Clinical Pastoral Education at Moses Cone Hospital
The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program based at The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital is accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Inc., Decatur, GA, (ACPE) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education as an Accredited Center. Our program offers CPE at Levels I and II through a One-year Residency and a Summer Intern unit.
What is CPE?
CPE is interfaith professional education for ministry for:
- Theological students
- Ordained clergy (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and others)
- Members of religious orders
- Qualified lay persons and helping professionals
Students provide help to people in crisis situations while being supervised.
How CPE Works
Out of an intense involvement with these persons and the feedback from peers, teachers and supervisors, students develop new awareness of themselves, responsiveness to the needs of those to whom they minister, and are challenged to improve the quality of their pastoral relationships. We believe that authentic, sensitive and compassionate pastoral relationships are enhanced through pastoral encounters, written case studies, didactic presentations, professional reading, critical reflection and individual supervision. By critically reflecting on challenging circumstances from a wide diversity of perspectives students can expand their understanding about human suffering, integrate their theology or spirituality with life experience, and develop their capacity to be a healing presence.
Guided by the mission and values of Cone Health, the Department for Spiritual Care and Wholeness is committed to providing a Clinical Pastoral Education program of excellence.
Where We Serve
We offer interdisciplinary opportunities for learning and ministry in the following areas:
- Behavioral health
- Cardiology
- Intensive care units
- Level II Trauma Center (adult and pediatric)
- Neurosciences
- Oncology (inpatient and outpatient services)
- Palliative care
- Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation services
- Vascular medicine
- Women’s health services
We also include patients’ family and medical staff in our circle of care.
Program Offerings
I. 12-month Residency Program in Pastoral Care:
- Prerequisites: (1) One completed and ACPE accredited unit of CPE. (2) Ordained, licensed, commissioned clergy person or licensed helping professional.
- Recommended: Earned M.Div. (or equivalent) from an ATS accredited institution.
- Dates: January of the current year and ending in mid-January of the following year.
- Number of Positions: Five stipend positions
II. Extended Intern Unit. (Late May / Early June – Mid-August / September)
- Prerequisites: Earned B.A./B.S. from a Regionally Accredited college or university
- Recommended:One to two years of theological, religious, or equivalent studies at the bachelor’s and/or graduate level.
- Dates: Late May/Early June through mid-August/September. Students must be present at the beginning of the unit for all orientation sessions. This includes mandatory EPIC computer training (4 hours); on-call shadowing opportunities, and at least 1-3 days of orientation the first week of the unit. See basic unit requirements below.
- Positions: Six Summer Intern positions. Non-paid positions.
- Basic Unit Requirements:
- A minimum of 100 education hours (group and individual).
- A minimum of 300 clinical hours (hours of clinical care provided in the clinical setting).
- One full or two half days of group education weekly and one hour of supervision (most weeks).
- Serve 24 hour on-call (on-site) clinical chaplain duties (minimum of 4 per month, includes some weekends).
- 8-10 hours per week of routine clinical chaplaincy care on-site.
- Students must complete all education assignments (reflection papers, verbatim, evaluations, weekly hours, student stats, clinical documentation) and pay their unit program fees in order to receive credit for the unit.
- Education involves reading and written assignments, unit projects, peer group process work and participation in didactic sessions.
Additional Requirement Information for Residents
- The Residency position is a full-time, stipend position and one that requires a significant contribution of time and emotional availability.
- Engagement with Departmental Staff in monthly departmental meetings, Inter-Disciplinary Team projects and initiatives.
- Community Clinical placement assignment outside the hospital.
Program Fees
Application fee: $25 non-refundable (for all programs).
Tuition:
I. Residency Year: $450 per unit/3 units (Please note that there is an “Acceptance Fee” of $100 for the Resident Program. This fee is applied to the total tuition and is non-refundable.)
II. Extended Intern Unit (Not Currently Offered): $450 (Please note that there is an “Acceptance Fee” of $100 for the Resident Program. This fee is applied to the total tuition and is non-refundable.)
Application Procedure
I. Residency – 12 months – January to January
While the program accepts ACPE applications throughout the year, the process for applying is two-pronged. Applicants submit a completed ACPE application form [DOC] and Agreement to Circulate [PDF] to the Spiritual Care and Counseling Department.
Beginning in August of each year until *November 1st, applicants may apply for the CPE positions through the Cone Health careers website. Our Talent Acquisition team will contact applicants regarding the application for the position online. Once contacted by Talent Acquisition, applicants must submit ACPE materials by *November 1st (if not already submitted earlier) for consideration for the upcoming residency year beginning in January. Face to face interviews will begin as early as October, so it is advisable to apply before the November 1st deadline.
The Spiritual Care and Counseling department then selects candidates for in-person interviews and offers positions for residency by mid to late November.
*subject to extension
II. Extended Intern Unit
Summer: late May through August; fall: Early June through September
Enrollment in summer and extended CPE groups are offered through a rolling application process. Students may apply at any time. Based on the number of qualified applicants, units are offered in the summer and fall or a hybrid of the two.
Applicants submit a completed ACPE application [DOC] and the Agreement to Circulate [PDF] to the Spiritual Care and Counseling Department.
Summer Intern applications are submitted directly to the Spiritual Care and Counseling Department through address and/or email below. There is no need to apply online.
Mail ACPE applications to:
Spiritual Care and Counseling
Attn: Veronica Martinez-Gallegos
CPE Coordinator
1121 N Church Street
Greensboro, NC 27401
Email ACPE applications to veronica.martinezgallegos@conehealth.com
Please direct any inquiries about Moses Cone Hospital CPE programs via email toveronica.martinezgallegos@conehealth.com.
All students accepted to the CPE program are required to sign a Use of Clinical Materials Consent Form prior to formal admission. Failure to sign the consent form will prohibit students from participating in the unit of CPE.
This program is accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Inc., One West Court Square, Suite 325, Decatur, GA 30030. Telephone: 404-320-1472; FAX (404) 320-0849; Email: acpe@acpe.edu and by the United States Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Cone Health also offers a Clinical Pastoral Education program based at Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington.