Meet the first graduates of McMaster’s Master of Science in Midwifery

Three McMaster University graduates made history at the Spring 2024 Faculty of Health Sciences Convocation as they became the first students to complete the Master of Science in Midwifery program.

The three graduates, Lynne-Marie Culliton, Rebecca Hautala, and Claire Portigal, received their degrees at their convocation ceremony on May 22.

“Pursuing a master’s degree has been a long-held aspiration of mine,” says Hautala. “Being part of a graduate program that is so closely aligned with midwifery, leadership, and research, and is designed and customized for working midwives has been an incredible experience.”

The Master of Science in Midwifery is the only program of its kind offered in Canada. It provides an educational pathway for experienced midwives to expand their knowledge and skills to become leaders in the profession in a way that is tailored to their strengths and interests.

Students in the master’s program gain knowledge and skills in leadership, social justice, and research and evaluation. Some students will then focus on building advanced clinical skills or leadership expertise, while others will focus on research.

“This is a historic moment for our profession in Canada, and each of these three midwives are wonderful leaders who will make ongoing positive contributions in their work as midwives,” says Liz Darling, assistant dean of the Midwifery Education Program.

The master’s program builds upon the incredible success of the undergraduate Midwifery Education Program, which just marked its 30th anniversary. For now, Darling says they are aiming for a steady state of admitting about 30 students annually.

“Midwives have so much to offer health systems, and the need to support midwifery leadership has been recognized internationally. This degree will enable midwives to hone their leadership skills and increase their contributions to the health systems where they work.”