Child Life Specialist and patients smiling while coloring at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Learn from World-Renowned Experts

Scottish Rite for Children offers hands-on experience through our practicums, workshops and internships. Learn more about our various programs designed for students with an interest in these areas below:

  • Child Life Practicum 
  • Child Life Workshop
  • Summer Nurse Extern Program
  • Therapeutic Recreation Internship
  • Movement Science Lab Internship
  • Sports Medicine Research Internship
  • Orthopedic Clinical Summer Internship

Student Programming & Internships/Externships

At Scottish Rite for Children, we are excited to introduce our first-ever Multi-Site Practicum Program (MSPP) for individuals preparing for a child life internship. This program allows practicum students to become familiar with child life services at different facilities within the DFW metroplex. The MSPP allows students to observe child life specialists in a variety of contexts, including procedures, surgery, children of adult settings, and more. These observation experiences and assignments encourage the development of communication skills and provide a supportive environment to integrate theory with clinical practice. Our goal is to create a program that meets the needs of students while providing valuable and diverse experiences.   

Candidates will be selected to participate in a virtual interview process called Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Students will rotate through timed stations and meet with site supervisors from each facility. At the end of the interview, there will be a group information session and Q&A time.   

Following the interview, 2 students will be contacted by phone on October 8th with an offer for the practicum program.   

Please email childlifepracticum@tsrh.org for additional questions.  

To learn more about the field of Child Life and how to become a certified Child Life Specialist, please visit www.childlife.org

Requirements: 

  • Send all required application documents to childlifepracticum@tsrh.org 
  • Be enrolled as a current student at a university at sophomore level or higher (and remain enrolled during the practicum)
  • Completion of SACLP Application
  • Typed paragraph answering the following question: 
    • Are there any additional availability details that we would need to know about your schedule? 
  • Required courses 
    • Play  
    • Child Development
    • Child Life Course  
  • Unofficial transcripts (must show final passing grade or “in progress” status for required courses) 
  • In Progress Form
  • One Page Resume 
  • ​Two reference forms sent via email to childlifepracticum@tsrh.org.
    • One reference form must be from someone who observed you with direct interaction with children.  
    • Reference forms must be directly sent from the reference and must include applicants’ first and last name in the subject line of the email. 
  • Transportation not provided between facilities 

Spring practicum deadlines for students   

September 6th   

Applications due online with Scottish Rite   

September 19th    

Contact candidates for interview date   

Sept. 25th , 30th Oct. 3rd *Exact date TBD 

MMI Interview conducted 

October 8th    

Offer date; must accept within 24 hours of receiving offer on October 9th    

Mid-January   

Practicum starts   

 

Please check back for Fall 2025 practicum deadlines.  
We do not offer a summer practicum placement at this time.

Scottish Rite for Children offers a therapeutic recreation internship to students studying therapeutic recreation and/or taking classes to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). The internship is a 14-week nonpaid program to help prepare students for an entry-level position in therapeutic recreation. Interns work 40 hours per week and have the opportunity to work with inpatients and outpatients, as well as assist with community outreach programs. Our internship builds on what is learned in the classroom to prepare the student for success in whatever setting they choose to practice therapeutic recreation.

Our internship prepares students for the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification exam, which each student must pass to become a CTRS.

Interns must complete the application form, once submitted, we will contact you if we would like to proceed with scheduling an interview. For more information, please contact the Therapeutic Recreation Department at 214-559-5179 or email therapeutic.recreation@tsrh.org.

Next available therapeutic recreation internship: Spring 2025.
Deadline for applications: October 15, 2024

Next available therapeutic recreation internship: Summer 2025.
Deadline for applications: March 15, 2025

Scottish Rite for Children offers internship opportunities to students studying kinesiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology and biomedical engineering in the Movement Science Lab on the Dallas campus.
 
Summer internships consist of an eight to 10-week unpaid program, and have a minimum requirement of 20 hours a week (preference is given to those able to work 40 hours per week). The goal of the internship is to provide students with an opportunity to observe motion analysis in a clinical setting. Each student is assigned a project based on their educational background and experience. Our summer curriculum series also includes weekly didactic lecture and assignments emphasizing clinical research design and practices, as well as, basic biomechanics and motion analysis.
 
Semester internships are also available in both the Fall and Spring. Requirements and internship details vary based on the student and lab availability.

Students interested in an internship must complete the student interest application. To be considered, students must submit a resume with their application. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, however please note the following deadlines:

Summer Application Deadline: March 15
Fall Application Deadline: July 1
Spring Application Deadline: November 15

If you have questions about internship opportunities in the Movement Science Lab, please contact
gaitlab@tsrh.org.
 

Scottish Rite for Children offers internship opportunities to students interested in studying sports medicine, orthopedics and clinical research at the Frisco campus, which could include sports injuries, concussions and fractures.

The sports medicine research internship program consists of a minimum eight-week curriculum. It is unpaid and requires a commitment of 10-20 hours per week. The goal of the internship is to provide students with a solid foundation in clinical research methodology. Each student is assigned a research topic, based on their educational background and experience, to develop over the course of the curriculum with the help of didactic lectures and focused assignments.

The internship also includes observation in clinics, operating rooms, the movement science lab and career development discussions (pre-med, pre-Ph.D., pre-P.T., etc.). Internships outside of the summer program are available, but vary based on availability.

This internship is designed for incoming and established undergraduate students. Interested students must complete the application AND attach a resume. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered:

Summer 2024 Application Deadline: March 31, 2024

If you have questions about internship opportunities in sports medicine, please contact sportsresearch@tsrh.org.

Scottish Rite for Children's orthopedic internship is a two-week program on the Dallas campus offered in the summer to highly qualified rising college freshmen, sophomores and / or juniors. The internship provides both an opportunity to shadow in clinical environments as well as didactic instruction in health care leadership.

Interns will observe patient care with our doctors and advanced practice providers in both the clinic and the operating room; seeing a variety of orthopedic patients and diagnoses, including scoliosis, limb length discrepancies, hip dysplasia and clubfoot. Interns also have the opportunity to attend educational conferences open to the orthopaedic residents, fellows and Scottish Rite staff.
 
The internship also includes practical didactic instruction in health care leadership. Interns have assigned reading and participate in two networking lunches with the administrative leaders across Scottish Rite. Covered topics may include traits of high performing leaders, incorporating personal values into leadership, inspiring vision and leadership and challenges in health care.

Requirements:
  • Must be a rising college freshman, sophomore or junior, enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university at the time of application.
  • Considering a career in medicine or health care.
  • Available for the full two weeks and willing to commit a minimum of 30 hours each week. 
 
The internship is unpaid. Parking is available at no cost.

Our 2024 Orthopedic Clinical Summer Internship is now accepting applications. Deadline for submitting completed application is April 30, 2024.

If you have any questions about the orthopedics internship, please email orthopedic.summerinternship@tsrh.org

The Scottish Rite for Children Summer Nurse Extern Program offers a paid opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a pediatric setting while learning performance expectations of an entry-level staff nurse. Externs get the chance to attend educational seminars, in-services and join patients at one of Scottish Rite's specialized summer camps. Continued work opportunities in PRN Nurse Tech positions are also available. The program requires a 12 week commitment (May 13 - August 2). 
 
Application Process

Application submissions will be accepted through February 9. Interviews will be held the week of Febuary 26. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited school of nursing and Returning as a Senior Nursing Student in the Fall of 2024, graduating with a nursing degree in December 2024 or May 2025, 3.25 GPA in nursing core courses and one clinical rotation by program start date. Pediatric rotation completion preferred. All applicants must be able to fully commit to the 12-week program.

To apply, submit an online application and include the following information with your application:
  • Your resume
  • Official academic transcripts (Must include nursing core courses)
  • A photocopy of your current American Health Provider BLS Card (exp date)
  • A list of objectives you hope to fulfill through the program
  • Nurse Externship Application Checklist

For more information about the program and the rotation, view our flyer. For questions, please contact Shonna Norman at 214-559-7590 or email nurse.extern@tsrh.org