Help get Britt through UCSF
Donation protected
As most of you know I have been working towards becoming a midwife for many years. For the last 3 years as a doula, I have juggled all of my Urban Doula baby's due dates and postpartum shifts with school and test dates for pre-requisite exams in prep to apply to Nurse-Midwifery programs.
This past fall I applied to my top 6 choices of schools, and was accepted to all of them, including the top 2 Nurse Midwife programs in the country: UCSF and Vanderbilt.
After a lot of research, I made the deliberate choice to go to UCSF. The Bay area is my community and the population I want to continue to support. UCSF is also an incredibly progressive school who has clear values in supporting diversity, respectful and inclusive healthcare for all persons.
In witnessing a wide range of births and women's healthcare models over the last 5 years as a doula, I have learned exactly how and how not to treat women in healthcare. I can't count the number of times I have been in awe of how a clinician handled a situation, as well as the countless times I have had to scream/cry in the bathroom at how a client was treated by a clinician.
Yet, witnessing these situations still wasn't enough to drive me back into school. It was each of you, my clients, that inspired me to pursue becoming a Midwife and Nurse Practitioner. In having the intimate experience as each of your doula, and getting to know you and your family, there was a strong voice in the back of my head that I want better for my clients. I want to create safe, non-judgemental, empowered healthcare for my clients in settings outside of just their home. I want those babies I witnessed you all birth to not need to think twice about having supportive healthcare, no matter who they grow up to be. This is what inspires and drives me daily.
Last week I had my white coat ceremony at UCSF and am starting my first week of classes this week. As a first generation college student in my family, it still feels like a bit of a dream. What doesn't feel like a dream though is the high tuition and cost of living in the Bay Area. State funding has decreased again for UCSF and they had to raise tuition this year to $57,347 for the year, not including the cost of living.
This first year of school is an accelerated program to get my RN in 11 months so I can then go on to get my CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) and WHNP (Women's Health Nurse Practitioner). Because it is an accelerated program, it is deemed "Self supporting" and not eligible for many of the scholarships/grants available to nursing students. I am also not able to work during this first year because it is so accelerated. I have student loans that I have taken on to cover this tuition and will be applying for ALL of the scholarships and grants to cover the next 2 years of my specialty years after this first year.
What I am asking for help with is any support you can give to help cover the cost of living during this first year when I am not able to work or eligible for these scholarships and grants. The cost of living needs that I need help with include: books & supplies, insurance fee, exam fees, commute costs.
If you are able to donate, no matter how big or small, it will make a huge difference for me. If money is tight and you are not able to donate at this time, I completely understand and please know you have already made a huge difference in my life.
I am sending lots of love and gratitude to each of you. Thank you for supporting and being on this journey with me!
This past fall I applied to my top 6 choices of schools, and was accepted to all of them, including the top 2 Nurse Midwife programs in the country: UCSF and Vanderbilt.
After a lot of research, I made the deliberate choice to go to UCSF. The Bay area is my community and the population I want to continue to support. UCSF is also an incredibly progressive school who has clear values in supporting diversity, respectful and inclusive healthcare for all persons.
In witnessing a wide range of births and women's healthcare models over the last 5 years as a doula, I have learned exactly how and how not to treat women in healthcare. I can't count the number of times I have been in awe of how a clinician handled a situation, as well as the countless times I have had to scream/cry in the bathroom at how a client was treated by a clinician.
Yet, witnessing these situations still wasn't enough to drive me back into school. It was each of you, my clients, that inspired me to pursue becoming a Midwife and Nurse Practitioner. In having the intimate experience as each of your doula, and getting to know you and your family, there was a strong voice in the back of my head that I want better for my clients. I want to create safe, non-judgemental, empowered healthcare for my clients in settings outside of just their home. I want those babies I witnessed you all birth to not need to think twice about having supportive healthcare, no matter who they grow up to be. This is what inspires and drives me daily.
Last week I had my white coat ceremony at UCSF and am starting my first week of classes this week. As a first generation college student in my family, it still feels like a bit of a dream. What doesn't feel like a dream though is the high tuition and cost of living in the Bay Area. State funding has decreased again for UCSF and they had to raise tuition this year to $57,347 for the year, not including the cost of living.
This first year of school is an accelerated program to get my RN in 11 months so I can then go on to get my CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife) and WHNP (Women's Health Nurse Practitioner). Because it is an accelerated program, it is deemed "Self supporting" and not eligible for many of the scholarships/grants available to nursing students. I am also not able to work during this first year because it is so accelerated. I have student loans that I have taken on to cover this tuition and will be applying for ALL of the scholarships and grants to cover the next 2 years of my specialty years after this first year.
What I am asking for help with is any support you can give to help cover the cost of living during this first year when I am not able to work or eligible for these scholarships and grants. The cost of living needs that I need help with include: books & supplies, insurance fee, exam fees, commute costs.
If you are able to donate, no matter how big or small, it will make a huge difference for me. If money is tight and you are not able to donate at this time, I completely understand and please know you have already made a huge difference in my life.
I am sending lots of love and gratitude to each of you. Thank you for supporting and being on this journey with me!
Organizer
Britt Urban
Organizer
Berkeley, CA