Child Life Internship and Practicum

The Child Life Department at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital offers child life and child development practicum and internship programs to students and interns interested in this field of health care. Participants must meet several requirements to qualify for the internship and practicum programs.

The internship is not affiliated with a specific college program. It provides participants the opportunity to gain experience, explore an interest in this field and possibly earn school credit.

The practicum is affiliated with a college program, giving students practical experience in the field. It is open to students enrolled in the child development courses at San Francisco State University.

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital is a world-renowned tertiary care teaching hospital. The Child Life Department helps children and families adjust to and understand hospitalization, illness, injury and treatment. We also offer a number of services designed to make the hospital experience as positive as possible for both patients and their families.

Child Life Internship

Requirements for Internship

You must meet the following requirements to participate in the Child Life Internship:

• Minimum of 50 hours child life volunteer experience
• Completion of full application process (as listed below)
• Health clearance (proof of immunizations, up to date TB test)
• Photo identification
• Documentation of liability insurance coverage or insurance coverage through a university
• Minimum of 24 hours a week, including some evening and weekend hours
• Weekly meeting with supervisor
• Journal, including sample chart notes and developmental assessments
• Case study, which will be presented to the child life team
• Completed project and goals

Application Process

Applications (see below to download application) must be received by the following dates to be considered for the internship program:

• Summer Placement: Jan. 5
• Fall Placement: May 5
• Spring Placement: Sept. 5

In addition to a completed application form, the following is also required:

• Your resume
• A letter of interest
• One letter of recommendation
• Transcripts or a list of completed coursework. Please include undergraduate and graduate work if applicable to field of child life.

You will be contacted after the due date to review your application. Candidates who meet intern criteria will interview with the internship coordinator and the two primary supervisors for the semester. A decision will be made following this interview. Two child life interns are accepted per semester.

Child Life Practicum Program

The Child Life Practicum Program is open to college students enrolled in child development courses. This is a 12-week program that offers child development students the opportunity to interact with children in our playroom and at the bedside. Students are offered several learning opportunities to better understand the impact of hospitalization on child development. Students must work eight hours a week (two days a week, four hours a day).

The complete list of student responsibilities during the practicum includes:

• Two days a week, with a four hour shift each day. Shifts entail time in the playroom and, when appropriate, time at bedside interventions.
• Written goals for practicum.
• Readings and participation in bi-monthly topic discussions with the supervisor. Topics include introduction to the child life field, the value of play with hospitalized children, and hospitalized infants, toddlers, preschool children, school age children and adolescents. Students will complete reading and a short answer assignment prior to topic discussion.
• Bi-monthly meeting with supervisor, daily brief check-in with the playroom coordinator or child life specialist.
• Weekly journal entries.
• Programming-focused project. For example, developing a playroom schedule for a month, redesigning or organizing an area of the playroom, creating medical play kits, etc.
• Observation of a child life specialist providing a preparation for procedure intervention.
• Help with planning and implementing age-appropriate activities for the playroom. Keep a journal of interactions, including developmental assessments.

Requirements for Practicum

• Enrollment in a child development program or concentration
• Completion of full application process (as listed below)
• UCSF Volunteer Department application
• Interview and orientation from Volunteer Department and Child Life Program
• Health clearance (proof of immunizations, up to date tuberclosis test)
• Photo identification
• Volunteer orientation, meeting with staff of Volunteer Services and finger printing.

It is important to note that practicum students are registered as UCSF volunteers and must adhere strictly to volunteer policies, including wearing a blue polo shirt and volunteer photo identification at all times.

Make-Up Shifts

If you are sick, have a family emergency or other scheduling conflict and need to miss one of your scheduled shifts, you must make up that time within two weeks. After three absences, termination of your practicum will be discussed with your UCSF primary supervisor and your university supervisor or instructor.

Application Process

Applications must be received by the following dates to be considered for the practicum program:

• Fall Placement: Aug. 5
• Spring Placement: Dec. 5

In addition to a completed application form the following is also required:

• Your resume
• A letter of interest
• One letter of recommendation
• Transcripts or a list of completed coursework. Please include undergraduate and graduate work if applicable to the field of child life.

You will be contacted after the due date to review your application. Candidates who meet practicum criteria will interview with the playroom coordinator and the internship/practicum coordinator. A decision will be made following this interview. A total of two practicum students are accepted per semester.

Contact Information

To apply for an internship or practicum, or for more information, please contact Eileen McCree in the UCSF Child Life Department at (415) 353-1203 or via email at Eileen.McCree@ucsfmedctr.org

Child Life Department
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
505 Parnassus Ave., L-171, Box 0210
San Francisco, CA 94143-0210