BACKGROUND:
With only one midwifery postgraduate education program in Canada, the limited postgraduate educational pathways specifically for midwives in Canada is a barrier to full participation in health leadership, policy, and research. Building capacity in research, leadership, education, policy and advocacy is essential for midwifery growth and sustainability. Postgraduate education is a key factor to support this growth.

OBJECTIVES:
The aims of our study were to better understand the experiences of midwives in Eastern Ontario, Canada who pursue postgraduate education and the influences of gender and discourses on their experiences.

METHODS:
We used feminist poststructuralism, a qualitative methodology, to explore and critique discourses, relations of power, and gender through the examination of text and language. After ethical approval and consent, we interviewed 4 participants. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim and checked for accuracy. We used feminist poststructuralist discourse analysis to analyze the interview transcripts.

RESULTS:
In this presentation, we will present two themes from this study: 1) Developing strategies and building support – Sometimes this is going to be unpredictable , 2) Navigating the journey – I need more work-life balance.

CONCLUSIONS:
The professional demands, coupled with models of care and remuneration, and the challenges of on-call work, make the pursuit of postgraduate education challenging for midwives in Eastern Ontario, Canada. These challenges must be addressed to make midwifery a sustainable career with clear pathways for midwives who would like opportunities to advance their careers in areas such as leadership, policy, education, and research.

KEY MESSAGE:
Midwives faced unpredictability and a need for work life balance during their postgraduate education in Canada. To support sustainable careers in midwifery in Canada, supportive models of care and remuneration should be developed and implemented to ensure that midwives have more opportunities to enrol in postgraduate education programs. Poster session 3 (Group B)