Student Midwife, Golda Francois
When I was about 12 years old, I started volunteering at a hospital. I got to see the labor and delivery unit and the NICU. Seeing the relationship between the Certified Nurse-Midwife and the patient really sparked my interest, and I’ve known since that time that I wanted to work in maternal healthcare.
After being raised in Orlando, I moved to Tampa, where I attended the University of South Florida and earned my bachelor’s degree in health science. When I went to college, I thought I would be an OB/GYN. However, after shadowing a few providers and working in the hospital, I realized I preferred a more holistic version of maternal healthcare. I stumbled across doula work and earned my certification to become a doula shortly after I graduated from USF in early 2018.
Serving as a doula helped me discover that I wanted to be a midwife. It was a gradual progression, though. Doula work is emotionally taxing, and I always had an interest in science and medicine. While serving as a doula, I found myself wanting to do midwifery tasks. Especially during hospital births, I was communicating with nurses, but I didn’t have the full knowledge of the science of birth. That was something I really wanted to learn.
“The Magnolia team has been welcoming, and it feels like a home away from home.”
I started looking into midwifery programs and found Florida School of Traditional Midwifery in Gainesville. I was working as a scribe in an orthopedic clinic while continuing to serve as a doula, but my lease was approaching its end. I learned about FSTM’s campus in North Miami Beach, so I made plans to move in with my sister in Miami while attending midwifery school.
At the height of the pandemic in August 2020, I started courses at FSTM. It began with classwork as I built my educational foundation. By the end of the first year, I was beginning clinical training, and in April of this year, I started clinical training at Magnolia.
As a student, it’s really exciting to train at Magnolia. I work well in high-pressure situations. Magnolia is busy compared to the previous birth center where I worked. I enjoy the fast pace, and it’s rewarding to be hands-on during prenatal visits, client births, and postpartum appointments.
Magnolia has been a good fit for me, and I’m learning a lot. It’s nice to see all of the things I’ve been learning about in the classroom in real time. The Magnolia team has been welcoming, and it feels like a home away from home.
When I graduate, I will be a Certified Professional Midwife and a Licensed Midwife. My hope is to work in community birth, with the ultimate goal of owning a birth center.
In my spare time, I create digital hair content. I also love to paint, go to the beach, and spend time with family and friends. Work-life balance is really important to me.
At Magnolia, we want to help you achieve your out-of-hospital birth while keeping you and your baby safe. To learn more about prenatal care and birth services at Magnolia, fill out our form to set up a free consultation!
