Social Work Student Placements
The Social Work department at Akron Children’s offers clinical field placement opportunities for students completing their Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Field placements provide students with the opportunity to develop skills in medical social work within a pediatric healthcare setting while working alongside experienced hospital social workers.
During their placement, students gain experience supporting patients and families who are navigating complex medical, social and emotional challenges. Students work closely with a licensed social worker who serves as their field instructor and provides supervision, mentorship and guidance throughout the placement.
Social Work placements at Akron Children’s focus on medical social work practice within a healthcare environment. Students seeking placements focused primarily on psychotherapy, mental health diagnosis or ongoing therapeutic counseling should contact the Behavioral Health department regarding student opportunities in that area by emailing careerlaunch@akronchildrens.org.
Placement opportunities vary by semester and are based on department capacity and field instructor availability.
Hospital social workers help patients and families manage the social, emotional and practical challenges that can arise during a child’s medical care.
Examples of services may include:
- Assessing psychosocial needs of patients and families
- Providing emotional support and crisis intervention
- Connecting families with community resources and support services
- Assisting with discharge planning and care coordination
- Supporting families during difficult medical decisions or hospitalizations
Social workers collaborate closely with physicians, nurses, therapists and other members of the interdisciplinary care team to support patients and families throughout hospitalization and outpatient care.
Hospital social workers do not provide mental health diagnosis, treatment planning or ongoing therapeutic counseling.
Students interested in placements focused on mental health diagnosis, therapy or behavioral health treatment should contact the Akron Children’s Behavioral Health department regarding potential student opportunities within that program by emailing careerlaunch@akronchildrens.org.
Social Work students may have opportunities to complete placements in a variety of clinical settings, depending on departmental needs and field instructor availability.
Potential placement areas may include:
- Emergency Department
- Care Center
- Inpatient medical units
- Specialty clinics
Placement locations may vary each semester.
Students interested in completing a field placement with the Social Work department must meet the following requirements:
- Students must be enrolled in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program
- Students must be in the final year of their graduate program
- Students must be completing their placement through a university-affiliated field education program
- An affiliation agreement between Akron Children’s and the student’s university must be active before a placement can begin
Akron Children’s currently accepts applications from students enrolled at:
- The University of Akron
- Case Western Reserve University
- Cleveland State University
- Youngstown State University
- The Ohio State University
If an affiliation agreement with a university does not exist, Akron Children’s Hospital will work with the university to establish one before a placement can begin.
The Social Work department begins reviewing student candidates approximately six months prior to the start of each semester.
Students are encouraged to apply early within the recommended timeframe, as interviews may begin soon after applications are received.
| Placement Term | Recommended Time to Apply |
| Fall Semester | February |
| Spring Semester | August |
| Summer Semester | January |
Applying within this timeframe helps ensure adequate time for the interview process, affiliation agreements and onboarding requirements.
Students interested in completing their field placement with the Social Work department should submit the following materials:
- Resume
- Cover letter
Application materials should be emailed to:
Laura Schoeppner
lschoeppner@akronchildrens.org
All application materials must be submitted electronically. Incomplete applications may not be considered.
Applications are reviewed by the Social Work department. Selected candidates will be contacted to participate in an interview.
The selection process may include:
- An initial interview with a social work supervisor
- A writing prompt used to further assess the candidate
- A second interview with potential field instructors to discuss areas of interest in medical social work
Submission of an application does not guarantee an interview or placement opportunity.
The number of available student placements varies each semester and depends on social work staff availability to serve as field instructors.
Students who are selected for a field placement will be matched with a social worker who will serve as their field instructor.
Prior to beginning their placement, students must complete several onboarding steps, including:
- Registration through Akron Children’s Volunteer Services
- Submission of required immunization records
- Completion of hospital orientation
- Background check
- Obtaining a hospital identification badge
Students may not begin their field placement until all onboarding requirements and any required university affiliation agreements have been completed.
No compensation or stipends are provided to students.
For more information about Social Work student placements, please contact:
Laura Schoeppner
Social Work Supervisor
Akron Children’s Hospital
lschoeppner@akronchildrens.org
330-543-3278
