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Resume example

Midwife resume example

French midwives (sages-femmes, a title used for men as well as women) are a medical profession with their own prescribing rights, not a branch of nursing.

In a maternity unit, you follow women in labour, carry out normal deliveries on your own, monitor the baby after birth and call the obstetrician when a situation becomes pathological. Shifts are often twelve hours, day or night, rotating between the delivery suite, the antenatal ward, consultations and postnatal care. Outside hospital, midwives in private practice (libéral) offer pregnancy follow-up, antenatal classes, the early prenatal interview, home visits after discharge and pelvic floor rehabilitation. Their scope also covers routine gynaecological check-ups, contraception and medical abortion. Some work in the département's mother and child health service (PMI), visiting vulnerable families at home.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Midwife (Sage-femme) | Delivery Suite, Antenatal and Postnatal Care

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

Midwife with [x] years in a maternity unit, rotating between the delivery suite, high-risk pregnancy consultations and the postnatal ward. I also run antenatal classes and supervise midwifery students during their placements.

Experience

Midwife, maternity unit, [Hospital name], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Managed labour and physiological deliveries in the delivery suite, calling the obstetric team when needed
  • Ran pregnancy consultations and early prenatal interviews for women with low-risk pregnancies
  • Led weekly antenatal classes, including a session for partners
  • Took part in the unit's review of postpartum haemorrhage protocols
  • Supervised midwifery students on placement and assessed their clinical skills

Resume headlines

  • Midwife (Sage-femme) | Delivery Suite, Antenatal and Postnatal Care
  • Sage-femme libérale | Pregnancy Follow-up, Antenatal Classes, Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation
  • Midwife with Experience in a Level 3 Maternity Unit

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Newly qualified midwife (Diplôme d'État de sage-femme, [year]) with placements in a type 3 maternity unit, a PMI centre and a private practice. Comfortable with physiological deliveries and newborn examination, and looking for a post in a delivery suite.

Experienced

Midwife with [x] years in a maternity unit, rotating between the delivery suite, high-risk pregnancy consultations and the postnatal ward. I also run antenatal classes and supervise midwifery students during their placements.

Career change

Hospital midwife moving into private practice. After years in the delivery suite, I want to offer continuous follow-up from the first prenatal interview to postnatal home visits, and I have trained in pelvic floor rehabilitation and gynaecological follow-up.

Tips

  • Specify the level of maternity units you have worked in (type 1, 2 or 3), as French hospitals read your experience through it.
  • List the areas you rotated through: delivery suite, antenatal ward, postnatal ward, emergency gynaecology.
  • Mention university diplomas or training in ultrasound, acupuncture, breastfeeding or pelvic floor rehabilitation.
  • Give your Ordre des sages-femmes registration or the progress of your recognition procedure.
  • For private practice, describe the services you will offer and the area you want to settle in.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Using 'nurse' vocabulary: in France the midwife is a medical profession, and your CV should reflect clinical autonomy.
  • Leaving out your registration status with the Ordre.
  • Listing placements without saying what you did there.
  • Forgetting to mention whether you accept night shifts and twelve-hour rotations.

Working as a midwife in France

Midwifery is a regulated medical profession in France. You need the Diplôme d'État de sage-femme, obtained after a first health year (PASS or LAS) and specialised training, and registration with the Ordre des sages-femmes before practising. Within their field, midwives prescribe independently, including contraception, routine pregnancy tests and some vaccinations for mothers and newborns. EU-qualified midwives usually benefit from automatic recognition; others go through an authorisation procedure. Permanent posts in public hospitals are filled by competitive recruitment, often after a first contract. Search for « sage-femme », « sage-femme hospitalière », « sage-femme libérale » or « sage-femme PMI ».

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Frequently asked questions

Can a midwife trained abroad work in France?

Yes, but the profession is regulated. Midwives with an EU qualification generally benefit from automatic recognition, then register with the Ordre des sages-femmes and must have adequate French. Non-EU qualifications go through an authorisation procedure that can include tests and a supervised practice period.

Should I include my end-of-studies thesis?

Yes, in one line with its title. It shows a subject you care about, and recruiters sometimes ask about it in interview. If it relates to the unit's activity, such as breastfeeding or perineal protection, mention it in your cover letter too.

How do I present work in a public hospital?

Give the hospital name, the maternity level and your status (contract, titular or temporary staff). Public hospitals recruit midwives on contract first and then may offer a permanent post, so recruiters want to see continuity and the areas you are trained to cover.

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