🚀｜What Is the RUSOM Program? Here's What You Need to Know as a Midwifery Student

Chrissy Liu
Jun 16, 2025
3 min read

📝 Note: This post was written in early 2024. As of May 2025, the RUSOM hourly rate in Victorian public hospitals has increased to above $30, following the 2024–28 EBA update. For the most current rates, please refer to the latest EBA documentation.

This week I want to share something I wish more midwifery students knew about earlier: the RUSOM Program. If you’ve ever wished your unpaid placements came with a payslip, this one’s for you.

⏩ TL;DR (Too Long Didn’t Read)

RUSOM is basically the paid version of placement. You work in the postnatal ward helping midwives with everyday clinical tasks. If you’re in a dual degree and have done your postnatal placement (usually by second year), you’re eligible to apply. It’s a great way to gain confidence, build your resume, and sneak a foot in the door for your grad year later on.

1️⃣ What Is RUSOM?

RUSOM = Registered Undergraduate Student of Midwifery. It’s a role created to support the midwifery workforce after the pandemic. As a RUSOM, you help provide postnatal care to new mums and their babies — working alongside midwives to keep the ward running smoothly.

2️⃣ Who Can Apply?

Only midwifery students can apply (not nursing students).You must be:

Registered with AHPRA
Finished your postnatal placementFor dual-degree students, that usually means second year. For single-degree midwifery students, sometimes even first year is enough.

3️⃣ How to Apply?

Most jobs are in public hospitals — they tend to recruit more and provide better clinical exposure. Applications open randomly, but end of the year is usually the best time because graduating RUSOMs leave for grad year and hospitals need to backfill.

👉 Pro tip: add “RUSOM” as a saved search on Seek. If a hospital posts a job, it’ll hit your inbox.

4️⃣ What’s the Pay Like?

Rates vary slightly, but most start around $25/hour. Some hospitals pay based on how many years you’ve studied, others based on how long you’ve worked.

5️⃣ What Do You Actually Do?

Tasks vary from hospital to hospital. When I worked as a RUSOM, I:

Taught parents how to bathe their babies
Took obs on mums (sometimes bubs too)
Ran education sessions for new mums

Some places won’t let you do baby obs, others want you to focus more on parent education. Either way, it’s a huge opportunity to practise time management and communication — plus, postnatal will feel way less intimidating next time.

6️⃣ Why It’s Worth Doing

Let’s be real — any kind of income is a relief when you’re doing unpaid placements.

Weekend shifts = penalty rates
Great experience to boost your grad apps
You’ll be working in the hospital system and networking with educators and midwives
You become familiar to the team, which helps when grad year rolls around

In short: RUSOM isn’t just a side hustle, it’s a smart career move. 💡

7️⃣ Is It Competitive?

Yes, a bit. Unlike RUSON (for nursing students), RUSOMs are only needed in maternity/postnatal, so fewer spots overall. If you’re applying in second year, you’re likely competing with more senior students.

But don’t stress — it’s all about your resume and interview. Everyone has similar placements, so how you present yourself really matters.

👀 Next time I’ll share tips on how to stand out in your RUSOM interview — stay tuned.

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