A project evaluated 23 preregistration midwifery education programs in Britain. Phase 1 reviewed the programs and identified a cohort of students for indepth study. Phase 2 followed this cohort into their first year in practice. A survey selected six case study sites. Findings showed a common cause of attrition was students being unable to balance program demands with family commitments and expectations. Personal qualities played a particularly vital role in determining competence for midwifery practice. All programs demonstrated good evidence of a variety of teaching and assessment methods, a student-centered approach to learning, and an emphasis on lifelong learning. Students with no learning experience as a midwife before the program ended felt less able to cope with the transition to midwife. A model of competence was developed that incorporated three essential interlinked dimensions of competence: professional/friend approach, individualized approach, and clinical competence. The midwives were well prepared to provide holistic midwifery care. Support for new midwives was needed on most delivery wards. By the end of the first year in practice, managers and supervisors described most midwives as competent, confident, and quick learners. Examples of good practice in assessment included written procedures and guidelines for assessors and clear assessment documents. An assessment matrix was produced. (Appendixes include methodology, Midwives Directives, conference papers, and 135 references.) (YLB)