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Pastoral Services

Clinical Pastoral Education

Christiana Care offers education and practical training in the spiritual and pastoral care of patients, families and health care personnel through the Clinical Pastoral Education Program. The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Inc. accredits our summer and extended programs.

Clinical pastoral education is theological and professional education for ministry. Our program is designed to emphasize the importance of the pastoral relationship in each person's life journey. The curriculum integrates theology, behavioral sciences, and spiritual development with personal experience and reflection. Training for the Clinical Pastoral Education Program takes place at both our Newark and Wilmington campuses.

Summer Unit

June through August., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. One overnight on-call per week and approximately one weekend per month.

Extended Unit

September through May, with seminars on Mondays, 8 a.m. to 12 noon, plus 8–10 hours of pastoral care per week. One overnight weekday and one overnight weekend on-call per month (24 hours).

Residency Program

Full-time 12-month stipened residency program integrated within Academic Affairs. Begins in mid-August. An application fee of $30 should be included made payable to Christiana Care Health System.

Tuition

The first unit is $500. Additional units are $250 each.

Scholarship assistance is available for persons of the Jewish faith through the Rheva H. Cook Memorial Chaplaincy Fund. Call us for information about this fund.

How to apply

For any of the programs, applicants should meet one of the following criteria:

  • Seminary student with one year at an accredited theological school or equivalent.
  • Ordained, licensed or commissioned clergy with one year at an accredited theological school or equivalent.
  • Member of a vowed religious community.
  • Lay minister or caregiver with an undergraduate degree and some theological education, who is either engaged in pastoral care or preparing for pastoral ministry.

Apply early to secure your program of choice by completing and submitting the Application for Clinical Pastoral Education.

Pastoral Services
Wilmington Hospital
501 W. 14th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
302-428-2128

Magnet recognition for excellence in nursing CarePages Delaware Health Sciences Alliance
Christiana Care Health System PO Box 1668, Wilmington, DE 19899 Contact Us www.christianacare.org
Christiana Care is a private not-for-profit regional health care system and relies in part on the generosity of individuals, foundations and corporations to fulfill its mission. To learn more about how you can support our mission, please visit christianacare.org/donors.