One down, ten to go!

     It has been quite some time since I contributed to this blog. Understatement of the year....and last year apparently! As far as updates go, my most significant update is that I am officially a student midwife. I started this fall at Bastyr University in their Masters of Science in Midwifery program. It has been fantastic so far and I just finished my first quarter, only ten to go!

     Originally I was hoping to go to UBC in British Columbia, Canada as it is closer to home, but as soon as I contacted the Bastyr department of midwifery I felt an instant connection with this program. My cohort is cozy with 18 other passionate, brilliant women with varied backgrounds and stories to bring to our group. I appreciate the low residency model of this program, meaning my cohort convenes on campus in Kenmore, Washington once a month for 4-6 days to complete exams, class presentations and practical learning and assessment skills. The very first week we jumped in with pelvic and breast exams, something I was comfortable with long before this program but I was still pleased with the amount of material and teaching that was worked into those first six days with my cohort. The rest of the time I am kept very busy with online classes, something that requires rigorous self monitoring on my part to keep me on track each week. It's hard work and I like it that way!

     The program is three years long, culminating in a master's thesis or capstone project that will benefit the local birth community and midwifery as a whole. I have several research interests however I am most interested in the needs of Japanese-American women and their families with regards to well woman care as well as birth and labour as it pertains to a midwife. I'm Japanese and I believe I have unique cultural needs that may not always be met by my health care providers so I'm going to do more research and inquire with the Japanese Cultural Center in Seattle, Washington about their thoughts on this matter. Beginnings of a thesis idea? Possibly.

     Oh yes and another update, I have a shiny green sapphire on my finger that says I'm eventually marrying my long term partner in crime Geoff of clinicallydigital.wordpress.com. In a few months he will officially be Dr. Geoff, then he's off to start his residency and if our timing works out we should both finish our schooling in 2015. Then comes marriage. Then come babies. Then come a few critters of our own?

     I'm really not sure where I want to go with this blog at the moment, I will take requests, host guest bloggers with similar interests or simply post updates on my progress through midwifery school. Most likely the latter, so at this point here is where I stand;

Green student midwife
Deliriously happy to be here
Still can't make decent chocolate chip cookies