Internships

Overview

A Lifeline Chaplaincy internship gives university students an incredible experience of serving the seriously ill, their families, and caregivers in major Texas hospitals in Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth. Lifeline is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing compassionate support to the seriously ill, their families and caregivers, and to being an educational resource for crisis ministry. We are primarily an outreach to Churches of Christ; however, our internships provide students an opportunity to minister to patients of various religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

 

Supervisors

Our board-certified professional chaplains (Dr. Paul Riddle – Houston, Dr. Tom Nuckels – Austin, and Dr. David Martin – Fort Worth) supervise, instruct, and mentor our university interns as they participate in didactic teachings and hospital visitations.

 

Internship Program Details

The Lifeline intern program began in 1989 as an opportunity for ministry students from Christian universities to experience firsthand the world of hospital patients and their families. The program has grown to incorporate students from multiple disciplines (e.g., nursing, social work, pre-med, and psychology), in which students experience a ministry within their chosen vocation. We have traditionally welcomed students from Church of Christ affiliated universities including Abilene Christian, Harding, Lubbock Christian, Oklahoma Christian, Pepperdine, and York. However, we also welcome applicants from all universities. We primarily conduct our twelve-week Lifeline internships during the summer. However, we will consider other twelve-week internships on a case-by-case basis.

 

The Lifeline internship is a hands-on learning experience. The bedside and hospital is a living laboratory of immense proportions. Chaplain interns will interact with patients, families, and caregivers, representing themselves as individuals committed to serve, minister, and learn. As an intern, you will meet people from all walks of life and parts of the world, each dealing with serious illness. Our internship experience includes the following.

 

• Performing pastoral care visitations in assigned hospitals
• Participating in didactic studies on topics pertaining to theology and suffering
• Serving as a camp counselor for Camp Agape
• Presenting verbatim for supervisor and peer feedback
• Submitting personal theological reflections guided by hospital encounters

 

This position requires a certain amount of flexibility. Some days and events follow a set structure, while the needs and opportunities of other moments call for adaptability. This format reflects the unpredictability and frustration that patients and families daily face in moments of crisis. It also mirrors what happens within a minister who feels called to minister to persons in crisis. Chaplaincy requires an openness to the unexpected and learns to find God’s presence in that space. It is a sacred privilege when a patient or caregiver gives you permission to join them in their journey of suffering and loss.

 

Not everything about a Lifeline internship is solemn or heavy-hearted. The intern group in each location usually finds much to celebrate and enjoy as a group and as individuals. Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth are vibrant places to explore and have numerous cultural opportunities, museums, theaters, and restaurants.

 

We house Lifeline interns with families in their designated local area (Houston, Austin, or Fort Worth) during the twelve-week internship. During the internship, it is helpful to have access to a vehicle, but, if needed, public transportation is available.

 

Expectations for Lifeline Interns

• We expect our interns to possess high spiritual, social, and emotional maturity in their character. As chaplain interns, they represent the Lord, Lifeline, and the hospital in which they serve.
• We expect our interns to cultivate an appreciation for others, especially when those they serve are different than them.
• We expect our interns to explore their relationship with God as they learn new ways of perceiving God and God’s role in their lives.

 

Application Process

We would love for you to consider joining our chaplain intern program! We do limit the number of interns per summer, so if you are interested, please submit a cover letter, resume, and references as early as possible to Paul Riddle. From there, we will contact you for an interview. If accepted into the program, we pay a stipend and work to arrange appropriate housing for the duration of your internship. The first day of the 2022 summer internship is Friday, May 13, and the last day is Friday, August 5.

 

Additional Information

• In general, interns spend half the day in classroom activities and half the day making patient visits in their assigned hospitals. Each interns receives a clinical assignment in a specific hospital.
• The hospitals to which we assign our interns require all persons providing patient care to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
• Interns will join Clinical Pastoral Education students and educators from local hospitals for some didactic sessions and other events.
• Each intern will write at least three verbatim. A verbatim is a clinical learning tool in which the chaplain reproduces in writing a pastoral visit and reflects on that visit according to a prescribe format. Each intern will present their verbatim to their supervisor and peers for group discussion.
• Interns will read several books and articles pertaining to pastoral care and will discuss those works with their supervisor and peers.
• We expect Lifeline interns to attend the following events.
  • Seminar – Ministry in Times of Illness and Loss, Part 1 (Saturday, May 14)
  • Open House in their honor (Friday, May 20, 6-8 p.m.)
  • Camp Agape Bereavement Camp (Sunday, June 26 – Thursday, June 30)
• Interns should adhere to appropriate standard attire.
  • For women, professional attire includes dress suit, pants suit, jacket and slacks with dress blouse or sweater, or professional dress.
  • For men, professional attire includes suit, sport coat and slacks with dress shirt and tie.
  • These guidelines are consistent with personal appearance standards in pastoral care departments in most major hospitals.
  • Hospital regulations prohibit the wearing of open-toed shoes.

 

FAQ about Lifeline Intern Program

 

• What is the purpose of the intern program?

The purpose of the program is to provide student interns with hands-on ministry experience providing compassionate support to hospital patients and their loved ones under the supervision of professional chaplains. The purpose is also to create a supportive learning environment in which students can develop greater self-awareness, grow in their listening and interpersonal skills, and reflect upon spiritual issues evoked by serious illness and loss.

 

• What is the patient population served by Lifeline interns?

Lifeline interns provide pastoral care to Church of Christ patients in designated hospitals served by Lifeline. Interns may also be assigned a hospital staff chaplain mentor in their assigned hospital and may assist that chaplain in providing care to patients on that chaplain’s unit.

 

• Who is eligible to participate in the intern program?

The program is open to men and women who are university juniors, seniors, or graduate students. While most interns come from Church of Christ affiliated universities, we welcome applicants from all universities. Since most of the patients we serve are Church of Christ members, we desire all applicants to have a Church of Christ background or sufficient familiarity with Church of Christ culture with an ability to function appropriately with Church of Christ patients.

 

• In what cities does Lifeline have interns?

We have intern spaces in Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth.

 

• Is there a stipend?

Yes. The stipend is $3,600 for the twelve-week internship.

 

• What about housing?

Lifeline will arrange housing for you with a local church family.

 

• When does the internship begin, and when does it end?

The 2022 internship begins on Friday, May 13 and ends on Friday, August 5.

 

• How do I apply?

The deadline for the 2022 internship application is November 2, 2021. We encourage early submissions. To apply, submit a resume, a letter describing your interest in the program, and three references to Paul Riddle at priddle@lifelinechaplaincy.org. After you submit your application, we will contact you to arrange an interview.

 

• Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Contact Paul Riddle, Lifeline’s Director of Spiritual Care in Houston at (713) 899-5531 or priddle@lifelinechaplaincy.org with further questions.