNM, MSN, SciD
  • Holly Powell Kennedy, PhD, FACNM, FAAN
Presented by Midwifery & Women's Health Programs
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