UC San Diego Health Doula Program
RMED-40041
Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2025!
Applications are due July 18, 2025
Program begins August 15, 2025
*Current nursing students (i.e. LVN, ADN, ABSN, BSN, MSN, DNP) in their last 2 years of nursing school are welcome to apply.
*The total estimated cost of the program is $900.
Offered in partnership with UC San Diego Health, The UC San Diego Health Doula Program is designed to prepare a new generation of doulas to deliver compassionate, culturally responsive, and linguistically appropriate care to pregnant and birthing individuals. Whether you're an experienced doula or just beginning your journey, this comprehensive training equips you with the tools to provide high-quality support that honors the diverse needs of the families you serve.
Through a focus on mentorship, hands-on learning, and inclusive practices, this program empowers doulas to bridge health equity gaps and become advocates for justice and dignity in birth.
Application Process and Requirements
To be considered for this program, each participant is required to submit an application.
Application Requirements
- Must be at least 19 years of age
- Must be in last two years of nursing school
- Must be able to commit to two 12-hour shifts per month for an entire academic year
- Recommended: Fluency in more than one language
Program Information
Who Should Enroll
Nursing students interested in expanding their maternal health knowledge and gaining hands-on birth experience.What You'll Learn
By the end of this program, you will be able to:
- Deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate care to support pregnant and birthing individuals from diverse backgrounds
- Reflect on your growth and mentorship journey to enhance your ability to provide culturally competent, client-centered support
- Tailor your care approach to meet the unique physical, emotional, and cultural needs of each client
- Work alongside experienced doulas and clinical staff during mentored shifts to build confidence and refine your practice
- Communicate effectively with clients using incusive, trauma-informed approaches
Course Topics
The curriculum blends technical expertise, practical support skills, and inclusive care principles, including:
- Foundations of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in Birth Work
- Showing Up: Presence, Advocacy, and Empowerment
- Anatomy of Pregnancy, Labor, and Birth
- Understanding Birth Hormones and the Role of Pain
- Physical and Emotional Labor Support Techniques
- Body alignment and Spinning Babies® Method
- Navigating the Second and Third Stages of Labor, Including Pushing
- Cesarean Birth: Doula Support Before, During, and After
- Lactation Support
- Supporting in the OR
- Building a community referral network
Course Format
- 16 hours in person training to include didactic learning and hands on practice
- Completion of feedback forms
- Completion of birth logs
- Connection to a pregnant patient, providing antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum support
- Three mentored 12-hour shifts
- Post-baccalaureate, non-degree course for professional advancement to gain knowledge in the healthcare field.
About the Partnership
This program is a collaboration between UC San Diego Health and UC San Diego Extended Studies. Together, we are working to reduce health disparities, improve maternal health outcomes, and cultivate a diverse network of trained birth professionals dedicated to inclusive, high-quality care.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
All class meetings held in-person according to published location, dates and times. Students may be expected to engage with course content online during the published course dates.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
