In Partnership with Fresno State, Valley Children’s Interns Gain Skills and Experience in Real-World Healthcare Settings

Nestled in the heart of California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, California State University, Fresno, commonly known as Fresno State, is renowned for its rich blend of academic rigor and vibrant campus life. The university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs across disciplines and is particularly celebrated for its outstanding contributions in agriculture, business, engineering, and health and human services. A distinguished institution in the California State University system, Fresno State is a vital contributor to the Central Valley’s growth and prosperity.

In 2022, Valley Children’s and Fresno State established a significant partnership that is having a positive impact on students, faculty and the broader Central Valley community. Spanning a 10-year period, the partnership aims to strengthen both of the institutions’ work in children’s health and education.

As part of this commitment, Valley Children’s launched its first paid internship program – and its first internship program outside of the Nursing practice – in the Spring of 2023. Since then, more than 50 interns have come through the hospital’s doors, and three have been hired on permanently.

These bright, young students come from various areas of study – everything from occupational and physical therapy to speech, clinical education, research, business development and Child Life. Internships are paid to ensure the broadest possible application pool.

Learning from Real-World Experiences

Interns enter Valley Children’s semester-long, structured education program in cohorts to learn about working in healthcare and a variety of other important workplace topics. Valley Children’s solicits feedback at the end of each program and introduces interns to hospital executive leaders. Interns have the flexibility to continue their student workload at Fresno State as they complete the internship program.

“The purpose of the internship program is to show the young individuals who are just beginning their careers all of the different job opportunities there are within healthcare,” said Kelly Beall, SVP and Chief People Officer at Valley Children’s. “We especially want to introduce them to Valley Children’s culture and help them create connections that lead to future opportunities with our organization.”

Making Meaningful Connections

Having just completed the first full year of the Fresno State internship program, Valley Children’s continues to assess the program’s success and understand how to provide interns with meaningful experiences. “It’s important that our interns don’t spend time doing ordinary tasks like filing – we want them to do meaningful work and build a good sense of what it’s like to be part of Valley Children’s workforce,” Beall said.

The internship opportunity has been mutually beneficial for students and Valley Children’s Hospital, thanks to a high level of engagement of the staff. And new hires are easier to onboard, once they’ve completed the program.

“Our training and onboarding experience is much smoother and quicker because prior interns already have a sense of what the organization is like and what the role looks like,” Beall said, adding that retention also improves. “Our pediatric nurse externship has been one of the most effective hiring tools for new nurses in our organization, and we anticipate the same great results from our Fresno State internship program,” she said.

Students will have the opportunity to apply for the Summer 2024 internship in the coming months, at the University and through Valley Children’s website. More information can be found here. https://jobs.valleychildrens.org/

Making Kids Smile: How One Fresno State Intern Became a Valley Children’s Employee

Fresno State student Madalyn Schafer is making a difference in the lives of Valley Children’s patients as a Child Life assistant. She’s one of three new hires who have completed the internship program during its first year.

While attending school at Fresno State as a Child and Family Science major, Madalyn learned about the internship opportunities at Valley Children’s. “I heard that the hospital was interested in recruiting interns from Fresno State, so I applied to numerous positions on the Valley Children’s Careers site that were relevant to my major,” she said. Madalyn was intrigued with the idea of becoming a Child Life specialist. “I love working with children, so it sounded like an awesome career to pursue. I’m grateful to have the opportunity.”

The Child Life department provides services to patients and families that are receiving care at Valley Children’s, in every area across the hospital. “Our main focus is to help patients and families cope with the medical experience,” said Madalyn’s supervisor, Marisa Ybarra Reyes. “This can involve a variety of activities, whether we’re providing play opportunities for patients to take their mind off being in a hospital, educating them about a new diagnosis, or helping them prepare for a surgery or procedure.”

Building Skills, Hands-On

The internship involved studies at the university, as well as assisting in responsibilities at the hospital. During her shifts in the Child Life department, Madalyn assisted Child Life specialists and interacted with patients. “As part of my classwork, I journaled my experiences at Valley Children’s and completed a number of career readiness exercises, as well,” she said.

Over time, Madalyn proactively sought additional responsibilities, such as developing activities for the children. In December, she was given an opportunity she couldn’t refuse: to interview for a permanent placement as a Child Life Assistant. She accepted a per diem position and continues to attend Fresno State to finish out her Child and Family Science major. “Everything fell into place for me,” she said.

Providing an Inroad to a Meaningful Career

According to Marisa, the internship program through Fresno State not only helps her department find qualified employees but also raises awareness about the work the department does and the career opportunities available. Marisa added that onboarding new hires that have completed the internship is much smoother, since they already know the ropes.

“We’re grateful to discover potential future Child Life Specialists from Fresno State and offer them an inroad to the profession. The resources are limited in this area, but thanks to the program, we can bring in students who are passionate about helping children and provide hands-on experience as they set out on their career paths.”

Marisa Ybarra Reyes, Child Life, Valley Children’s Hospital

The Best Part? Spreading Joy

Madalyn says the best thing about her new job is being able to lift the spirits of the children receiving treatment at Valley Children’s. “I just love getting to talk to the patients and make them smile,” she said. “I know it’s hard for them to be in the hospital, and it’s just nice when you get to see that you’re making someone’s day a little bit better.”