Clinical Pastoral Care Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, although you have been accepted into the CPE program you still must apply to become a full-time employee. This is when HR takes over to perform standard hiring background checks and processes.

An on-call shift means you remain available to provide chaplaincy services outside of your regularly scheduled work hours. Most on-call responsibilities involve responding by phone to provide spiritual care, support, or counseling. However, if a patient death or other urgent situation occurs, you may be required to report to the hospital to provide in-person pastoral care and support.

As part of the CPE Residency at CHRISTUS, all residents are required to participate in the on-call rotation. Each resident is expected to complete four on-call shifts per month.

• Monday – Friday 3 pm -7 am
• Saturday & Sunday 7 am – 7 am (24-hour rotations)

Yes, all locations have a sleep room with a bed, bathroom, TV, and computer.

CHRISTUS has 5 locations between San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos.

• Children’s – downtown
• Westover Hills
• Alamo Heights
• New Braunfels
• San Marcos

Yes, if you complete an additional 3 on-call shifts, you will receive a $250 credit, and completing an additional 6 on-call shifts, you will receive a $500 credit.

A clinical placement is a site for CPE student(s) to complete some or all of the clinical hours requirement of a unit at a location that is physically separated from the accredited program.

Examples of clinical placement sites include a branch of your hospital/organization/institution located down the street, a clinic operated in a separate location, a mental health facility operated by another institution, or a corporate office. (credit ACPE)

The Center for Chaplaincy CPE Clinical placement agreement must be completed/signed PRIOR to students beginning their work at a site and must be presented during the application/interview process. When a clinical placement site is utilized, there must be a written document of understanding or MOU established between the accredited program and the selected site. The purpose of a clinical placement agreement is to ensure the safety of students and the quality and integrity of the educational program. (credit ACPE)

The Certified educator is the only person who can approve a clinical placement location.

• 100 educational hours
• 250 clinical placement hours
• + 50 flex hours (administrative)
• 400 Total hours per Unit

Yes, your supervisor is called your preceptor.

A contextually relevant professional practicing in and recognized by the UIW Center for Chaplaincy and the ACPE Certified Educator. Recognition for this role requires one or more of the following:

• professional licensing, professional certification/authority to function in their role
• an advanced degree in their field of expertise
• faith group endorsement/local equivalent process.

• Orient the student to your placement site and ensure that the student understands the context for this placement
• Address student’s questions and learning needs about the placement site.
• Communicate with the ACPE Certified Educator on a regular basis about fulfillment of the student’s administrative obligations and the responsibilities outlined in the clinical site agreement. This includes the student’s clinical work, work habits, and investment in the learning process at the placement site.
• Must review the ACPE preceptor orientation presentation and complete the UIW Center for Chaplaincy orientation prior to the start of a unit.

As a CPE student, it is your responsibility to complete your required shifts and complete all of your hours. Additionally, CHRISTUS will provide a monthly schedule for the residents to follow for shifts and on-call shifts.

Clinical Pastoral Education is an interfaith professional education for ministry. It brings theological students and ministers of all faiths (pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, and others) into supervised encounters with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need, and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop a new awareness of themselves as persons and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and interprofessional relationships. (ACPE)

Level I (Unit 1 & Unit 2) and Level II (Unit 3 & Unit 4) CPE, as well as Educator CPE, in sequence. The outcomes for each level must be completed before moving to the next level.

To complete the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program, you must complete all 4 (four) CPE units in sequential order.

• CPE + Master's Degree
  • Complete your Master of Arts in Spiritual Leadership and Resilience while simultaneously earning all four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). This integrated program allows you to fulfill both degree and CPE requirements concurrently.
• CPE Certificate
  • Complete the four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) without enrolling in the master's degree program. This option is designed for those seeking CPE certification only.
• Certified Educator Candidate (CEC) + Ph.D. in Education
  • (More information to come)

Andragogical means using teaching methods that are designed specifically for adult learners—emphasizing experience, reflection, self-direction, and practical application rather than passive instruction.

Clinical Pastoral Education is grounded in an andragogical approach. Rather than relying primarily on lectures, CPE encourages students to learn through:

• Direct ministry with patients and families
• Reflection on personal experiences
• Verbatim presentations and peer feedback
• Group discussions and theological reflection
• Supervision and guided self-assessment
• Setting individual learning goals

In CPE, the educator serves as a facilitator and mentor, helping students reflect on their experiences, identify learning needs, and grow in pastoral identity and competence.

A Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) verbatim is a written account of a pastoral care encounter between a CPE student and a patient, family member, or staff member. It is one of the primary learning tools used in CPE because it helps students reflect on their ministry, increase self-awareness, and improve their pastoral care skills.

A verbatim is not simply a transcript of the conversation. Instead, it includes the student's recollection of the interaction along with thoughtful reflection and analysis.

A typical CPE verbatim includes:

• Background information: A brief description of the patient, setting, and reason for the visit (while protecting confidentiality).
• Purpose of the visit: Why the student initiated or responded to the encounter.
• Conversation: A detailed, as accurate as possible, reconstruction of what was said by both the student and the patient.
• Internal responses: The student's thoughts, feelings, assumptions, and emotional reactions during the conversation.
• Pastoral assessment: An evaluation of the patient's spiritual, emotional, relational, and religious needs.
• Theological reflection: Consideration of how the student's faith, theology, or spiritual beliefs informed the encounter.
• Learning and evaluation: Reflection on what went well, what could have been done differently, and goals for future ministry.

Verbatims help CPE students:

• Develop active listening and communication skills.
• Recognize their own emotional responses and biases.
• Improve their ability to assess spiritual needs.
• Integrate theology with pastoral practice.
• Receive constructive feedback from peers and certified CPE educators.

Although writing verbatims can be time-consuming, they are considered one of the most valuable parts of CPE because they transform everyday pastoral encounters into opportunities for deep learning and professional growth.

A CPE didactic is a structured educational session that provides the academic and theoretical foundation for the clinical experiences students have during Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).

While clinical visits with patients provide the hands-on learning, didactics help students understand the concepts, theories, and best practices that inform effective spiritual care.

Common topics covered in CPE didactics include:

• Spiritual assessment and intervention
• Pastoral care theories and models
• Grief, loss, and bereavement
• Crisis intervention
• End-of-life care and ethical decision-making
• Cultural and religious diversity
• Trauma-informed care
• Family systems theory
• Communication and active listening skills
• Professional ethics and boundaries
• Self-awareness and use of self in ministry
• Theological reflection
• Resilience, self-care, and burnout prevention

Didactics may include: 

• Lectures and presentations
• Group discussions
• Case studies
• Role-playing exercises
• Guest speakers
• Reading assignments
• Reflective activities

ACPE certified CPE units may be either full time or part time. Either schedule will include an equivalent number of ministry and education hours. Some extended ACPE certified CPE units meet one day per week for structured educational sessions, and ministry is performed at other times. A more common day, however, is one in which time is provided for ministry and for several education events. Since the heart of ACPE certified CPE is ministering and learning from the experience, a day’s schedule frequently includes a clinical seminar in which a student presents a pastoral encounter to other students and the educator for discussion and feedback. Other typical sessions are: didactic seminars in which discussion follows a lecture; discussion of a book or article; exploration of theological concerns; peer group meetings or interpersonal group sessions for mutual sharing, caring, support and relationship concerns are explored; and worship or sharing occasions which provide opportunity for spiritual nurture. Field trips, workshops, and clinical observations may be periodically included. Evaluation experiences with the other students and your educator are also part of a ACPE accredited CPE program and may be scheduled at the end of a unit to sum up the experience, midway to assess your learning objectives, and, at other times, such as with the other care providers in your ministry area. You will discover that a ACPE accredited CPE schedule asks for active investment but also provides time for sharing, reflection, preparation, and relaxation. (credit ACPE)

If you have never participated in a dynamic, interpersonal, process educational experience, you may be concerned about what it will be like. A foundational task will be for the other students, your educator and you to share with each other in such a way that all are cared for, supported, and challenged without being belittled. Furthermore, since an individual best knows his or her own limits, everyone will need to respect other’s boundaries and work to negotiate appropriate learning relationships. Developing a learning environment that is supportive, stimulating, and safe will make the risks of interpersonal learning and growth work taking. (credit ACPE)