Dear Prospective Intern,
Thank you for your interest in the Child Life Internship Program at Mercy Children’s Hospital
Springfield. Our program is designed for senior level students from the fields of Child Life, Child
Development, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, or related fields of study who are pursuing
Child Life certification. Individuals who are not currently enrolled in a university or college but who
hold at least a B.A. or B.S. in one of the above listed fields are also eligible to apply. Internship
candidates must have a hospital-based practicum completed prior to the internship at Mercy
Children’s Hospital Springfield. Internships are offered two times a year (fall and winter/spring).
Each intern shall complete a minimum of 500 hours of clinical based work under the supervision of a
Certified Child Life Specialist. The Child Life Internship at Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield
provides hands-on learning opportunities while providing a working knowledge of the theories and
research on which the Child Life profession is based. Intern responsibilities include writing daily
journals, learning to prepare pediatric patients and their families for medical procedures and
surgeries, charting on Child Life interventions, supervising playroom sessions, and completing a final
project to benefit the patients in the Children’s Hospital. Interns are required to work various shifts
including days, evenings, and weekends.
Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield consists of a twenty-eight bed pediatric floor, eight bed
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Pediatric Outpatient Services (POPS), and the St. Jude
Affiliate Clinic. Child Life also consults to other units throughout the hospital when referrals are
received.
The graph below indicates application, offer, and acceptance deadlines.*
Internship
Session
Application
Deadlines
Initial Offer
Deadline
Initial Acceptance
Deadline
Fall
March 15
1st Tuesday of May
Following
Wednesday
Winter/Spring
September 5
2nd Tuesday
of October
Following
Wednesday
*In cases where deadline falls on a U.S. national holiday, the recommended offer and
acceptance dates will be adjusted to the following day.
A completed application consists of the following:
1. Child Life Common Internship Application
2. Official transcripts
3. Three letters of reference**
4. Your resume
5. Completed supplemental questions and material found below
6. The University’s objectives for the internship (if completing for course credit)
**Please note that letters of reference must be returned in a sealed envelope and should be
completed by any of the following: a college/academic professor, a professional who can
speak to your work quality/ethic, a Child Life Specialist with whom you have worked while
volunteering or completing a practicum.
Completed applications should be mailed to the following address:
Child Life Department – 1H
Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield
1235 East Cherokee Street
Springfield, MO 65804
Thank you again for your interest in the Child Life Internship at Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield.
After intern applications are reviewed and interviews are completed, a selection will be made.
Please contact us at 417-820-3457 or cristin.herbort@mercy.net if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Mercy Children’s Hospital Child Life Department
Supplemental Questions and Material
Please answer the following questions completely on another sheet of paper.
1. How did you learn about the Child Life program at Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield?
2. How have your hospital or health care setting experiences affected your attitude towards
them?
3. What do you think “family-centered care” is and why is it important?
4. What are your goals and objectives for this internship?
5. What is your personal Child Life philosophy (in 500 words or less)?
Additional Information
Do you have relatives or friends currently employed with Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield?
 No
 Yes
Name
If yes, please list name and relationship:
Relationship
I certify that I have read, personally completed, and fully comprehend this form, and the
information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that should
any of the information I have provided prove false or misleading, my application may be rejected or
I may be discharged immediately from my internship placement at Mercy Children’s Hospital
Springfield.
I also agree to comply with all hospital policies and procedures.
Signature of Applicant
Date
Please Return Competed Application and Materials To:
Child Life Department – 6K
Mercy Children’s Hospital Springfield
1235 East Cherokee Street
Springfield, MO 65804