Pre-Internship Experience Program

Our pre-internship experience (PIE) program provides child life students with 40-50 hours of direct observation and reflection in the clinical setting, using the five learning modules created by the ACLP.

During one week in the summer, students will complete observation rotations through two different units in the hospital, Monday – Friday. Students are expected to complete a journal entry for each day of observation, as well as one development assessment per day on a patient interaction observed.

The summer Child Life PIE Program will be from June 24- 28, and on July 1. Hours will vary based on unit, but will be 8-hour days with an hour-long lunch & learn session with child life staff. Topics covered during these sessions include theory of practice, the power of play, diversity, equity & inclusion, and self-care.

The goals of the pre-Internship experience are to:

• Orient individuals to the child life profession
• Help students gain familiarity with the hospital environment
• Provide opportunities to connect child development theories to clinical practice
• Prepare for a Child Life Internship

The Monday following the week of shadowing will be a day for professional development and reflection. This is an opportunity for students to share about their experiences, as well as participate in mock interviews to prepare for internship applications.

Qualified candidates are individuals that are:

• Pursuing a career as a child life specialist
• Completing or have completed at least one college-level course in child development
• Completed 75 hours of experience in a hospital/healthcare setting or working with children impacted by a medical diagnosis (hours can be attained through volunteer or paid positions)
• Preference may be given to current or previous volunteers for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, or Washington state residents

To apply for this program, please fill out the application form, and email a completed version to [email protected]. All submissions will be due prior to May 1, 2024 at 11:59pm. Following an application review, we may ask individuals to complete a 30-minute phone interview to further discuss qualifications.

Please note that we will no longer be offering a child life practicum, in accordance with ACLP guidelines. This pre-internship experience program works in its place to prepare students for a clinical internship, and was developed with a toolkit from the ACLP to better meet student needs.