Child Life Internship and Fellowship Information

Child Life Internship

A child life internship is the final step in the process of working toward certification as a child life specialist. The internship at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is full-time for 16 weeks; a total of 640 hours.

The internship program consists of two six-week clinical rotations, with the remaining weeks providing opportunity for observation and experience in clinical areas of interest. The level of responsibility progresses gradually from initially observing to ultimately providing services independently. In addition to the clinical experiences, interns will utilize the Child Life Clinical Internship Curriculum to complete weekly readings, assignments, projects, and observations that will prepare them for the child life certification exam. We plan to offer two internship spots per semester.

Objectives

By the end of the internship the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of human growth and development from birth to young adults.
• Understand the effects of stress and trauma on children’s behavior and development.
• Become acquainted with the needs of hospitalized children and to recognize creative and flexible programming in meeting these needs.
• Demonstrate the ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions.
• Develop an understanding of Family-Centered Care.
• Work effectively with patients, families, and staff members.
• Provide preparation and procedural support for a variety of medical procedures.
• Transition from student to professional.

Application Requirements

• University affiliation throughout internship
• Earned a cumulative minimum 3.0 grade point average in all college coursework
• Child Life Practicum under the supervision of a Certified Child Life Specialist

Application Process

Prospective interns should complete the child life internship application linked at the "Apply Now" button below. The application will require:

• Internship Readiness Common Application (including Eligibility Assessment and unofficial Transcripts)
• Cover letter
• Resume
• 2 letters of recommendation (one healthcare setting, one additional setting
• Please also include a 3–5-minute video (attached as a private/unlisted YouTube link) answering the following questions:
  • How would you introduce child life to someone who doesn't know what it is?
  • Why do you want to do your internship at UISFCH?
  • Our hospital mission focuses on patient- and family-centered care. Please tell us about a time that you have demonstrated patient- and family-centered care in your previous experiences.
  • If you had to describe yourself using a song, what song would it be and why?

Once the application has been received and reviewed, interviews will be scheduled with selected candidates. All interviews will be conducted via video call, regardless of candidates’ distance to the Iowa City area.

The application process and deadlines will follow guidelines established by the Association of Child Life Professionals. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Apply Now