Updates

Patient and Family Resources Field Internship

Social Work Field Internship Program

The Social Work department at Texas Children’s Hospital is committed to educate, model and develop the next generation of clinical social workers in the field of children and families in healthcare. Our rigorous program consists of a clinical track that encompasses patient and family centered care, advocacy, compassion and empathy within the psychosocial system of our patients and families we serve here at Texas Children’s Hospital.

The students we accept must actively be enrolled in good standing at a Graduate School (Master’s level) Social Work program seeking field placement for their second year (concentration or advanced standing) with a minimum of 500 required practicum hours. The student’s academic institution must have an active Affiliation Agreement with Texas Children’s Hospital. At this time, we required three (3) full days at the placement per week during traditional Monday through Friday business hours.

Generally, the Social Work Department accepts most of the students during the fall semesters, however, there are exceptions to this, such as spring and summer semesters. Preferably, the Field Director from the academic institution(s) must contact the Social Work Field Coordinator at Texas Children’s first. For all prospective student interns, the Social Work Department requests completion of an application and interview process which the Field Coordinator will facilitate. Once the interview for the upcoming semester is completed, the Field Coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital will communicate to those students accepted into the Internship Program.

One of the primary requirements for students seeking field placements is to ensure that Affiliation Agreements between their School and Texas Children’s Hospital is active. If the school is not listed below, please contact the Field Coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital. 

  • University of Houston 
  • Baylor University
  • Our Lady of the Lake University
  • University of Southern California
  • Columbia University

Once a student has been accepted into the field instruction program, the student will be matched best with a field instructor’s service line. The service lines accepting students vary by semester and our Social Workers are placed in a wide number of both outpatient and inpatient areas within the hospital. Below is a small list of service lines who have worked with students previously:

  • Child Abuse Team
  • Emergency Room
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
  • Cancer and Hematology Centers
  • Endocrine
  • Transplant
  • Heart Center
  • Critical Care 
  • Pulmonology
  • West Campus (Katy, Texas)
  • The Woodlands
  • Ranked in the Nation as a Top Children’s Hospital by US News and World Report
  • Multidisciplinary team approach
  • Focus on Psychosocial needs of the patient and families
  • Teaching hospital environment
  • 1:1 Student to Field Instructor ratio
  • Structured update with one-hour weekly supervision
  • Student Case Presentation
  • Field Instructors have at least two (2) years of post-graduate experience, hold an active LMSW or LCSW, and are rated as exceptional employees by leadership
  • Students will experience working with a widely varied patient population of newborns to adults and their families
  • The Social Work Department continues to grow in level of experience and numbers. Currently there are roughly 100 employees strong within the Social Work Department

“Having the opportunity and privilege to intern for TCH has been a wonderful experience in which I have been presented with a variety of learning opportunities.  I have become more confident in utilizing the skills I have learned in my graduate level classes through the support of my field instructor and the social workers in the Social Work Department.  The information I have learned and experience I have gained as a result of interning at TCH is invaluable, and I feel blessed to be part of the TCH family.” - Erin Bazzell (Baylor University Social Work Student)

“My internship experience at Texas Children’s Hospital was educational and prepared me well for post gradation employment. Medical social work is a well-rounded field, every day is slightly different and you will have many opportunities to develop and grow your assessment, crisis intervention, problem-solving skills.  You will work with patients and their families from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and by the end your internship, you will feel pretty comfortable working with families with various complex needs.” - Alyssa Gingrich (University of Houston Social Work Student)

Contact Information

For more information please contact Elizabeth Cummings, LCSW, Field Coordinator at Texas Children’s Hospital at: 832-824-3626 or email: SocialWorkFieldInternshipProgram@texaschildrens.org.