Internship FAQs
We get many questions about our internship program! Below are some of the most common internship questions and their answers.
What does a typical day look like for an intern?
Each day looks different for interns since they are going to be working with their supervisor’s caseload, and each supervisor’s caseload looks different based on their specialties. In general, an intern will have between 3 and 6 sessions per day, with time for notes, supervision, projects, breaks and session planning. Since each day is different, some days may have more direct session hours, and some may have more admin time. We also try to make sure interns have the opportunity to observe and work with multiple MT-BCs throughout their internship, so an intern may have some sessions where they are supervised by a music therapist who is not their direct supervisor. This also allows interns to work with a population that may not be on their supervisor’s caseload and observe different styles and perspectives of leading music therapy sessions.
How does housing work in Brevard County?
Housing in Brevard County (Melbourne, FL) is a 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house about 20-25 minutes away from the Brevard studio by car. Each intern in the house has their own private bedroom, but share common spaces such as bathrooms, kitchen, and living spaces. Household tasks (such as cleaning common areas) are navigated by the interns living at the house at a given time. Some interns collaborate more, some interns prefer more independence, but only FMT interns are allowed to live in the house for the duration of their internship. Some interns will carpool to the studio or to run errands based on their schedules, but it is not a requirement or guarantee that this will happen. Pets are not allowed in the house to ensure that the house is equally accessible to those who may have allergies to animals. A $200 cleaning fee is charged upon move out of the house, but all rent and utilities are covered throughout the length of an internship. A video tour of the intern house can be found on our website under “Vlogs.”
How does the stipend work in Lee County?
Lee County offers a stipend of $3,000 paid in 6 monthly payments of $500 to help offset living expenses during internship. This stipend is paid through direct deposit at the beginning of each month. If an intern enters a 7th month of internship for any reason, additional stipend payments will not be made.
Will I get reimbursed for gas?
No, gas is not reimbursed. But, we make sure the amount that our interns drive for sessions is minimal. However, it is always a good idea to keep track of your mileage to and from sessions for tax purposes!
What kind of goals/interventions do we typically focus on?
All sessions are individualized to the participant, so there are no specific goals or interventions that are used daily. Domain areas that may be addressed in goals can include communication, cognition, motor (gross and fine), and psychosocial/emotional skills. Interventions are also individualized to meet the needs and preferences of each individual participant.
What types of sessions will an intern be able to participate in?
Currently, most interns will be predominantly in individual sessions with a single participant to work on individualized goals. Interns may have opportunities to observe or lead group sessions or virtual sessions based on scheduling.
Are start dates flexible?
Typically, no. Since we can have up to 4 interns starting at a time, we normally do not allow for one intern to start earlier or later. If there are extenuating circumstances, this may be considered but it is the responsibility of the intern applicant to communicate their needs and reasoning for needing a flexible start date. Interns then will go through orientation, mid-term evaluations, and final evaluations around the same time, allowing for smooth transitions between different intern cohorts.
What are some of the similarities and differences between the Brevard County location and the Lee County location?
At both locations, sessions are predominantly 1:1 with children ages 4-12 with varying diagnoses. Most sessions occur in our studio, with options for in-home or virtual sessions. Both locations participate in monthly team meetings, monthly 1:1 meetings with the internship director, optional weekly peer supervision, and interns at both locations participate in weekly 1:1 supervision meetings with their primary supervisor as well as intern-led peer supervision meetings.
Our Brevard Location has several group sessions and has a larger team, while our Lee County location has fewer group sessions and a smaller team and office. At this time, housing is only offered at our Brevard County location, with a stipend offered for Lee County interns to help offset living costs.
What are the projects that are required of interns?
Interns are required to complete several projects across their internship. Interns are required to complete two reviews of literature or media (ex. Books, articles, podcasts, etc.), one case study, one advocacy project, and one legacy project. Legacy and advocacy projects are individualized to each intern and their populations of interest or areas they would like to further research and must be approved by both the intern’s supervisor and the internship director. Past legacy projects have included program or group proposals, community partnerships, grant proposals or funding source research, or multimodal community projects. Past advocacy projects have included in-service presentations to related service providers, marketing strategies, program proposals or starting new groups, or community outreach. The case study is to be completed about a participant that the intern has seen throughout their internship, with a strong preference to a participant that the intern has led the assessment for.
What if I need time off?
All interns are allotted 10 days off throughout their internship. This requires filling out a time-off request form at least 2 weeks in advance. If additional time is needed due to medical needs or other extenuating circumstances, that can be requested and may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the internship coordinator and/or director.