MEAC Transition: Public FAQ
This FAQ is intended to provide current information about NARM’s review of the MEAC-accredited educational program pathway and NARM’s time-limited provisional transition plan. NARM will update this document as it continues to refine the plan, review stakeholder feedback, and receive additional information from schools, students, preceptors, state regulators, NCCA, and other relevant stakeholders. Because this transition is ongoing, readers should rely on the most current NARM communications rather than earlier drafts or third-party summaries.
1. Why is NARM reviewing the MEAC-accredited educational program pathway?
NARM is reviewing the MEAC-accredited educational program pathway because MEAC withdrew its petition for continued U.S. Department of Education recognition effective June 25, 2026, and the resulting change in MEAC’s federal recognition status affects one established route to eligibility for the CPM examination: completion of a MEAC-accredited educational program.
NARM understands that MEAC has stated that its accreditation activities and the accredited or pre-accredited status of MEAC schools have not changed; however, NARM must independently determine how the change in MEAC’s federal recognition status affects CPM eligibility requirements. NARM’s responsibility is to protect the integrity of the CPM credential while also treating students and candidates already in process fairly during this transition.
2. Does this affect me if I am not on the MEAC pathway?
No. If you are pursuing certification through PEP, the State Licensure pathway, or another non-MEAC pathway, this MEAC pathway review does not change your current process, requirements, or timeline.
3. Is the NARM exam changing, being paused, or being delayed because of this transition?
No. The MEAC pathway review does not pause or change the NARM exam. NARM has a separate, ongoing exam content development process, but that work is not the same as the MEAC pathway transition and will be communicated separately.
4. What is the 18-month provisional transition period?
NARM has developed a time-limited provisional transition plan for the MEAC pathway. Beginning October 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028, the MEAC pathway is expected to remain available for eligible students already enrolled in MEAC-accredited programs, provided that their programs comply with NARM’s updated clinical competency verification requirements and subject to NARM’s final procedures, NCCA review, and any required modifications. The purpose of the provisional transition period is to reduce harm to students who are already in process while NARM reviews the MEAC pathway and evaluates eligibility pathways more broadly for consistency, fairness, quality assurance, and protection of the CPM credential.
5. I am currently enrolled in a MEAC-accredited program. Am I still eligible to apply for the NARM exam?
If you are currently enrolled in a MEAC-accredited program and otherwise meet NARM’s requirements, NARM’s current transition plan is intended to preserve a pathway for you during the provisional transition period beginning October 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028. Your school will need to provide additional clinical documentation or verification as part of your application process. NARM has provided all MEAC-accredited schools with instructions on these verification requirements, together with the MEAC Interim-Provisional Requirements for Candidates Handout, which describes what is required during the provisional transition period. Please contact your school to obtain a copy of the handout and to learn how your school will submit your documentation to NARM.
6. What additional documentation will MEAC-pathway candidates need?
NARM expects MEAC-accredited schools to provide verified clinical documentation in addition to proof of graduation or readiness for testing. Required documentation includes an official transcript or letter of completion, a summary clinical verification form endorsed by the school’s Clinical Director or Coordinator, and underlying clinical documentation records supporting the summary.
For applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026, NARM’s interim policy contemplates that a transcript or summary form alone will not be sufficient; schools will need to upload individually documented and preceptor-signed clinical experiences supporting the summary.
7. Does the 18-month transition period mean I need to graduate within 18 months, apply within 18 months, or pass the exam within 18 months?
If you are currently enrolled in a MEAC-accredited program and you graduate from that program, or your school verifies that you are eligible to sit for the NARM exam, on or before March 31, 2028, you may apply for the NARM exam through the MEAC-accredited program pathway. You must also meet NARM's other requirements, including the documentation requirements described in Questions 5 and 6.
If you are currently enrolled but do not expect to graduate by March 31, 2028, NARM has not yet set the requirements that will apply after the transition period. NARM's Eligibility Review is evaluating all CPM eligibility pathways, including the pathway for accredited education programs, and NARM expects to announce the requirements before the transition period ends. NARM's goal is to support continuity and access to the CPM credential for students who were already enrolled in MEAC-accredited programs.
In the meantime, you may remain enrolled in your program. You may also request a Candidate Placement Evaluation (see Question 9 and Question 17) to learn where you would start in the PEP process. Before making enrollment decisions, check your state's licensure requirements, because some states require graduation from a MEAC-accredited program.
8. What is PEP, and can a MEAC student choose to prepare for or pursue PEP?
PEP stands for Portfolio Evaluation Process. It is NARM’s non-MEAC route for applicants who seek to establish CPM exam eligibility through portfolio-based documentation of required clinical experience and competency rather than through graduation from a MEAC-accredited program.
Students may choose to prepare for or pursue PEP as an alternative or parallel planning option during this transition.
9. If I apply through PEP, will my prior clinical experience carry over, and will it cost more?
NARM’s interim transition plan provides that clinical experiences obtained and verified by a MEAC preceptor before initiation of a PEP application may be accepted, subject to documentation and verification requirements. Forms must be uploaded directly from the school, accompanied by the transcript, and supported by verified MEAC clinical preceptor signatures.
Clinical experiences submitted for PEP after a student withdraws from the MEAC-accredited program must be documented on NARM forms, and preceptors must be fully registered with NARM to sign PEP documentation going forward. Students who elect to apply through PEP should expect to be responsible for fees associated with the PEP pathway.
If you are considering PEP but are not sure how your MEAC education and clinical experience would apply, NARM now offers a Candidate Placement Evaluation through Certemy to help you determine your starting point (see Question #17).
10. Can I remain enrolled in my MEAC-accredited program while also preparing for PEP?
Yes. A student may remain enrolled in a MEAC-accredited program while also gathering information about PEP or preparing for PEP. NARM is not advising students to withdraw from or discontinue enrollment in any MEAC-accredited program. Students should make enrollment, academic, financial, and licensure-related decisions based on their own circumstances, applicable school policies, and any applicable state requirements.
11. What if I am on a leave of absence or need more than the transition period to graduate?
NARM understands that not every student’s timeline fits neatly into a transition period, especially where clinical requirements, leaves of absence, school operations, or state requirements may affect timing. NARM is considering these issues as part of its broader review of eligibility pathways and its effort to balance fairness to students already in process with the need to ensure consistent standards and credential integrity. NARM will provide updated guidance when it has a more complete and defensible answer for students in these situations.
12. How does this affect state licensure requirements?
IMPORTANT NOTICE — State Licensure Varies and May Be Affected by MEAC's Change in Federal Recognition Status
The Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a national credential administered by NARM. NARM determines eligibility for the CPM examination and CPM certification; NARM does not determine state licensure eligibility. The state regulatory status of the CPM credential and the authorized scope of practice for Certified Professional Midwives are governed by individual state laws and regulations, which vary widely and are subject to change. Because the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) has withdrawn its petition for continued U.S. Department of Education recognition, some states may interpret this change in ways that affect licensure requirements for graduates of MEAC-accredited programs. NARM strongly advises each applicant to independently verify the current licensure requirements in the state(s) where the applicant intends to practice by contacting the applicable state licensing board or regulatory agency. NARM cannot provide state-specific licensure guidance and makes no representation regarding any applicant's eligibility for state licensure.
13. What is NARM doing to make sure the transition is fair and consistent?
NARM held a public comment period and is engaging affected students, schools, preceptors, and professional stakeholders. NARM is also developing a CPM Education Eligibility Task Force, a Midwifery Education Advisory Board, and a Midwifery Student Council to support review of eligibility pathways and ensure that student and stakeholder perspectives are considered. The goal is to use a phased process that allows NARM to receive feedback, refine the transition plan, notify NCCA, and implement a plan that is fair, consistent, and defensible.
14. What is NARM doing to protect the integrity of the CPM credential?
NARM is implementing additional clinical documentation and quality-assurance procedures for MEAC-pathway candidates during the provisional transition period. These procedures include structured competency verification, review of clinical experience documentation and summary verifications, discrepancy review under NARM’s application audit process, random audits of verified clinical records, and manual quality-assurance checks before final eligibility determinations. NARM is taking these steps so that the transition plan reduces harm to students while preserving confidence that candidates who sit for the CPM examination have documented the required clinical experience and competency.
15. How can I get involved or stay informed?
Students, candidates, preceptors, schools, and community members should follow NARM communications for updates about the CPM Education Eligibility Task Force, Midwifery Education Advisory Board, and Midwifery Student Council.
16. What happens if a school loses MEAC-accreditation during the 18-month transition period?
The provisional MEAC pathway applies only to programs that are accredited by MEAC. NARM relies on MEAC's written confirmation of a school's accreditation status and the effective date of any change. If MEAC withdraws a school's accreditation:
- Graduates before the effective date: If you graduated before the effective date of the withdrawal, you remain eligible to apply through the MEAC-accredited program pathway, subject to NARM's documentation requirements.
- Students who had not yet graduated: If you had not graduated by the effective date, you will not be able to complete your eligibility through that school under the MEAC pathway. Your options include:
- Completing your education at another MEAC-accredited program, which may accept some or all of your prior coursework according to its own policies. Upon graduating from that program, you may apply through the MEAC-accredited program pathway, subject to the transition period rules in Question 7.
- Pursuing PEP. You may request a Candidate Placement Evaluation to determine your starting point. Clinical experiences obtained before the effective date of the withdrawal and verified by a MEAC preceptor may be accepted, subject to documentation and verification requirements (see Question 9 and Question 17). Clinical experiences obtained on or after the effective date must be documented on NARM forms and signed by preceptors registered with NARM.
- Teach-out: Contact your school about any teach-out arrangement.
- Status changes: If MEAC later notifies NARM that a withdrawal has been stayed, reversed, or modified, NARM will update its guidance.
17. What is the Candidate Placement Evaluation, and do I need one?
The Candidate Placement Evaluation is an optional review, available through Certemy, for students and candidates with MEAC education who are considering PEP. NARM reviews your prior MEAC education and clinical documentation to determine the appropriate starting phase for the PEP process.
The evaluation is not required. It does not start a PEP application or obligate you to pursue PEP. The fee is $75.00 and is non-refundable. You may find the evaluation helpful if:
- you are not sure how your MEAC education and clinical experience would apply to PEP;
- you do not expect to graduate from your MEAC-accredited program by March 31, 2028 (see Question 7); or
- your school has lost its MEAC accreditation (see Question 16).
Clinical experiences verified by a MEAC preceptor may be accepted for PEP, subject to NARM's documentation and verification requirements (see Questions 9 and 16).
NARM will continue to update this FAQ as the transition plan is refined and additional information becomes available.