Clinical Pastoral Education

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is an interfaith professional education program for ministry. It brings theological students and ministers of all faiths (including pastors, priests, rabbis and imams) into supervised encounters with people in crisis.

Through intense involvement with individuals in need along with feedback from peers and teachers, students develop a new awareness of themselves and of the needs of those being ministered. From theological reflection on specific human situations, they gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping others, they develop skills in interpersonal and inter-professional relationships.

The distinctives of Memorial Hermann’s CPE program include specialized training in the Enneagram, trauma-informed care and a clinical specialization research project. CPE Residents and Interns serve alongside a multidisciplinary medical team and develop skills in interpersonal communication, organizational awareness and group dynamics. The heart of CPE training is providing spiritual care to people and learning from those encounters through reflection, discussion and evaluation from peers, seasoned professional chaplains and CPE Certified Educators.

Memorial Hermann is accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE).

ACPE Contact Information:
ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: (404) 320-1472
Website: www.acpe.edu

• Click here to learn more about CPE.
• Click here for more information about becoming a board-certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains.

CPE Programs

Residency

CPE Residency is a one-year, full-time training experience in spiritual care designed for those interested in pursuing professional chaplaincy and deepening their spiritual care skills.

Memorial Hermann has two primary hospitals for CPE Residency groups:

• Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center/Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital: Spiritual care is provided by a core of Staff Chaplains and six CPE Chaplain Residents. The ministry staff includes a Department Director, Children’s Hospital Manager, eight full-time Day Chaplains, two Evening Chaplains, one Night Chaplain, six CPE Chaplain Residents, five to six CPE Summer Chaplain Interns, a team of ministry volunteers and a member of the Catholic Chaplain Corps who leads a team of Eucharistic Ministers and assigned Priests. Learn more »
• Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital: Spiritual care is provided by a ministry staff of a Chaplain Manager, one full-time Chaplain, five CPE Chaplain Residents, a team of ministry volunteers and a Catholic Priest who coordinates a team of Eucharistic Ministers. Learn more »

Extended/Community Internship

This 6.5 month program is designed for people who wish to complete one unit of spiritual care training on a part-time basis.

Summer Internship

This is an 11-week intensive spiritual care training experience for people who wish to complete one unit of spiritual care training on a full-time basis.

*We review and respond to applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority is given to applications submitted before February 1. We continue to fill remaining positions in the spring and summer.

Certified Educator Candidate Program

The Certification Education Program is a multi-year residency for individuals who have successfully completed minimally four units of CPE, have additional spiritual care experience and are seeking certification to teach clinical pastoral education.

*Note: We are not accepting applications to this program at this time.

Admissions and Application

• Contact the registrar at CPE@memorialhermann.org or (713) 704-0733 to request an application packet, OR print and fill out the application form  and other required documents.
• Read all instructions carefully before submitting.
• Submit application materials to the email or mailing address below, along with a nonrefundable $25 fee. (We accept cash, checks, money orders or cashier's checks payable to: Memorial Hermann Hospital)
• If selected, participate in interviews in-person and/or virtually with the Memorial Hermann admissions team.
• Upon acceptance, you will receive a letter from the CPE Registrar.
• Sign the letter to confirm your acceptance and return it to the CPE office with a $100 deposit to secure your position.
• Approximately one to two months before the program's start date, you will receive further instructions to begin the hospital onboarding process.

*Note: We are not accepting international applicants at this time.

Email completed documents to: CPE@memorialhermann.org

OR

Mail directly to:
CPE Registrar - Clinical Pastoral Education
Cullen Bldg., Box 31
6411 Fannin
Houston, Texas 77030

(713) 704-0733

Notice Regarding Privacy of Records

This ACPE CPE Program guarantees its students the right to inspect and review education records, to seek to amend them, to specify control over the release of record information and to file a complaint against the program for alleged violations of these Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) rights.

A student has the right to object to record content. If not negotiable, the written objection will be kept with and released with the record. Grades are exempt from this right.

Violations of these protocols may be reported to the Chair of the Accreditation Commission at:

ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education
1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
accreditation@acpe.edu