The Intermountain Child Life Internship is offered through Utah’s largest health care system, providing a variety of opportunities for intensive learning and growth in the child life profession. Child Life Services are provided at seven hospitals — one free-standing children's hospital and six community hospitals. Only one application is needed to apply for all intermountain hospitals. Four of the seven hospitals offer internships; see hospital information below. The internship is offered as a 40 hour per week, one semester internship that follows the approved curriculum of the Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP). We strive to give interns an enhanced experience in a variety of areas to enrich their internship and prepare them for an entry level child life position. The internship at Intermountain Healthcare is uncompensated. Intermountain Hospitals offer fall and winter/spring internships but do not offer summer internships.  The Internship at Intermountain Healthcare provides hands-on experience for individuals who plan to pursue a career in child life. It provides the student with an opportunity to build on knowledge and skills learned through coursework and hands on experience, and to put theory into practice while working in a variety of areas within the hospital under the direction of a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS).

Goals and Objectives

  • To integrate theory and research into practice.
  • To understand the value of play in the health care setting and increase the student’s skills in facilitating therapeutic play through planning group and individual activities.
  • To recognize the developmental, psychosocial, and medical needs of patients and families and how those needs are incorporated into goals.
  • To recognize and understand patient’s and family’s reactions to stress, illness, and pain.
  • To develop communication skills with patients, families, and other health care professionals.
  • To recognize the importance of working with the interdisciplinary team.
  • To continue to develop professional maturity, judgment, and attitude.
  • To set goals and evaluate performance.
  • To enhance knowledge regarding the psychosocial care of infants, children, youth, and families.
  • To demonstrate assessment and intervention skills.
  • To increase independence in providing services.
  • To develop skills that can be applied to any entry-level position in child life.

Prerequisites

  • In the process of receiving a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an academic institution accredited by an organization that is recognized by either the US Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the international equivalent.
  • 100 paid or volunteer hours working with well infants, children, youth and/or families.
  • 100 paid or volunteer hours working with infants, children, youth and/or families in stressful situations, health care settings and/or programs designed for children with special needs.
  • Completed the academic coursework portion of the ACLP eligibility assessment or are actively enrolled in an ACLP endorsed academic program.
  • All interns are required to be enrolled at a university during the internship. Intermountain Healthcare requires that you are affiliated with a university or college. Speak to your college's academic adviser to begin the process. (If Intermountain Healthcare and the university cannot reach an affiliation agreement, the student will not be able to do an internship.)

Application Requirements

Application Process

Applications must be postmarked by the ACLP internship recommended deadline. Check the Association of Child Life Professions Internship Deadlines webpage for current internship deadlines dates. At this time, Intermountain does not offer a Summer internship.  Each application is evaluated according to the following:
  1. Strength of connecting knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to written experiences. For more information on KSAs, review the Association of Child Life Professionals guide. KSAs Internship Readiness One Pager (childlife.org)
  2. Hours and quality of experience (our internship accreditation applicants are required to have 100 hours working with well children and 100 hours working with families in stressful situations or health care setting).
The Intermountain Child Life Internship Program adheres to the ACLP Internship offer dates. Students will be notified about internship decisions according to the dates established by the ACLP. Incomplete applications will not be considered for the internship. Invitation for an interview does not guarantee acceptance into the Intermountain Child Life Internship. A virtual interview will be set up for students who are outside of the local area. All completed application materials may be sent by physical mail or email.

Child Life Internship Program
Family Support Services Department 
Primary Children’s Hospital
Attn: Sheri Bothell
100 North Mario Capecchi Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84113-1103 
childlife.intern@imail.org

Please call Sheri Bothell at (801) 662-3983 or email childlife.intern@imail.org with any questions regarding our practicum program or the application. 

Intermountain Hospitals with Child Life Internship Programs 

Primary Children's Hospital and Eccles Outpatient Services

Number of staff: 43
Number of inpatient beds: 289 Level 1 Trauma Center
Inpatient and Outpatient Child Life Services
Number of inpatient beds: 289 Level I Trauma Center
Located in Salt Lake City, Utah
(Accredited Internship site)

McKay Dee Hospital 

Number of staff: 4
Inpatient and Outpatient Child Life Services
Number of inpatient beds: 310 Pediatric beds: 12
Level II Trauma Center
Located in Ogden, Utah

Utah Valley Hospital 

Number of staff: 6
Inpatient and Outpatient Child Life Services
Number of inpatient beds: 395 Pediatric beds: 16
Level II Trauma Center
Located in Provo, Utah

St. George Regional Medical Center

Number of staff: 2
Inpatient and Outpatient Child Life Services
Number of inpatient beds: 132 Pediatric beds: 12
Located in St. George, Utah