​​Clinical Pastoral Education at Novant Health​

• Our innovative educational program focuses on patient and self-care using tools including trauma-informed polyvagal theory, application of non-violent communication skills and emergency empathy to understand the body’s response to trauma, how to support healing in others and how to navigate difficult situations with understanding and compassion.
• Learn from highly qualified, culturally diverse and experienced ACPE Certified educators.
• ​Practice within an interdisciplinary team setting in a a 600+ bed hospital system that includes a Level II trauma center, adult and pediatric emergency care, cancer, heart and vascular services, NICU, PICU, adult and adolescent behavioral health and the only St. Jude affiliate clinic in the Carolinas, offering the opportunity to serve a diverse group of patients and families.
• ​Gain support for preparation for Board Certification as a chaplain (BCCi).
• ​Serve in one of the southeast’s fastest growing cities – conveniently located in the southern part of North Carolina with access to the mountains and the sea – offering a vibrant metropolitan area with many activities and places to explore.​

During the year-long, full-time residency participants will earn three units of ACPE accredited CPE of Level IA, IB, IIA and IIB. Three units of CPE are comprised of 1200 hours of combined structured education and clinical experience.

Residency Program: Level IA and IB and IIA and IIB

The residency program is designed for those seeking:

• Further development of personal, spiritual, and pastoral identity.
• ​Development of the ability to provide spiritual care based on spiritual assessment with cultural and spiritual humility.
• ​Development of skill in trauma informed spiritual care and crisis intervention.
• ​Integration of theory, theology, and values-based meaning making orienting systems with the practice of spiritual care. 

​Residents are assigned to clinical areas where they provide spiritual care to patients, families and staff. They then critically reflect on that work in consultation with the certified ACPE educator, peers, and other professional colleagues. The CPE curriculum includes a variety of methodologies:

• ​Verbatim seminar  
• ​Reading seminar  
• ​Process group interpersonal relationship seminar  
• Didactic seminars  
• ​Creative interactive presentations  
• ​Trauma-informed centering practices  
• ​Skills practice sessions  
• ​Individual supervisory consultations with a certified ACPE Educator​ 

Applicants to our CPE program should have completed a bachelor’s degree. A graduate degree and one unit of ACPE CPE is preferred but not required for enrollment. 

• ​Residents accepted on a rolling admission basis.
• ​Residency is a 12-month program beginning mid-August each year.
• ​While there is no application deadline, applications are encouraged early in the year before the August start of the program.
• ​There are no application or tuition fees. 

To apply for the Novant Health CPE residency at Presbyterian Medical Center, please visit the ACPE website, fill out the application and email your completed application to cpe@novanthealth.org.