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Program Information

Interns are valued members of the social work program within the Department of Family Services. We provide social work services in a medical healthcare setting. We do not offer field placements for inpatient psychiatry or other related behavioral / mental health settings.

At the start of their field placement interns are placed with a field instructor assigned to a specific medical service. All field instructors are Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW) with years of experience and expertise in a variety of clinical settings. These field instructors guide interns through the world of pediatric medical social work. Students who are accepted into our program will be assigned a specific medical service or medical unit. They will have the opportunity during second semester to participate in a rotation cycle on other medical services. During this time there is no change in their assigned field instructor. Interns are expected to participate actively in their own education by completing weekly supervision and attending monthly education seminars and group supervision sessions. At the completion of their field work they will leave with an invaluable skill set and an understanding of the complexities of medical social work.

Our MSW field placement program is available for 2nd Year and Advanced Standing MSW students only. This is a highly competitive placement. Not all students who apply will be accepted for interview or field placement. There are no intern stipends offered at Children’s National Hospital. We average around five field placements each academic year and we accept students from several area universities. We are interested in students who demonstrate a strong commitment to social work values and ethics, who have excelled in their academic fields, and who have excellent writing skills. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.

Additional information about our program:

  • We only accept students for the traditional school year. We have do not offer placements for students in a summer program, part-time or extended school year program.
  • Internship hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. We do not offer night or weekend hours.
  • All students must be able to attend field placement on Wednesday. The first Wednesday of every month we hold a mandatory student education and group supervision session from 12-2 p.m. No exceptions.
  • No stipends are offered.
  • If a student is accepted for placement they will be required to complete a physical, a health screen, receive updated immunizations, and complete a background check. During the course of their field assignment students will also be required to receive a flu shot, which will be provided at no cost to them. Information on how to do this is provided after an offer for placement is confirmed.