Internship experience is a critical component of pre-service music teacher (PMT) education in the U.S., often regarded as the most meaningful aspect of teacher preparation (Conway, 2002, 2022; Groulx, 2016). During this period, PMTs engage with the day-to-day responsibilities of teaching and have opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge learned in school to real-world practice by interacting with K-12 students. This experience provides practical skills that help develop teacher identity, career awareness, and self-reflection, while also supporting the transition to in-service teaching (Bartolome, 2013, 2017; Miksza & Berg, 2013). Despite the professional growth fostered by internship experiences, in-service music teachers may still experience job dissatisfaction due to high personal expectations, administrative responsibilities, insufficient preparation, and the challenges of "praxis shock" (Ballantyne & Packer, 2004; Conway, 2012; Hancock, 2008). “Praxis shock” refers to a sense of disillusionment that occurs when PMTs transition to in-service teaching and confront the discrepancies between their expectations and the realities of the profession (Smagorinski et al., 2004). Understanding and reducing the gap between internship and real-world teaching is crucial for fostering supportive environments and unity in music education. However, research on the relationship between “praxis shock” and novice music teachers’ job satisfaction remains limited in the United States.The purpose of this study was to examine the job satisfaction of early-career music teachers in the United States in relation to their internship experiences during teacher preparation. The following research questions guided this study, (1) What is the relationship between internship satisfaction and the number of hours spent on internship requirements and other outside responsibilities? (2) What is the relationship between internship satisfaction and overall preparedness at the start of their careers? (3) What is the relationship between internship satisfaction and current job satisfaction? The survey was developed in Qualtrics and distributed via social media to music teacher groups for a pilot study. After revisions based on pilot feedback, it was distributed to members of the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) in the U.S.. A total of 76 responses were collected, exported from Qualtrics, and analyzed using JASP. The Pearson correlation yielded a moderate positive relationship between internship satisfaction and preparedness, r (74) = .41, p < .001. Future research should explore not only the musical knowledge and pedagogical skills essential for teacher preparation but also strategies to support teachers’ well-being, job satisfaction and retention, fostering unity in music education, and its global growth.