Child Life Internship Program
Children’s of Alabama offers a child life internship designed to provide students with experiences in a health care environment. Internship training is one piece of what is required for those students who are planning a career as a child life specialist. Internship opportunities are provided twice a year with fall and spring sessions. The internship is a 16 week, 40 hours a week, full time commitment. The first week will be an orientation week to get interns familiar with the hospital as well as various services and programs offered. All interns will have two, six-week rotations and two, one-week rotation.
Educational Requirements:
- Internships are offered to currently enrolled bachelor’s or master’s level students whose career focus is to become a Child Life Specialist.
- For legal purposes, applicants must be affiliated with an academic program throughout the duration of the internship session.
*Children’s of Alabama is unable to complete affiliation agreements with online academic institutions* - Successfully completed an ACLP Eligibility Assessment with 10, completed and approved courses prior to the start of the internship, with one being the child life course taught by a certified child life specialist.
- A commitment to the goals, objectives, and policies of the department
- An interest to investigate the aspects of Child Life and the psychosocial needs of children in a pediatric health care setting
Application Process:
- Complete the ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application form.
- Submit the form to ChildLifeStudents@ChildrensAL.org.
- Please include name, internship session, and year in the subject line.
Upcoming Application and Offer Deadlines:
| Internship Session | ACLP Deadline Eligibility Assessment must be started and paid for, transcripts received, and courses entered by this date |
Application Deadline | Initial Offer Date | Acceptance Date |
| Winter/Spring 2025 | Aug. 21, 2024 | Sept. 6, 2024 | Oct. 8, 2024 | Oct. 9, 2024 |
| Summer 2025 | Dec. 13, 2024 | Jan. 3, 2025 | Feb. 11, 2025 | Feb. 12, 2025 |
| Fall 2025 | Feb. 25, 2025 | March 24, 2025 | May 6, 2025 | May 7, 2025 |
| Winter/Spring 2026 | Aug.20,2025 | Sept. 5, 2025 | Oct. 7, 2025 | Oct. 8, 2025 |
| Children’s of Alabama will not be accepting applications for Summer 2025. Children’s of Alabama will be accepting applications for Fall 2025. | ||||
Once applications have been reviewed, applicants will be contacted to arrange for interviews. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Contracts will be sent to the University and must be completed prior to a student starting the internship. The student will be responsible for providing the internship site with:
- A negative 2 step TB skin test (2 test; 7 days between test dates) within past 90 days or TB blood test (QFT) in past 12 months.
- Current Measles – Rubeola titer–or dates of 2 MMR vaccines
- Current Measles – Rubella titer–or dates of 2 MMR vaccines
- Current Varicella (chicken pox) titer–or dates of 2 Varicella vaccines
- Tdap-(Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)-must have one dose documented over the age of 19
- Proof of current Flu shot
- Proof of current Healthcare Provider CPR certification
NOTE: Students are responsible for securing their own housing arrangements.
If you have further questions, please contact the Internship Coordinator at ChildLifeStudents@childrensal.org.
