Rutgers and Axia Partner to Train Midwives Amid National Provider Shortage

VOORHEES, N.J. – January 29, 2026 – In a move designed to bolster the frontline of women's healthcare, Axia Women's Health and Rutgers University School of Nursing have launched a strategic partnership to expand clinical training for the next generation of nurse-midwives. The collaboration provides Rutgers' students with crucial, hands-on experience across Axia’s vast network of over 100 care centers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, directly addressing a growing national need for advanced practice providers.

This initiative comes at a critical juncture for the U.S. healthcare system, which is grappling with demographic shifts and evolving patient preferences. The partnership aims not only to enhance educational opportunities but also to fortify the healthcare workforce, ensuring more women have access to comprehensive and personalized care.

Addressing a Critical Healthcare Gap

The collaboration is a direct response to a looming healthcare crisis. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a staggering shortfall of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, creating significant gaps in patient access, particularly in primary and specialty care like obstetrics and gynecology. This impending shortage places immense pressure on the existing healthcare infrastructure and threatens to exacerbate health disparities.

In stark contrast, the role of advanced practice providers, including nurse-midwives, is expanding rapidly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 35% growth for advanced practice registered nurses between 2024 and 2034, a rate far exceeding the average for all occupations. This growth is not just a statistical trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered. Advanced practice providers are increasingly recognized as essential members of collaborative care teams, capable of expanding access and improving outcomes.

"We're proud to help train and support the next generation of advanced practice providers," said Dr. Thomas Dardarian, chief medical officer at Axia Women's Health. "These providers play a critical role each day in our care centers, working in collaboration with our physicians to provide high-quality, patient-centered, comprehensive and cost-effective women's health care."

The Rising Tide of Midwifery Care

The partnership also reflects a significant cultural shift in maternal care, as patient demand for midwifery services continues to climb. Midwives currently attend approximately 12% of births in the United States, a figure that has steadily increased over the past decade. This rise is fueled by a growing body of evidence highlighting the profound benefits of the midwifery model of care.

Research consistently shows that midwife-led care is associated with significantly improved outcomes for low-risk pregnancies. Patients under the care of midwives experience lower rates of medical interventions, including fewer cesarean sections, instrumental births, and episiotomies. Studies indicate that women receiving midwife continuity of care are more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth and report overwhelmingly higher levels of satisfaction with their experience—in some cases, being three times more likely to be satisfied than those in traditional obstetrician-led models.

At its core, midwifery emphasizes a holistic and personalized approach. It is built on a foundation of trust and communication, empowering women with the information and support needed to make informed decisions. This focus on continuity—often seeing the same provider throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period—fosters a stronger patient-provider relationship and is a key driver of positive patient experiences.

Overcoming Hurdles in Clinical Training

While the demand for midwives is clear, the path to becoming one is often fraught with challenges, chief among them being the scarcity of quality clinical placements. For nurse-midwifery students, securing sufficient hands-on training is a mandatory and often stressful part of their education. Many academic programs struggle to find enough suitable clinical sites with experienced preceptors who can dedicate the necessary time to mentorship.

This clinical placement bottleneck is a major limiting factor in expanding the midwifery workforce to meet national needs. The partnership between a large academic institution like Rutgers and a major clinical network like Axia is a powerful model for breaking this impasse. It creates a stable, high-volume pipeline for student training, ensuring that learners are exposed to a diverse patient population and a wide range of clinical scenarios within an integrated care system.

"This partnership is an exciting opportunity to expand our clinical site options for students," noted Julie Blumenfeld, clinical associate professor and nurse-midwifery program director at Rutgers School of Nursing. "We're thrilled to be working with the highly skilled providers at Axia Women's Health to ensure our students graduate with the relevant skills needed to deliver exceptional patient care with confidence and compassion."

A Local Solution with a National Blueprint

The immediate impact of this collaboration will be felt across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two states with diverse populations and varying levels of access to care. By training and placing more nurse-midwives locally, the partnership directly addresses regional healthcare needs, particularly in areas identified by metrics like the New Jersey Medically Underserved Index (NJMUI) as having provider shortages. This investment in the local workforce strengthens community health and provides a more robust care infrastructure for women and families.

Beyond its regional benefits, the Axia-Rutgers model serves as a potential blueprint for other states and healthcare systems. It demonstrates how strategic alliances between academic and clinical entities can effectively address the dual challenges of a provider shortage and the need for more robust training pathways. As the demand for midwifery care continues to grow, such innovative partnerships will be essential for scaling the workforce to meet it.

The program is already active, with the first cohorts of Rutgers students currently undertaking their rotations at Axia locations. Both organizations have expressed a commitment to increasing placement capacity in the coming years, signaling a long-term investment in the future of women's health and the vital role that nurse-midwives will play in shaping it.