Social work internship program
The social work internship program aims to provide social work students with an environment and proper guidance to foster learning and refine clinical techniques as they deliver services to patients and their families.
How it works
Students carry a case load of patients and families under direct supervision of a licensed clinical social worker. Students do this by shadowing field supervisors, attending rounds, and journaling. Students will develop an understanding of what the medical teams do, and how to respond appropriately to their requests. The internship program provides experience in core social work functions:
- Helping patients and families to adjust to illness and potential loss
- Participating in a two-week rotation with the Protective Services Team
- Researching and coordinating referrals to community resources
- Conducting and documenting psychosocial assessments
- Charting social work services provided in the patients' records
Student selection
The program is for second-year master's degree students.
We are currently trains students from the following graduate schools of social work at:
- Aurora University
- Chicago State University
- Dominican University
- Loyola University
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
Students interested in pursuing an internship should contact the appropriate coordinator at their school. Schools then submit lists of prospective students. Students also send resumes directly to us. If selected, the student is interviewed by the social work manager and relevant field instructors.
Interviewing cycles & timing
There are two interviewing cycles:
- Interviews are conducted in January and February for “block” placements beginning in May.
- Interviews are conducted in February and March for training starting in the fall.
For more information, contact Nancy Heap, LCSW, at 773.880.4485.