So Tom - midwives train for 3 years and docotrs train for 8+ years.........ok. An SHO when starting their obs and gynae rotation will have about 8 WEEKS experience! There are obs and gynae registrars at my hospital with less than 3 years experience of obs and gynae. I rememebr as a 2nd year student midwife been asked by the oncall SHO in the assessment centre to explain what a doppler was. This was after he'd asked me what he needed to do about the woman with reduced fetal movements. He didn't have a clue. Another SHO once during a speculum asked me if that was the cervix as he wasn't sure what one looked like. Midwives will have a lot more expereience that doctors. At a recent shoulder dystocia in the hospital the McRoberts manoever didn't work and the registrar panicked - luckily 2 expereinced midwives saved the baby's life. The dr admitted afterwards that she hadn't remembered what to do. I don't feel inferior to doctors at all - quite the opposite most of the time.