Curriculum
Clinical Pastoral Education prepares chaplain residents for ministry through a process of action and reflection.
Action: Clinical Practice
Students are regarded as important members of the chaplaincy team, sharing in the ministry of the Center for Spiritual & Grief Care. Residents take part in a regular on-call rotation and gain broad experience in ministry to patients, families and staff in acute, chronic and crisis situations. They are assigned to a variety of units within the hospital, where they work closely with members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team. Learn more about chaplains as part of the interdisciplinary team.
Reflection: Writing, Sharing, and Supervision
The Clinical Pastoral Education program provides students with a variety of opportunities to reflect upon their experiences with peers, supervisors and other professionals:
- Didactics: CPE students attend lectures and presentations offered by Pastoral Care staff and professionals from Cincinnati Children’s and the community.
- Interpersonal Relations Group: Students learn to give and receive support, clarification and confrontation in a group setting, becoming aware of underlying theological and psychological dynamics in group process. View an excerpt of an Interpersonal Relations Group session.
- Clinical Presentation: Students are offered various avenues for reflecting on ministry including verbatims, practicum and spiritual assessments.
- Individual Supervision: Students receive individual supervision weekly for residents. These meetings provide an opportunity for one-on-one reflection between the student and supervisor.
