Child Life Internship

Program Overview

UR Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital offers a comprehensive internship program that assists the child life intern in developing essential qualities, knowledge, and skills necessary to becoming a certified child life specialist. Under the supervision of certified child life specialists (CCLS), interns engage in hands-on learning fulfilling the competencies of a child life specialist. We are unable to sign affiliation agreements with educational programs. Please consider this prior to applying.

Program Schedule

UR Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital offers Fall and Winter/Spring internships. The internship consists of 600 hours of learning over 15 weeks. Fall internships start the week of Labor Day, and Winter/Spring internships start the third week of January.

Program Objectives

The goal of the internship is to support students in gaining the skills of an entry-level child life specialist. As an accredited internship site, we follow the ACLP’s recommended modules to ensure exposure and insight into all areas of child life practice. The internship will include one week shadowing staff from various units, two six-week primary rotations, and one two-week intensive.

Program Curriculum

Students selected for the internship will be required to engage in the following assignments and activities:

• Daily Journals referencing evidence-based child life theory
• Observations and Independent Implementations of competencies such as procedural preparation, procedural support, medical play and diagnostic teaching
• Therapeutic and recreational activity plans
• Attendance of weekly in-services provided by the child life staff
• Weekly supervision meetings with your rotation supervisor and internship coordinator
• A final project supporting an area of need
• A case study of a patient

Requirements for Application

• Completion of a Practicum under a certified child life specialist prior to the start of internship
• Completion of all coursework outlined by the ACLP prior to start of internship

Application Process

We only accept the ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application. Applications will only be accepted electronically. Paper copies will not be accepted, and any additional items submitted will not be reviewed. Application materials should be emailed to: CLInternship@urmc.rochester.edu.

Application Timeline

• We abide by the ACLP internship guidelines for application due dates and offer dates which can be found at the ACLP's Certification site.
• Select applicants will be invited to complete an interview over the phone
• Application is not a guarantee of acceptance. Due to the quality supervision provided to students during placement, a limited number of students are accepted per semester.