Child Life Practicum Program

We are now accepting student applications for Winter/Spring and Fall semesters only.

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital’s practicum experience is a 100-hour, 6-week program that provides students with an introduction to the field of child life while helping them to develop the skills needed to obtain a child life internship. As an observer, practicum students will have the opportunity to shadow Certified Child Life Specialists in their unit & learn the fundamentals of assessment, child life intervention planning, & applying theory to practice.

Pre-requisites for Practicum Applicants

  • Current enrollment in (or completion of) a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree program in a related field of study
    • Recommended majors: Child Life, Child Development, Family/Human Development, Psychology, Therapeutic Recreation, Early Childhood Education, etc.
  • A minimum of 5 completed courses related to the Child Life field
    • Examples: child development, family systems, psychology, child life, etc.
  • 50 hours of experience working with children in a hospital setting
  • 50 hours of experience working with well children

Application Requirements:

  • Completed & signed application form
  • Current resume
  • An unofficial transcript from each university you have attended
  • Two letters of recommendation (advisor, supervisor, child life specialist, etc.) Letters must be signed.
  • Verification of 50 hours experience working with well children (Must be signed & on letterhead, if applicable).
  • Verification of 50 hours experience working with children in a hospital setting (Must be signed & on letterhead).
  • Typed answers to supplemental questions provided on the application.

Download the Child Life Practicum Application.

Failure to submit the required documents by the application deadline will result in your application not being processed.

Affiliated Students:

We do not accept students who are affiliated with a college/university, however, we will consider students who want to complete the practicum independently of your program’s requirements. Please note that the practicum will not count towards your degree requirements if you choose this option. Please determine if your school requires an affiliation agreement prior to submitting your application.

How to apply:

Mail in your completed Practicum Application along with all supplemental materials to:

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
Attn: Brittany Hamilton, MS, CCLS
Child Life Department
3001 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33607

St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Practicum Program follows the internship guidelines & deadlines set forth by the Association of Child Life Professionals. All applications should be postmarked by the deadline for the semester that you are applying for.

Fall Practicum

Application Deadline: March 15
Initial Offer Date: 1st Tuesday of May
Acceptance Date: Following Wednesday 
2nd Offer Date: Following Thursday


Winter/Spring Practicum

Application Deadline: September 7th
Initial Offer Date: 2nd Tuesday of October
Acceptance Date: Following Wednesday
2nd Offer Date: Following Thursday

Applicants will be notified via email within 2 weeks of the application deadline if they have advanced or not to the interview phase of the selection process.

For any further questions, please contact us via email, practicum.childlife@baycare.org.