Students from the Midwifery Bridging Curriculum Program at the UHS TSMC with educators from UTS (Professor Caroline Homer, Ms Rachel Smith and Dr Christine Catling) with students and UNFPA translator (Mr Sopha Muong).
Strengthening the quality of midwifery education in Cambodia
In collaboration with the UNFPA Cambodia, and the Cambodian University of Health Sciences (UHS) and its Technical School of Medical Care (TSMC), a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Faculty of Health, through its WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC UTS), has provided technical support to strengthen midwifery education in Cambodia.
One key component of this work has been to upgrade the level of qualification for Cambodian midwifery educators from Associate Degree in Midwifery to Bachelor of Science in Midwifery through delivery of the approved Bridging Curriculum by the Ministry of Health, and also to provide support and capacity building for national educators through a Team Teaching Workshop. The Team Teaching Workshop for 14 national educators from the UHS TSMC was held in March prior to the delivery of the Bridging Curriculum, to build teaching skills and capacity for future program delivery and improved student learning.
A team of midwifery educators and staff from UTS completed three in-country visits to Phnom Penh in March, June and September 2018 to deliver nine subjects from the Midwifery Bridging Program. Fifty two female midwives attended from urban and rural areas across Cambodia with all completing the subjects and no withdrawals from the program. UTS has also completed a detailed review of the Associate Degree in Midwifery curriculum.
It is hoped that the collaborative relationships established will continue to be strengthened and productive in the future to benefit the midwifery profession and the women and children of Cambodia.