Child Life Specialist Student Program

Akron Children’s Hospital offers unpaid educational experiences designed to help individuals explore healthcare career pathways and gain a clearer understanding of the responsibilities associated with specific professions. Participants will have the opportunity to observe the clinical environment and gain insight into the roles and professional practices of the healthcare providers with whom they are paired. The job shadowing program consists of a single, observation-only experience lasting between four and eight hours and is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please submit applications at least three weeks prior to your preferred shadowing date.

General Criteria

• Must be at least 17 years of age to participate in an observation experience.
• All Akron Children’s Volunteer Services Job Shadow paperwork and requirements must be completed in full prior to participation in job shadow experience.
• Professional appearance is expected and includes business casual, no jeans, hats, T-shirts, or open-toe shoes.
• Participants must follow all Akron Children's Hospital policies.
• No photography or social media is permitted.
• All hospital security rules must be followed.

Individuals interested in learning more about the role of a Child Life Specialist may request a job shadowing opportunity by emailing ChildLifejobshadow@akronchildrens.org

The Child Life Practicum is an introductory clinical experience designed to provide students with the opportunity to shadow and observe a Certified Child Life Specialist in a hospital environment. This experience allows students to integrate academic knowledge with direct clinical observation. The practicum will help students develop knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) related to working with infants, children, youth, and families.

• Practicum students will be assigned two primary rotations, including one inpatient unit and one outpatient service area.
• Students will have a choice of a week's opportunity to select additional areas of interest.
• Students will have the opportunity to complete midterm and final self-evaluations to reflect on their learning and clinical experiences and will receive a midterm and final evaluation from their preceptor to reflect on their clinical experience.
• Child Life Support Staff will be assigned to each practicum student and will meet with them to provide ongoing support.

Applicant Requirements

• All practicum students must be enrolled at a university during their clinical practicum experience.
  • We do not offer clinical practicum placements to independent students.
  • All students accepted for a student experience must have or obtain an active university affiliation. Start dates are dependent on completion of affiliation agreement.
• Both bachelor’s and master's level academic preparations are accepted and encouraged to apply.
• Completed Child Life Practicum Application Form including typed essay responses
• Minimum of fifty completed clinical experience hours working with children in a health care setting. Hospital settings are preferred, but alternative health care experiences are accepted.
• Completion of a minimum of two Child Life Courses, including a minimum of one course taught by a Certified Child Life Specialist.

Application process

All applications must be submitted electronically prior to the posted deadlines. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

Please submit completed application utilizing the identified application process:

Send to: childlifestudents@akronchildrens.org

Name: FirstName_LastName_Practicum

Document names: FirstName_LastName_Practicum_Application

• Submission of an application does not guarantee the candidate will receive an interview for clinical placement opportunity. Following the review of all applications, Interviews will be offered to applicants who demonstrate strong preparedness for the Clinical Practicum experience.
• Applicants selected for an interview will be notified via email.
• Interviews are facilitated by two to three Child Life staff members.
• Clinical practicum experience opportunities may vary per semester and are determined by preceptor availability.

Application deadlines

We follow the Association of Child Life Professionals’ Common application deadlines to ensure the process is as equitable as possible for prospective students. You can find the ACLP application deadlines and offer dates here:  Clinical Internship

All application materials must be submitted together and received by the deadline indicated below.

Students who are offered clinical practicum experience

• All Child Life Students are registered and processed through the Akron Children's Hospital Volunteer Services.
• Students must be enrolled at a university, and an educational affiliation agreement between Akron Children’s Hospital and the university is required. If an affiliation agreement is needed, Akron Children’s Hospital will coordinate with the university to facilitate this agreement. Students may not begin their clinical experience until the affiliation agreement is fully executed.
• Students are required to meet all Volunteer Services requirements.
• No compensation or stipends are provided to students, and students are responsible for their own housing arrangements.

The Child Life Internship is an advanced clinical training experience designed to further develop skills in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating child life interventions. During the internship, students transition from observation to gaining independence while functioning within the full scope of a Child Life Specialist’s role. These internships provide direct, experience-based opportunities to apply knowledge of child development, educational strategies, and therapeutic techniques through direct patient care and family engagement. To qualify for the Child Life Certification Exam, students must complete a minimum of six hundred hours of supervised clinical experience under the guidance of a Certified Child Life Specialist.

Clinical experience curriculum

• Our internship offers clinical development through an inclusive curriculum and provides an enriching experience for interns while meeting the objectives specifically aligned with the Association of Child Life Professional’s Competencies, (ACLP Official Documents, 2016) and addressing all the skills defined within the Related Domains and Tasks from the Child Life Certification Commission (CLCC) Exam Content Outline.
• The internship is a minimum of 16 weeks in length and requires a time commitment of 40 hours per week that may include evening and weekend shifts.
• Internship students will be assigned two primary seven-week rotations, including one inpatient unit and one outpatient service area.
• Students will have one choice week opportunity to select an additional area of interest.
• Students complete required assignments following the syllabus provided including a case study and project.
• Students will complete midterm and final self-evaluations to reflect on their learning and clinical experiences and will receive a midterm and final evaluation from their preceptor to reflect their clinical experience.
• Child Life Support Staff will be assigned to each practicum student and will meet with them to provide ongoing support.

Application requirements

• All internship students must be enrolled at a university during their clinical internship experience.
  • We do not offer clinical internship placements to independent students.
  • All students accepted for a student experience must have or obtain an active university affiliation. Start dates are dependent on completion of affiliation agreement.
• Both bachelor’s and master's level academic preparations are accepted and encouraged to apply.
• Completed Association of Child Life Professionals Common Internship Application.
• Completion of all courses required with ACLP eligibility Assessment.
• Copy of Child Life Practicum final evaluation with supervisor’s signature
  • Practicum verification of completion will not be accepted as a form of an evaluation.
• Minimum of fifty completed clinical experience hours working with children in a health care setting. Hospital settings are preferred, but alternative health care experiences are accepted.

Application process

All applications must be submitted electronically prior to the posted deadlines. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted.

Please submit completed application utilizing the identified application process

Send to: childlifestudents@akronchildrens.org

Name: FirstName_LastName_Internship

Document Names:

FirstName_LastName_ACLP_Common_Internship_Application

FirstName_LastName_Practicum_Final_Evaluation

• Submission of an application does not guarantee the candidate will receive an interview for clinical placement opportunity. Following the review of all applications, interviews will be offered to applicants who demonstrate strong preparedness for the Clinical Internship experience.
• Applicants selected for an interview will be notified via email.
• Interviews are facilitated by two to three Child Life staff members.
• Clinical Internship experience opportunities may vary per semester and are determined by preceptor availability.

Application deadlines

We follow the Association of Child Life Professionals’ Common Internship application deadlines to ensure the process is as equitable as possible for prospective students.

You can find the ACLP application deadlines and offer dates here:  Clinical Internship

All application materials required must be submitted together and received by the deadline indicated below.

Students who are offered clinical internship experiences:

• All Child Life Students are registered and processed through the Akron Children's Hospital Volunteer Services.
• Students must be enrolled at a university, and an educational affiliation agreement between Akron Children’s Hospital and the university is required. If an affiliation agreement is needed, Akron Children’s Hospital will coordinate with the university to facilitate this agreement. Students may not begin their clinical experience until the affiliation agreement is fully executed.
• Students are required to meet all Volunteer Services requirements.
• No compensation or stipends are provided to students, and students are responsible for their own housing arrangements.

childlifestudents@akronchildrens.org