Undergraduate Internships at MARI

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The Mary A. Rackham Institute offers several undergraduate internship opportunities each academic year in child and family psychology, adult psychology, and autism spectrum disorder placements. 

Students highly value MARI’s undergraduate internships. The experience and breadth of exposure to clinical care and clinic operations are rarely available in other settings.

The Mary A. Rackham Institute (MARI) offers several undergraduate internship opportunities for rising juniors and seniors at the University of Michigan each year. Interns are placed at the University Center for the Child and Family (UCCF) or the University Psychological Clinic (PC).

Internships can be completed for course credit or as unpaid volunteer opportunities. There are three clinical placements to choose from, with start dates in either May or September 2024. MARI strongly prefers applicants who can make a 12-month commitment to the internship. 

Scroll down for more details about the undergraduate internship opportunities at MARI. 

Get to Know MARI

What is MARI training all about? What makes our training different? Check out the Get to Know MARI page for trainees to learn more.

How to Apply

Applications due: 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2024

 To apply, you need to submit:

  • Resume or CV.
  • Cover letter detailing your relevant experiences and professional goals.
  • Names and contact information for two references. (We will only contact references of finalists for the positions.)

Note: Letters of recommendation are not required to apply. 

To Submit:

  • Send applications to Meaghan Fesler (mkdoran@umich.edu).

    Next Steps
    If you meet qualifications and could be a potential fit for the program, we will contact you to set up an interview. 

    MARI Clinical Internship Details

    There are three clinical placements within the undergraduate internship program at MARI:

    UCCF Child Track

    UCCF offers child/family-focused clinical internships for University of Michigan undergraduate students. 

    • Interns spend 5 hours per week in clinical education, including attending multidisciplinary seminars and youth/family case presentations with psychologists and social workers in training and observing clinical care.
    • Interns spend an additional 5 hours per week performing administrative services at UCCF. This may include providing childcare during parent in-person sessions,  creating/updating resources for clients and/or staff, scoring measures for clinicians, and conducting clinically related literature reviews.
    •  Interns should be available for weekly UCCF Team Meetings and case consultations for the duration of their internship (currently 12:30-2 p.m. on Wednesdays), with optional attendance at clinical seminars 12-1:30 p.m. Thursdays.

    Questions regarding the UCCF Child and Family Track internship can be directed to Meaghan Fesler, LLP at mkdoran@umich.edu.

    Psych Clinic Adult Track

    The Psychological Clinic (PC) at the Mary A. Rackham Institute (MARI) offers adult-focused clinical internships for qualified University of Michigan undergraduate students. 

    • Interns spend 5 hours per week in clinical education, observing clinical work and attending seminars with multidisciplinary trainees and adult case presentations.
    • Interns spend an additional 5 hours per week in administrative service to Psych Clinic; this may include creating/updating resources for clients and/or staff, scoring measures for clinicians, and conducting clinically related literature reviews.
    • Interns should be available weekly for the Psych Clinic team meetings and case consultations (currently 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays), with optional attendance at clinical seminars (12-1:30 p.m. Thursdays). 

    Questions regarding the Psych Clinic Adult Track internship can be directed to Meaghan Fesler, LLP at mkdoran@umich.edu.

    Autism (ASD) Track

    UCCF also offers training for undergraduates within our University of Michigan Autism Consultation and Treatment Service (UM-ACTS) program. Undergrad interns work in the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program for children with autism. 

    Student interns in the ASD Track are required to complete the following: 

    • Administer two separate, 3-hour sessions of ABA each week , i.e. 6 hours of clinical time. Session times are flexible.
    • Attend weekly supervision meetings held noon-1 p.m. Fridays.
    • Complete brief readings to help promote knowledge of autism and ABA.

    All clinical work is supervised by the Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) responsible for the cases. 

    Questions about the ASD track internships can be directed to Meaghan Fesler, LLP at mkdoran@umich.edu.

    More About What to Expect and Who Should Apply

    MARI’s undergraduate clinical interns have a strong track record of attaining competitive post-bachelor’s positions, as well as entry into the graduate programs of their choice. Graduates have gone on to NIH post-bachelor programs, MSW programs, and clinical psychology Ph.D. programs.

    The Full Clinical Experience

    Internship experiences are designed to provide students with exposure to the workings of a mental health training clinic. In addition to exposure to evidence-based clinical practice, that includes:

    • Learning about the complexities of insurance and payment
    • Using and policies around electronic medical record systems
    • Use of evidence-based clinical assessment measures
    • Clinical writing
    Supervision and Mentorship

    Each undergraduate intern is assigned an administrative supervisor who assists them in acquiring skills, supervises their work, and helps make the intern’s experience meaningful. Administrative tasks may include making reminder phone calls to clients, scheduling appointments, auditing case files, and scoring assessment measures, among other duties. 

    Students meet biweekly with mentors to support their clinical education and to receive guidance in the graduate school application process. 

    Good to Know: 

    • Clinical education opportunities include attending seminars, case presentations, and observing clinical care (always with client permission).
    • Students who receive course credit are expected to propose and complete a literature review and scholarly paper related to some aspect of their clinical undergraduate internship experience.

    Deadline to apply for 2024 Undergrad Internships is 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2024. Internships begin in either May or September. 

    MARI Interns at Case Review