Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

The CPE program at Roper St. Francis HealthCare is an intense, 400-hour program of professional and theological education in which ministers, priests, rabbis, religious and lay persons learn pastoral ministry through interpersonal relationships in a health care setting. CPE is an integrated program of theory and practice directed by certified supervisors with the collaboration of a professional staff. Through interpersonal relationships, patient visits, seminars, lectures, group dynamics, individual supervision and specific assignments, chaplain interns and residents deepen their understanding of their personal identity (relationship to self), their spiritual identity (relationship to God) and their pastoral and/or professional identity (relationship to others).

The CPE program at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital and Roper Hospital is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation (USCCB/CCA).

One unit of CPE consists of 400 hours of supervised learning. The CPE educational process may be completed in one of three methods at this CPE Center:

• Full-time Internship: Five days per week for 11 weeks.
• Part-time Internship: Two days per week for 22 weeks.
• Full-Time Residency: Five days per week for a period of one year. In this program, a student receives 4 units of CPE and is provided a stipend.