Megan Spear

I was born in Colchester, England and moved to Australia with my mum, dad and younger sister when I was 10 to the Central Coast. I finished primary school and attended Gosford High School on the coast. I was already interested in health care, but when I did my Assistant in Nursing for my HSC, I realised that my focus and passion was not in nursing, so I had to rethink my plans! 

In high school, my favourite subject was food technology – I loved it. I was really intrigued in nutrition for during pregnancy and the postnatal period, but I knew I did not want to be a dietitian as I am quite a hands-on person. So, when it came time to submit university preferences, I decided to give the Bachelor of Midwifery a go! 

I want all women to feel empowered throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. It is such a vulnerable time in a woman’s life, and we are so privileged to guide them to make great changes in their life and see them flourish into their role of motherhood.

I chose to study at UTS because, when I went on a tour of UTS in high school, I was in awe at the facilities available and was even more excited to learn of their incredible reputation for midwifery graduates.

For me, going on clinical placement and putting into practice what you learn in lectures and labs is very rewarding. You see that you can make a difference to women. It is not an easy path, but when you are able to perform a skill you have been working on, it all becomes worth it. 

During my studies, I have become much more resilient. This course teaches you that you must make mistakes to truly learn. I have become comfortable with making mistakes and seeing them as an opportunity to grow. All the lecturers really encourage this view, to build up our confidence and maintain our determination. 

Once I graduate, I would like to gain as much experience as I can in different settings. I hope to work rurally and overseas to hone my skills in environments where resources and cultures differ to where I am undertaking clinical practice for my studies.  

To future students, my advice is: focus on building a great support network from the very beginning. Midwifery is not an easy path and you need a supportive circle to hold you up and nudge you along through the challenges – but all the difficult days are outweighed when you attend a beautiful birth or receive thank you cards from women you have helped.   

Find out more about the Bachelor of Midwifery at UTS.