Clinical Pastoral Education Program

The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program at Baptist Medical Center combines experiential clinical practice with structured weekly didactics (teaching sessions), spiritual and theoretical reflection, mentoring, overnight on-call clinical experience, and individual consultation. Students can expect a rich learning experience to prepare them for professional ministry in their spiritual faith community, pastoral care/congregational settings, parachurch/non-profit careers, and chaplaincy in healthcare or other specialized settings.

The Baptist Health Clinical Pastoral Education program is accredited by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (“ACPE”). The ACPE is recognized as an accrediting organization for CPE programs by the US Department of Education.

Baptist Health is Northeast Florida’s only fully accredited hospital-based ACPE program. Our 6 hospital health system provides comprehensive care for every stage of life. As a student in our program, you will become part of an interdisciplinary team that serves patients, families and team members.

Our continuum includes primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, AgeWell Center for Senior Health and many thriving community programs and partnerships. Through clinical work, students are challenged to integrate learned theory, personal experience and spiritual care skills as they serve patients, families and staff.