Internships in Social Work

Internships for Graduate Students

By completing an internship at St. Jude, you will be able to develop your professional skills and grow as a social worker. The Social Work team will provide guidance and support as you work with patients and families coping with life-threatening diseases such as cancer, HIV, and blood disorders.

We hope you will consider St. Jude for your internship.

During your internship, you will have the opportunity to:

• Understand the role of a medical social worker and learn how to provide counseling to help patients and families cope with diagnosis and treatment.
• Participate in interdisciplinary care teams, including psychosocial and medical rounds
• Learn to apply evidence-based practice skills
• Acquire knowledge of medical terminology and procedures
• Foster professional relationships with patients and staff
• Develop comprehensive psychosocial assessment skills
• Receive training in providing palliative and end-of-life care
• Understand the late effects of treatment by working with survivors of cancer
• Provide clinical services to diverse patient populations, including international families and patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
• Provide transitional counseling to patients moving from active treatment to completion of treatment and from pediatric care to adult care

As a St. Jude social work intern, you will gain have the opportunity to gain experience in several major medical service areas at St. Jude, including Leukemia/Lymphoma, Bone Marrow Transplant, Solid Tumor, Neuro-Oncology, Hematology, HIV, Cancer Survivorship and Transition.

Internships are limited to second-year or advanced-standing students in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). If you are a student inquiring about clinical social work as a profession, you can learn more under Frequently Asked Questions: Social Work at St. Jude.

Social Work Internship Requirements

• Applicants must be enrolled in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and must be in the second year or have advanced-standing status.
• Internships are only available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Internship hours will be agreed upon based on the requirements of the MSW program prior to the beginning of the placement. MSW students typically intern 20-24 hours per week.
• Your MSW program must have a contractual relationship with St. Jude. Contact your university to confirm if your school has a contractual agreement with St. Jude before applying. If your program does not have an agreement with St. Jude, your field coordinator should email swtraining@stjude.org to begin the process of initiating this agreement.
• Students with high academic achievement will have priority.
• International students are welcome to apply. Please be aware of the additional time needed to complete appropriate documentation. Fluency in English is required.

Internship Application Process

• Applications are accepted from January 30 to March 15. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible within the application period. Send cover letters and resumes to swtraining@stjude.org.
• Due to the high volume of applications, only a limited number of students will be selected for placement interviews.
• The field coordinator of each school will be notified with the names of students who have been selected to proceed to the interview process.
• Interviews will be held on-site or virtually in early April.
• Students selected for internships will then be notified directly or via their field coordinators.

Internship Program Acceptance

• Accepted students will be contacted by their assigned field instructors to prepare for their internships. The pre-internship contact involves determining the start date and negotiating an internship that coordinates with the student’s class schedule. At this time, the field instructor may assign or recommend reading materials to prepare for the placement.
• St. Jude Academic Programs staff will send electronic notifications regarding steps required before placement can begin. Steps will include providing proof of vaccinations, health care and liability insurance, and an official transcript. A background check, drug screening and TB skin test will also be part of the acceptance process.  

Internships for Undergraduate Students

The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) internship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital focuses on teaching students fundamental/generalist social work skills while working with acute and chronically ill children, families and young adults in a hospital setting. This opportunity will help you develop professional skills in a structured and supported educational environment.

During your internship, you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop a basic understanding of the needs of patients and families impacted by an acute or chronic illness
• Understand the role of medical social work and to learn how to engage and build rapport with patients and families
• Develop foundational social work skills and learn to apply them to patient and family interactions
• Learn how to conduct a clinical interview using the biopsychosocial assessment model and develop a case conceptualization and needs assessment
• Observe supportive counseling and learn how to handle critical conversations
• Assess for and provide case management services
• Interface with community partners and learn about their referral process
• Participate in Interdisciplinary care teams
• Learn evidence-based skills

As a St. Jude social work intern, you will gain experience in several major medical service areas at St. Jude, including Hematology, Infectious Diseases, and Oncology services.

Social Work Internship Requirements

• Applicants should be enrolled in a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• Internships are available for a traditional Fall/Spring Semester placement or a Fall Block/Accelerated Placement. Spring and Summer placements are not available.
• Internships are only available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Internship hours will be agreed upon based on the requirements of the BSW program prior to the beginning of the placement.
• Your school must have a contractual relation with St. Jude. Contact your university to confirm your school has a contractual agreement with St. Jude before applying. If your program does not have an agreement with St. Jude,  your field coordinator should email swtraining@stjude.org to begin the process of initiating this agreement.
• Students with high academic achievement will have priority.
• International students are welcome to apply. Please be aware of the additional time needed to complete appropriate documentation. Fluency in English is required.

Internship Application Process

• Applications are accepted from January 30 to March 15. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible within the application period. Send cover letters and resumes to swtraining@stjude.org.
• Due to the high volume of applications, only a limited number of students will be selected for placement interviews.
• The field coordinator of each school will be notified with the names of students who have been selected to proceed to the interview process.
• Interviews will be held on-site or virtually in early April.
• Students selected for internships will then be notified directly or via their field coordinators.

Internship Program Acceptance

• Accepted students will be contacted by their assigned field instructors to prepare for their internships. The pre-internship contact involves determining the start date and negotiating an internship that coordinates with the student’s class schedule. At this time, the field instructor may assign or recommend reading materials to prepare for the placement.
• St. Jude Academic Programs staff will send electronic notifications regarding steps required before placement can begin. Steps will include providing proof of vaccinations, health care and liability insurance, and an official transcript. A background check, drug screening and TB skin test will also be part of the acceptance process.