Clinical Pastoral Education Program

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is clinical training that focuses on:   

  • Learning by providing spiritual care to persons in need
  • Reflecting on experiences providing care with colleagues and educators
  • Exploring values and belief system issues, behavioral science theories and their integration
  • Gaining information, perspectives and interpersonal skills applicable to different settings, whether in a congregation, parish, institution or agency
  • Providing required training for board-certification of professional chaplains

Clinical Pastoral Education at BayCare

Our Clinical Pastoral Education program hosts residents and interns from a wide range of religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Our certified ACPE Certified Educators provide education that is second to none.

  • Opportunity for learning in a demanding acute care setting
  • A curriculum focused on acute care fields in cardiology, neurology (certified stroke center), trauma, pediatrics, women’s health and orthopedics
  • An interdisciplinary faculty
  • Intern and residency programs are offered
  • Residency is a 12-month stipend position beginning in mid-August. Applicants must have one previous unit of CPE and a bachelor's degree in theology or related field. Masters preferred.

The Morton Plant Hospital Assn. Inc. CPE program offers level I/level II CPE as an accredited program for clinical pastoral education; the St Joseph’s Hospital Inc. CPE program offers level I/level II CPE as an accredited program for clinical pastoral education by ACPE: the Standard for Spiritual Care and Education, 1 Concourse Parkway, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30328; (404) 320-1472. www.ACPE.edu

The CPE program is currently offered at the following hospitals:

  • Mease Countryside Hospital
  • Mease Dunedin Hospital
  • Morton Plant Hospital
  • Morton Plant North Bay Hospital
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital
  • Clinical placement at other BayCare facilities is a possibility

Intern Units and their Length of Time

  • Fall - 16 Weeks 
  • Fall - Spring - 26 weeks
  • Spring - 16 weeks
  • Summer - 10 weeks 

Application Fee: $30
Tuition: $450 per unit  

Application Information

If you are interested in more information please call (727) 461-8045. You can also download an application from the ACPE Website and e-mail or fax the application to the department below:

BayCare Health System Clinical Pastoral Education Program (for either the Morton Plant Hospitals or St Joseph’s Hospitals)
Morton Plant Hospital Spiritual Care Dept.
MS #44
300 Pinellas St.
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: (727) 461-8045
Fax: (727) 461-8071
E-mail: mpmchaplain@baycare.org