CPE Residency Program 2022-2023

Ochsner Medical Center Chaplain Residents are an integral part of the spiritual care team as well as the interdisciplinary team. Chaplain residents provide regular on-call coverage including weekends.

• Stipend: (approximately) $35,568 + paid time off and full employee benefits.
• Tuition: Covered for all students completing clinical hours at Ochsner facilities.

This residency program includes four full units of Accredited Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) and offers advanced training in clinical pastoral care, emphasizing the evidence-based practice of spiritual care.

Residents experience clinical assignments that provide in-depth exposure to specialty areas, enabling each resident to become an integral part of the healthcare team as a part of a strong spiritual care and education department, functioning with a high degree of autonomy and accountability. They participate in all aspects of the ministry of the department, including participating in the 24/7 spiritual care coverage cycle. This means that residents will be on-call a substantial amount of time during the year on weekends and holidays.

Between each unit there is are “clinical weeks” in which regular CPE course work ceases for a period of two weeks. The resident functions primarily as a staff chaplain. Asynchronous educational modules are offered during these time periods and residents may utilize their vacation time during these periods.

The CPE Residency Program is a rigorous course of study and professional training. Applicants for the residency program should demonstrate a high commitment and interest in pursuing such intensive pastoral care training and must be able to clearly articulate their professional goals and motivation for intensive training. Residents are employed by the hospital and must meet all Ochsner Medical Center’s standards for employment.

Requirements:

Required:

• A bachelor's degree and some theological education from your religious tradition.

Preferred:

• A theology degree at the master's level from an accredited school or equivalent.
• One prior unit of CPE.
• Ordination or commission to function in ministry or in the process of.

CPE Hybrid Program

The hybrid program of CPE is designed for chaplains, seminary students, ordained clergy in active ministry, members of religious orders and qualified laypersons. This program integrates training in a clinical setting with seminar, group process, and one-on-one work with an accredited CPE supervisor or educator. Consequently, CPE students actively serve people in crisis at one of the many Ochsner locations while strengthening their personal, professional and theological capacities through reflecting upon, understanding and growing from the lived experience of ministry. Intensive interaction with peers, staff, seminar leaders, and the educator, helps students to develop new awareness of themselves as persons and professional pastoral care providers.

The Hybrid Unit option is often chosen by chaplains in rural locations where CPE is usually not available because it provides the educational hours on-line, Tuesdays from 230pm to 630pm. This option can also be chosen by those who do not have a theological degree at the master’s level and plan to be certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC). This CPE allows time for them to work on accumulating academic credits required by APC while they are doing the hybrid unit of CPE.

The Hybrid Unit is based on a semester model (depending on group availability). Hybrid Units begin either in December, February, June, and mid-August once a clinical placement agreement is established with the Ochsner location nearest the student.

Tuition: Covered for all students completing their clinical hours at Ochsner locations.

Benefits:

Meal tickets while serving on-call duty

Requirements:

Required:

• High school graduate and some theological education from your religious tradition.

Preferred:

• Undergraduate degree from the CHEA-member organization with concentration in divinity/theology/religious studies
• And a master’s degree with concentration in divinity/chaplaincy/religious studies from a CHEA-member organization.

CPE Summer Intensive Unit Program

This CPE Summer Intensive Unit is primarily for students who are enrolled in an accredited seminary and who are taking this unit to fulfill a denominational or seminary requirement for CPE as field education placement. This option can also be chosen by ordained clergy, members of religious orders or qualified lay persons who plan to move towards professional chaplaincy.

Students will provide spiritual care coverage to their assigned units in cooperation with a staff chaplain. In addition, students will participate in on-call duty (weekend/holiday) an average of 3 to 4 times a month. The clinical site will be on of the hospitals in Ochsner Health including Ochsner Medical Center, Jefferson Highway, New Orleans.

The summer unit begins the first week of June and concludes in mid-August. The unit comprises a minimum of 300 hours of clinical work (patient care) and a minimum of 100 hours of group education. This program integrates training in a clinical setting with verbatim, integrative seminars, interpersonal relationship seminars (IPR), case study reflection, didactic presentations and one-on-one work with an accredited CPE supervisor/educator. Consequently, CPE students actively serve people in crisis while strengthening their personal, professional and theological capacities through reflecting upon, understanding and growing from lived experience of ministry. Intensive interaction with peers, staff, seminar leaders and the educator helps students to develop new awareness as persons and professional pastoral care providers.

Summer Intensive 2022 Unit Dates

• 1st week in June through 2nd week in August
• Tuition: Covered for all students completing their clinical hours at Ochsner locations. For all others, the cost is $250 that is due at the midway point of the unit.

Benefits:

• Meal tickets while serving on-call duty

Requirements

• Required: High school graduate and some theological education from your religious tradition.
• Preferred: Undergraduate degree from the CHEA-member organization with concentration in divinity/ theology/religious studies and/or a master’s degree with concentration in divinity/theology/religious studies from a CHEA-member organization.
• Ordination or commission to function in ministry/pastoral care or in the process toward.