THE LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Clinical competence is essential for midwife educators (1), yet opportunities to maintain and update these skills are often limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries (2). Recent global research has highlighted the pressing need for regular clinical skills updates and hands-on practice for educators to ensure high-quality midwifery education (3). This workshop is facilitated by the Alliance to Improve Midwifery Education (AIME), a partnership including ICM, WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, Jhpiego, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Burnet Institute, and Laerdal, and aims to address this gap. The workshop focuses on strengthening educators’ clinical competence in priority areas identified by the educators themselves (2). Learning Outcomes Demonstrate updated knowledge and practical skills in vacuum-assisted delivery and abortion care. Apply effective teaching strategies for these clinical skills within their midwifery education programs. Utilize provided resources to support ongoing skills development in their teaching contexts.

THE PROCESS/ACTIVITIES:
This 90-minute workshop integrates evidence-based updates with hands-on skills practice. It opens with a short lecture on recent clinical updates, followed by rotations through two simulation-based skills stations: Vacuum-assisted delivery techniques Comprehensive abortion care, focusing on manual vacuum aspiration skills Participants will receive a package of teaching resources to help integrate these skills and evidence updates into their own educational settings.

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION:
Active engagement is required, with all participants expected to practice and demonstrate skills using simulation models. Additional reading International Confederation of Midwives. Global Standards for Midwifery Education. International Confederation of Midwives; 2021. Accessed May 31, 2026. https://internationalmidwives.org/ Bar-Zeev S, Turkmani S, Blackburn K, Homer C. Global Educators of Midwives Study (GEMS) paper in progress. 2025. Ferguson A, Calvert B, Homer C, Smith R, Bar-Zeev S. Barriers and enablers in implementing strategies to maintain clinical competence of midwife educators: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ. 2025. Manuscript under review.