Child Life Student Programs
Child life student training opportunities are offered three times a year, beginning in January, May/June and September. Interested students should submit a completed application and be available for an on-site interview. Students for whom an on-site interview is not feasible due to distance may participate in a phone interview.
Application is not a guarantee of acceptance, and not all applicants are invited to interview. The Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy department provides students with quality supervision and education during placement, and as such, only accepts a limited number of students per semester.
Types of student training:
Practicum experience
Practicum experience is intended to introduce the undergraduate student to child life, as well as the variety of experiences facing children and adolescents in the healthcare setting. A child life specialist will supervise the student as he or she participates in individual and group activities with children and families. Students are placed in one area of the hospital for their practicum experience.
Practicum students are required to have completed a core curriculum, including child development course work, and must document successful experiences working with children. This type of training is highly recommended for those students who are considering a career as a child life specialist. Practicum students must complete eight to 10 hours per week, for a minimum of 100 hours.
For more information about the practicum experience, download the practicum application, which includes the Practicum Job Description and Application.
Internship experience
Comprehensive child life internship training is offered three times a year. Internship training is required for those students who are planning a career as a certified child life specialist. Internship positions are full time (40 hours/week) for a minimum of 14 weeks.
Interns are involved in the planning and implementation of a developmentally and emotionally supportive program for children and adolescents. Students are expected to incorporate play, emotional support, healthcare education and family involvement in order to enhance the social, emotional, intellectual and physical well-being of children and families in the healthcare setting.
Interns rotate through two different areas of the hospital during their experience. Placement areas for interns include but are not limited to: Radiology, Oncology, Cardiology, Emergency Department, Outpatient Services, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and General Pediatrics. Not all placement areas are available to accept interns every semester.
Internship students must be college seniors or graduates with a strong background in child development or a closely related field. Applicants must have student or work experience with children in group settings, and a minimum of 100 hours of experience in an established child life program in a healthcare setting.
For more detailed information about the child life internship experience, please download the internship application, which includes the Intern Job Description and Application.
Dual Internship experience
The Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy department also offers a dual internship experience in both Child Life and Therapeutic Recreation. Interns in the dual program must complete a minimum of 18 weeks so as to ensure adequate training time in each discipline. Interns rotate through two different areas of the hospital during their experience. Placement areas for interns include but are not limited to: Radiology, Oncology, Cardiology, Emergency Department, Outpatient Services, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and General Pediatrics. Not all placement areas are available to accept interns every semester.
Dual internships are only offered twice a year, in the spring and fall semesters.
Dual Internship students must be college seniors or graduates with a major or concentration in therapeutic recreation. Applicants must have student or work experience with children in group settings, and a minimum of 100 hours of experience in an established therapeutic recreation or child life program in a healthcare setting.
To apply for a dual Child Life/Therapeutic Recreation internship, please download the internship application and select "Dual Child Life/Therapeutic Recreation."
For more information, please contact the Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy Department at 215-590-2001 or e-mail childlife@email.chop.edu.
Contact Us
- 215-590-2001
