Become a Child Life Specialist

UMC Children’s Hospital Child Life Practicum Program provides students with a quality learning experience designed to introduce medical professionals to the Child Life specialization. We provide students with opportunities to gain experience caring for children and their families.

Become a Child Life Specialist

UMC Children’s offers a Child Life Practicum that introduces students to the profession and prepares them for future internships. Along with shadowing certified child life specialists, students develop the skills to:

  • Communicate with patients, families and other health professionals
  • Enhance their professional attitude, maturity, judgement and work ethic
  • Identify and understand reactions to stress, illness and pain
  • Integrate theory and put research into practice
  • Recognize the developmental, psychosocial and medical needs of patients and families
  • Understand how child life specialists can help families normalize and cope with healthcare experiences
  • Value play in a healthcare setting
  • Work as part of an interdisciplinary team

Requirements

To be considered, students must:

  • Be interested in a career as a child life specialist
  • Be able to commit a minimum of 150 hours in one semester
  • Be currently enrolled at Texas Tech University or Lubbock Christian University
  • Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher
  • Have a minimum of two volunteer or work experiences: one within a healthcare setting and one outside of healthcare
  • If accepted, be enrolled in the practicum course while completing the practicum

For more information, please see Practicum Requirements & Forms

Application Deadlines

Our Child Life Practicum Program is offered in the fall and spring. To be considered, please submit a complete application packet postmarked by the deadline:

SemesterApplication DeadlineInitial Offer Day
FallMarch 29May 7
SpringSeptember 19October 10

Return the completed application packet to the following address:
UMC Children’s Hospital
Child Life Department
c/o Practicum Program
602 Indiana Avenue
Lubbock, TX 79415

For more information about our practicum program, please contact us at 806.775.8836 or childlife@umchealthsystem.com


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