MUSIC THERAPY INTERNSHIPS
Arbor Hospice provides a comprehensive music therapy internship program under the supervision of a master’s prepared, board-certified music therapist. Interns complete their required internship hours in a flexible full-time schedule.
Training for our music therapy interns includes training on hospice care and philosophy, training on EMR system and charting/documenting, participation in interdisciplinary team meetings (with physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual care advisors and volunteer coordinators), meetings with the music therapy team, and learning administrative skills needed when working with a large organization. The internship culminates in a final presentation given to the music therapy department.
Population, Settings and Geography:
Our interns will have the opportunity to work with patients (both adult and pediatric) receiving hospice services. They will provide music therapy services to patients in a variety of levels of care including patient’s homes, assisted living facilities/nursing homes, and the inpatient unit.
Internship Expectations:
Interns will be involved in interdisciplinary team meetings and advocate for their patients as well as provide knowledge to other team members regarding the benefits of music therapy. Interns can expect to work 36-40 hours per week, and they will be primarily leading individual sessions with patients and patients’ family members. Interns will spend an intensive month shadowing their supervising MT-BC as well as a day with each additional MT-BC at the company and one member of the other disciplines before having the opportunity to first co-lead and eventually lead sessions.
During the latter half of the internship, interns will have their own caseload of patients on whom they will document, manage scheduling changes, and update frequencies/care plans accordingly. Interns will complete either a case study or other special project related to their internship and present their findings to the complimentary therapies department towards the end of their internship. In addition, interns have the opportunity to journal on a daily basis related to thoughts and feelings that arise from the day-to-day experience of working in hospice. Interns will have a variety of different assignments throughout their experiences.
Philosophy of Training Interns:
Our philosophy of training interns is similar to our therapeutic approach. Each intern will be directly supervised by the Internship Director. We will adapt our program to meet the needs of our interns by highlighting their strengths, pushing them to grow as individuals and therapists, and nurture them along the way. We approach each intern as an individual with very specific areas of strengths and needs that we can help develop. Interns will take a test within their first week that identifies if they are a visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or tactile learner and his or her supervisor will adjust her supervision techniques and style to best suit the intern’s needs. At Arbor Hospice, we will do everything we can to maximize our interns’ learning potential.
Resources Provided:
Laptop computer, iPhone, percussion instruments, stool, bag to carry equipment. (Guitar provided by intern)
Other Information:
- We require a car, auto insurance, and a valid driver’s license when visiting patients.
- Living arrangements are to be made by intern but staff is able to assist with suggestions.
- Interns must provide documentation of liability insurance carried through their University or privately.
- A complete background check, including criminal, driving record and drug screening will be required.
Instructions for Applying to our Program
We require that any student applying for our internship program must have completed at least one practicum in geriatrics with preferably an additional practicum in hospice. Applicants will need to complete the application and either an on-site (preferable) or Skype audition and interview. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate instrument proficiencies by playing 2 songs each on both the guitar and piano providing voice accompaniment (4 songs total) that have therapeutic implications for their desired work in hospice. They can be original or pre-composed and applicants will be expected to speak to why they chose each song and how either have used it or how they would like to use it in their music therapy work.
Applicants can submit applications throughout the year, but internships will start in June and January. Applications received prior to March 1st will be considered for a June start. Applications received prior to September 1st will be considered for a January start. If an intern requires an alternative start date, please indicate that when completing the application.
To Apply:
Complete our Music Therapy Internship Application and email it to rlawrence-lupton@arborhospice.org or mail it to:
Rachael Lawrence-Lupton, MA, MT-BC
Internship Director
Arbor Hospice
2366 Oak Valley Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48103