A record number of Midwifery students commenced their studies at Central Queensland University Mackay this week.

These students will be supported by many public and private health care facilities across Queensland.

According to CQU's Senior Lecturer Dawn Hay the accredited Master of Midwifery and Graduate Diploma of Midwifery programs are attracting students from around the country as far away as Western Australia and Victoria.

Enquiries come in each day regarding the programs that have been developed to cater for Registered Nurses who wish to become midwives and for practicing midwives who wish to either update or return to complete their Masters degree.

"As the student midwifery enquiries continue to mount, it is becoming increasingly urgent that the role of the Midwife Clinical Preceptor (hospital/community midwife) should attract special recognition and higher remuneration," Ms Hay said.

"The community and health care facilities cannot afford to recognise this highly valuable resource for the teaching of the next generation of not only midwives, but also for guiding other health care professionals when providing maternity services."

"Midwifery is a highly respected profession and is integral to providing high quality maternity services to childbearing women."

The midwifery programs offered at CQU will prepare the student of midwifery to meet the challenges to providing ‘woman-centred' midwifery care to birthing women across the State especially in Rural and Remote areas.

From back left to right: Tracey Foster, Peta Fawkes; Tracey Mason and front left to right: Jane Collins; Beth Moody and Bronwyn Galea