Professional Opportunities to Become a Certified Child Life Specialist

The Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital child and family life team is pleased to offer internship opportunities. We strive to offer students a wide variety of experiences within the hospital setting as well as a solid understanding of the child life profession. We accept students with or without a college affiliation.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is currently pausing its child life practicum program and is not accepting applications at this time.

Our Child Life Internship Program follows the guidelines of the Association of Child Life Professionals and offers a 600-hour (16-week) experience. We accept up to three interns each fall (September–December) and winter (January–May) semester, including those with in-progress coursework at the time of application.

The internship includes two six-week rotations in both inpatient and outpatient settings, beginning with a comprehensive orientation and curriculum overview. Interns also have two weeks to select interdepartmental observations, providing a broader view of child life services beyond their core rotations.

By the end of the program, interns will be well-prepared to step into the role of a confident, independent child life specialist.

Our internship offers a well-rounded curriculum with readings, assignments, in-services, and hands-on experience to prepare interns for a career as a child life specialist. It’s a full-time, 40-hour-per-week commitment, including weekends. For spring semester, we’re happy to discuss part-time options for students who need to work during their internship.

Winter / Spring internship: January to May

• Application deadline: Sept. 7
• Initial offer: Second Tuesday of October
• Acceptance from student: Wednesday of the following week

Fall internship: August to December

• Application deadline: March 15
• Initial offer: First Tuesday of May
• Acceptance from student: Wednesday of the following week

Thank you for your interest in the Child Life Internship Program at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. We use the ACLP Internship Readiness Common Application and do not require or accept any additional information.

Applications should be submitted by email to childlifestudents@helendevoschildrens.org.

Corewell Health is committed to cultivating a diverse workforce that fosters an inclusive culture. In past years, our commitments to national and regional initiatives have brought diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies to the forefront. Commitments to the American Hospital Association’s 1, 2, 3 for Equity Pledge and Talent 2025 have made reflecting our community in all roles and leadership a priority for our talent acquisition strategies. In support of these commitments, we are pleased to offer a child life intern diversity, equity and inclusion scholarship to two child life interns each semester at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. See below for further requirements. The scholarship application is due the same time as the internship application and in accordance with the ACLP internship application deadlines. The scholarship is $6,000 total and recipients receive $3,000 at the beginning of the internship and $3,000 at the end.