Graduate Medical Education Conference Underway in Orlando
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is holding its Annual Educational Conference from February 19–21 in Orlando, Florida. The event offers international perspectives on graduate medical education, accreditation, and innovation. These topics are relevant to the training and credentialing of advanced practice nurses, including nurse-midwives.
- The field of nurse-midwifery is experiencing significant growth, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 35% increase in employment for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners between 2024 and 2034. This translates to about 32,700 openings each year for these advanced practice nurses. - A significant global shortage of midwives persists, with a recent analysis indicating a need for nearly one million more midwives to adequately provide care. Fully resourcing midwife-delivered care could prevent an estimated two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, saving 4.3 million lives annually by 2035. - Recent legislative changes are expanding the scope of practice for nurse-midwives in several states. For example, a 2024 Florida law created a path to full practice authority for certified nurse midwives, and a 2025 Virginia law allowed them to perform newborn care in hospitals independently to help keep rural labor and delivery units open. - Emerging technologies are reshaping maternal care, with a focus on remote monitoring and digital health. Innovations include wireless sensors for remote fetal and maternal health monitoring, and the use of artificial intelligence to predict high-risk pregnancies and personalize care plans. - Evidence-based practices promoted by midwifery and birth centers are linked to improved birth outcomes. These include continuous labor support, aiming for low medical intervention in low-risk pregnancies, and robust breastfeeding support, which are associated with lower cesarean rates and higher satisfaction. - The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) will hold its 71st Annual Meeting from October 9-12, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. The theme for the conference is "This Is Our Moment: Midwives Transforming the World," and it serves as a key event for continuing education and networking for certified nurse-midwives.
