A Day in the Life of a MSW Intern

May is in full swing here at Hope For The Warriors®, which means the academic year is ending for most of our interns. Graduation is on the horizon for many, so I sat down with one intern in our New York office pursuing her Masters in Social Work (MSW) to ask about the typical "day in the life" of a Social Work intern. This typical day for Jenn showcases the great program work and applied experience we offer our interns.

Here's what Jenn had to say about her intern work with Hope For The Warriors®.

A typical day as a MSW intern ranged in a variety of different tasks. As a track B student at Fordham University I was required to do both clinical and administrative work.

As an intern my primary clinical task included intake assessment calls. First I would call the service member assigned to me and complete a full biopsychosocial assessment. This including gathering information about their medical history, combat injury, financial status, family system, psychological functioning, and social support systems. During this intake interview I would also ask the service member what they were seeking from Hope For The Warriors®. Some clients were seeking financial assistance and others were interested in the other programs. Once I completed the intake interview, I would have to assess if the client met the necessary criteria for financial assistance. I would reach out to the service member for necessary documents and VA paperwork to complete their intake application. Sometimes I would create a document of resources available for the service member, depending on their needs. After assisting the service member, I would end the assignment and follow up 30, 60, and 90 days after completion. This was a very challenging aspect of my internship, but it provided so much insight into the challenges and needs of today's service members and military families. 

Although this was somewhat tailored to my internship experience, I enjoyed assigned writing projects. I worked on program proposal writing with the guidance of several staff members, including the Clinical Health & Wellness Senior Director. I developed a program proposal for The Arts & Health program. I was able to use resources from my Fordham classes to help me develop this program. Another project I enjoyed working on as a student was writing blogs on Art Therapy, Reiki, Yoga, and Meditation and their impact on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I was excited to write these blogs because I am an advocate for holistic complimentary medicine. Being able to engage my passions within the work I was doing for Hope For The Warriors® makes their internship program truly unique.

Another project that I worked on during my internship was helping the Outdoor Adventures Program. I worked with a staff member to follow up with a list of service members about their interest in the program. This was a project I worked on for several months. The main purpose of the project was to reach out to service members and end assignments or reduce the number of open cases.

The remainder of my time as an intern was spent collaborating in local staff meetings, critical care staff meetings, clinical and task supervisions, and working local events. 

I believe this internship has prepared me for the field of Social Work, specifically from the lens of real-world military cultural competency training. My work contributed to the quantity and quality of case management within Hope For The Warriors® and I am appreciative of the opportunity. This program puts invaluable focus on the importance of being a leader in the field of mental health, which is a priority for me and Hope For The Warriors®.