National Fellowship of Direct Entry Midwives
Excellence in Certification, Tradition in Practice
Standards & Governance
Upholding Excellence Through the CDEM Credential
The National Fellowship of Direct Entry Midwives (NFDEM) fulfills its mission by establishing and maintaining rigorous standards for the Certified Direct Entry Midwife (CDEM) credential.
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Professional certification is more than an examination. It is a comprehensive process that integrates education, supervised clinical experience, demonstrated proficiency, professional mentorship, qualified preceptors, standardized assessment, continuing competency, and accountability to the public.
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The CDEM credential reflects NFDEM's commitment to preparing competent, ethical, and compassionate direct-entry midwives while honoring the Fellowship's mission, values, and Statement of Faith. Every component of the credentialing process is designed to promote clinical excellence, professional integrity, and public confidence.
Standards & Governance
The National Fellowship of Direct Entry Midwives (NFDEM) is the credentialing organization responsible for establishing, administering, and maintaining the Certified Direct Entry Midwife (CDEM) credential.
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NFDEM seeks to advance excellence in direct-entry midwifery through competency-based education, demonstrated clinical proficiency, qualified mentorship, and professional accountability. The Fellowship's credentialing framework is designed to prepare midwives for safe, ethical, and evidence-informed practice while fostering lifelong professional growth.
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The CDEM credential reflects NFDEM's commitment to public protection through rigorous certification standards, ongoing professional development, and transparent governance.
Our Credentialing Philosophy
NFDEM believes that excellence in midwifery is developed through both education and experience.
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Competence is cultivated through progressive learning, thoughtful mentorship, supervised clinical practice, and demonstrated proficiency—not simply by completing required experiences or passing an examination.
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For that reason, the Fellowship has developed a credentialing framework that integrates education, clinical preparation, mentorship, competency assessment, professional accountability, and continuing professional growth into one comprehensive certification pathway.
The CDEM Credentialing Framework
Education
Candidates complete structured education designed to provide the scientific knowledge, clinical reasoning, ethical foundation, communication skills, and professional preparation necessary for independent direct-entry midwifery practice.
Educational preparation includes normal pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum care, newborn care, risk assessment, consultation and referral, emergency management, informed consent, documentation, and professional ethics.
Clinical Proficiency
NFDEM's Proficiency Program is designed to evaluate demonstrated clinical competence throughout the educational process.
Candidates progress through increasing levels of responsibility while demonstrating the knowledge, clinical judgment, technical skills, communication, professionalism, and decision-making expected of an entry-level direct-entry midwife.
This approach recognizes that professional readiness is demonstrated through consistent performance over time.
Qualified Preceptors
High-quality clinical education depends upon experienced and qualified educators.
NFDEM maintains a formal Preceptor Program that establishes qualifications, responsibilities, expectations, evaluation processes, and ongoing support for midwives who supervise candidates.
Qualified preceptors are responsible for evaluating candidate development, documenting demonstrated proficiency, modeling professional conduct, and supporting safe progression toward independent practice.
Professional Mentorship
Mentorship is a distinguishing component of the Fellowship model.
In addition to clinical instruction, candidates benefit from experienced professionals who encourage ethical development, sound judgment, reflective practice, professional confidence, and lifelong learning.
Certification Examination
Candidates must successfully complete the Certified Direct Entry Midwife certification examination.
The examination is aligned with NFDEM competency standards and administered using professional credentialing services that promote standardized delivery, examination security, candidate identity verification, and fairness.
The CDEM examination is banked through ProLydian, a professional credentialing platform, and administered through Proctor360, which provides secure remote proctoring and identity verification.
Successful certification reflects achievement across the entire credentialing process and is not based on examination performance alone.
Continuing Certification
Certification represents the beginning of professional practice—not the end of professional development.
Certified Direct Entry Midwives maintain certification by meeting continuing certification requirements established by NFDEM. These requirements support lifelong learning, continued competency, professional responsibility, and ethical practice.
Governance
NFDEM serves as the credentialing authority for the Certified Direct Entry Midwife credential.
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The Fellowship establishes and maintains:
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Eligibility requirements
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Professional competencies
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Educational standards
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Proficiency Program requirements
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Preceptor qualifications
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Examination policies
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Certification and recertification requirements
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Professional standards
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Ethical expectations
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Consumer complaint procedures
Certification standards are periodically reviewed to reflect developments in clinical practice, educational methodology, and professional credentialing.
Fairness and Quality Assurance
Professional certification requires consistent, transparent, and objective standards.
NFDEM administers the CDEM credential using documented policies and standardized procedures intended to ensure that every candidate is evaluated fairly and consistently.
Quality assurance includes:
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Published eligibility requirements
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Defined competency expectations
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Structured proficiency assessment
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Qualified preceptors
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Standardized examination administration
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Secure examination banking
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Remote identity verification and proctoring
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Documented certification policies
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Continuing certification requirements
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Periodic review of credentialing standards
These processes support the integrity of the credential while promoting confidence among candidates, employers, educators, regulators, and the public.
Professional Accountability
Professional certification carries ongoing responsibilities.
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Certified Direct Entry Midwives are expected to practice ethically, maintain professional competence, and uphold the standards associated with the CDEM credential.
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NFDEM maintains policies governing certification, professional conduct, continuing certification, and accountability for certificants.
Consumer Confidence Program
Public confidence is strengthened when concerns are addressed fairly and transparently.
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NFDEM's Consumer Confidence Program provides a formal process for receiving, reviewing, investigating, and resolving complaints involving Certified Direct Entry Midwives.
The program is intended to:
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Provide consumers with a clear avenue for submitting concerns.
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Ensure complaints are reviewed fairly and impartially.
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Provide certificants an opportunity to respond.
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Determine whether Fellowship standards have been met.
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Recommend corrective or disciplinary action when appropriate.
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Protect the integrity of the CDEM credential.
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Promote confidence among women, families, and the communities served by Certified Direct Entry Midwives.
Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Strong credentialing programs continually evaluate and improve their standards.
NFDEM is committed to ongoing review of its educational framework, proficiency standards, examination processes, preceptor program, continuing certification requirements, and governance policies.
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As the Fellowship grows, it will continue to strengthen the CDEM credential through evidence-informed practices, professional collaboration, and thoughtful evaluation while remaining faithful to its mission and values.
The CDEM Within the Midwifery Profession
Direct-entry midwifery includes multiple educational and credentialing pathways that contribute to the profession in different ways.
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NFDEM's contribution is an integrated fellowship model that combines:
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Competency-based education
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Progressive clinical proficiency
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Qualified preceptors
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Professional mentorship
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Certification
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Continuing professional development
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Professional accountability
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Consumer protection
The Fellowship's purpose is not to replace other credentialing models, but to provide a comprehensive professional pathway that reflects its mission, values, and commitment to excellence in direct-entry midwifery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who awards the CDEM credential?
The Certified Direct Entry Midwife (CDEM) credential is awarded by the National Fellowship of Direct Entry Midwives (NFDEM).
Is the CDEM competency-based?
Yes. The CDEM is a competency-based credential that integrates education, supervised clinical experience, demonstrated proficiency, and successful completion of the certification examination.
How are candidates evaluated?
Candidates are evaluated through structured education, progressive clinical preparation, demonstrated proficiency, qualified preceptor evaluation, examination performance, and fulfillment of all certification requirements.
How are preceptors qualified?
NFDEM maintains a formal Preceptor Program with established qualifications, responsibilities, expectations, and evaluation processes for midwives who supervise and educate candidates.
How is the examination administered?
The CDEM examination is banked through ProLydian and administered by Proctor360 using secure remote proctoring and candidate identity verification.
How are complaints handled?
NFDEM's Consumer Confidence Program provides a formal process for receiving, reviewing, investigating, and resolving complaints involving Certified Direct Entry Midwives.
How does NFDEM protect the public?
NFDEM promotes public protection through competency-based certification, continuing certification requirements, professional standards, qualified preceptors, standardized examination administration, and a formal accountability process for addressing consumer concerns.