Serving Those Who Serve

In a long-term partnership between Radford University and the Salem Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) students have a valuable opportunity to assist veterans with a wide range of issues, as well as enrich their education for their future careers.

The M.S.W. internships available at the Salem VA Medical Center are dedicated strictly to Radford University students, and competition for the paid positions is fierce. Only eight slots per academic year are available, and it is not uncommon for as many as 20 students to apply.

“The partnership with the VA is one of the best clinical placements we have, because of the range of work they get to do,” said Philip Mongan, Ph.D., LCSW and M.S.W. coordinator. “Students, who participate in the internship, are often hired by the VA.”

Interns experience many aspects of providing care to veterans. Assignments can range from post-traumatic stress disorder treatment, inpatient psychological care, traumatic brain injury and dementia care, long-term care patients, case management, community outreach and therapy to administration.

Interns are required to work 300 hours each semester, or approximately 22 hours per week.

Prior to assuming an internship, students go through a class to educate themselves about the needs of military populations. Learning the culture of veterans prepares them to work with veterans. “Why does the military do what it does?” and “What is combat like?” are some of the areas covered in the class, according to Mongan.

The program also benefits the 79 social workers currently employed at the Salem VA Medical Center.

“We need to help develop our profession of social work by teaching those who will later be our peers in the profession,” said Malinda Shelor-Rogers, Transition and Care Management Program coordinator at the Salem VA Medical Center. “Even if they do not end up working for the VA, they will still serve the community and have an awareness of veterans, their needs and how the VA system works.”

Working with and caring for veterans reinforces the Highlander core value of fostering relationships and a culture of service within and beyond the University community.