6. Overcoming health and learning difficulties.

Becoming a midwife is the 16th series of'Midwifery basics'targeted at practising midwives and midwifery students. The aim of these articles is to provide information to raise awareness of the impact of professionalism on women's experience, consider the implications for midwives'practice and encourage midwives to seek further information through a series of activities relating to the topic. In the sixth article of the series, Jancis Shepherd explores issues of supporting students with health and specific learning difficulties while recognising the need for safe and competent practice.