Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

The University of Tennessee Medical Center is a 550+ bed research/academic medical center located in Knoxville, TN.  The University of Tennessee Medical Center is managed by University Health System and is the regions leading medical center offering a full range of services including Level I Trauma, Oncology, Maternity, Cardiac, Orthopedics, Medical/Surgical, Pediatrics, etc.

The University of Tennessee’s Graduate School of Medicine is also on the University of Tennessee Medical Center campus with approximately 150-200 medical, surgical, and pharmacy residents and medical students.  Our Clinical Pastoral Education students and residents work closely with our physician residents in a patient-centered multidisciplinary team approach to patient care.  The staff chaplains and staff psychologist in the Department of Pastoral Care will serve as mentors for all CPE students and residents.

General Information & Accreditation

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is a crucial part of professional ministry education. Our programs of CPE are accredited with the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. and the U.S. Department of Education to offer post-graduate theological education.  CPE is theological education, not chaplain training.  Although in your service to the hospital you function in the role of a chaplain, CPE is really about understanding yourself and your theology better. Completing CPE does not certify anyone to be a chaplain, but it is the education that one needs to pursue professional chaplain certification.  Our Center offers three programs of CPE: a 12 month full time residency, an 11 week Level 1 Summer Intensive, and a 22 week Level 1 Extended Unit. Successful completion of at least one unit of Level 1 CPE is a prerequisite before applying for the 12 month residency. One unit of CPE is 400 hours of supervised ministry education. 100 hours will be spent in seminars and didactic presentation, and the remaining 300 hours spent in patient visitation and ministry practice.

Extended Program

Our next unit (class) of Extended Level I CPE will begin in early January 2013 and runs through the end of May.  We are currently reviewing applications for this class, and the application deadline is October 26, 2012. The Extended class will have a maximum of 6 students. If you are interested in the Extended Unit, I encourage you to apply right away.  You can go to www.acpe.edu to get more information about CPE and to download an application. After we have received your application and $35 application fee, our Interview and Selection Committee will review your application and you will be notified if you have been accepted or declined for an on-campus interview. If you are selected for an on-campus interview, final acceptance into the program will be determined by a personal interview and an HR background check and drug screening. Tuition for the Extended Unit is $500.00.

The Extended Unit hours will be a minimum of 15 hours per week for the 22 weeks.  One unit of Level I CPE requires 400 hours of supervised ministry.  How we have designed the program to reach the 400 hours requirement is as follows: the Extended Unit will meet every Monday afternoon from 12:30p.m. - 5:00p.m. for classroom work.  Each student will serve in the hospital for 10 hours per week (in addition to the Monday afternoons) practicing their ministry through patient visitation.  In addition to the Monday classroom work, the 10 hours per week of clinical experience, each Extern will serve two (2) overnight on-calls per month from January - May.  On-call is from 4:30p.m. - 8:30a.m.

Summer Intensive Program

The Summer Intensive Intern program is an 11-week full time program.  The Intern program begins in late May and concludes the first week in August. The Intern program is Monday – Friday 8:00a.m. – 4:30p.m. plus some overnight and weekend on-call coverage.  Application for the Summer Intensive Intern program is the same as for the Extended program above. The application deadline for the 2012 Summer program is March 31, 2012. Tuition for the Summer Intensive Unit is $500.00.

Residency Program

After completing one or more units of Level 1 CPE, individuals are eligible to apply for the 12 month resident program. The Resident program is from September 1 through August 31 of the following year. Our Resident program is a four (4) unit residency, and those positions are stipend. The Resident program is a full time education experience which includes overnight and weekend on-call responsibility. Applications for the Residency program are received and reviewed on a rolling application format, but we prefer to have all the Resident positions filled by early June. A Master of Divinity is required for our residency program. Resident stipends are $26,000 per year and tuition for the program is waived.  Residents are eligible for medical, vision, and dental insurance at the employee rate.

Facts at a Glance

• Application deadline for 2013 Extended is October 26, 2012.
• Application for 2012 Summer Intensive is March 31, 2012.
• A rolling application process for the Resident program.
• Resident stipend is $26,000.00 per year.
• Residents are eligible for full medical, dental, and vision insurance.

Fees and Tuition

• $35.00 non-refundable application fee for all programs.  The application fee should accompany the application.
• $500.00 tuition is charged for the Extended and Summer Intensive programs.
• Tuition is waived for the Residency program.

Contact Information

Rev. Randy R. Shoun, M. Div., ACPE Supervisor
Director of Clinical Pastoral Education

The University of Tennessee Medical Center/Knoxville
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN  37920
865-305-9704
rshoun@utmck.edu