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Our Lady of the Lake Health Clinical Pastoral Education

What is Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)?

Our Lady of the Lake Health’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program is interfaith professional education for ministry. It brings theological students and ministers of all faiths (pastors, rabbis, Imams, and others) into supervised encounters with persons in crisis. Out of an intense involvement with persons in need and the feedback from peers and teachers, students develop new awareness of themselves as person and of the needs of those to whom they minister. From theological reflection on specific human situations, participants gain a new understanding of ministry. Within the interdisciplinary team process of helping persons, they develop skills in interpersonal and inter-professional relationships.

 

Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education

1 Concourse Pkwy., Suite 800
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 320-1472

Click here to read the Annual Notice.

Contact Information
Karen Smith
Administrative Support Coordinator (Pastoral Care & CPE)

Pastoral Care & CPE
Our Lady of the Lake Health
5000 Hennessy Boulevard,
Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Phone: (225) 765-8896
Fax: (225) 765-4007
Email: Karen.Smith3@fmolhs.org

Program Dates

Program Name/ Levels Application Deadline Program Dates Type Clinical Placements
Fall-Winter Extended Unit (A) Sept. 3, 2025 Sept. 24, 2025 – Feb. 13, 2026 Hybrid (face-to-face orientation and final evaluation, classes on-line) Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital, other FMOL Health facilities
Fall-Winter Extended Unit (B) Sept. 3, 2025 Sept. 24, 2025 – Jan. 23, 2026 Hybrid (face-to-face orientation and final evaluation, classes on-line) St. Dominic Hospital Jackson Mississippi, other FMOL Health facilities
Spring Extended Unit March 9, 2026 March 23, 2026 – July 24, 2026 Hybrid (face-to-face orientation and final evaluation, classes on-line) St. Dominic Hospital Jackson Mississippi, other FMOL Health facilities
Summer Intensive Unit May 8, 2026 June 1, 2026 – August 14, 2026 In-Person (face-to-face) Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital
Summer Intensive Unit May 1, 2027 May 31, 2027 – August 13, 2027 In-Person (face-to-face) Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital

A required non-refundable application fee of $30.00, made payable by check or money order to OLOL Health CPE.
*Upon acceptance of an internship unit a $70 deposit is due and an additional $400 tuition fee at the start of the unit for a total of $500 in tuition*
Click here for an OLOL Health ACPE CPE application form or enter the link into your browser.

 

One Year Residency Program Dates

Program/Dates Application Deadline Type Prerequisite Clinical Placements
2025: 10/20/25 – 10/02/26 9/26/2025 In-Person (face-to-face) One unit of ACPE CPE and master’s degree preferred – Stipend paid Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital
2026: 10/05/26 – 9/17/27 9/4/2026 In-Person (face-to-face) One unit of ACPE CPE and master’s degree preferred – Stipend paid Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital

A required non-refundable application fee of $30.00, made payable by check or money order to OLOL Health.
*Upon acceptance into the residency program a $70 deposit is due. Tuition is waived for residents.
Click here for an OLOL Health ACPE CPE application form or enter the link into your browser.

 

Objectives of Clinical Pastoral Education

  • To become aware of oneself as a minister and the ways one’s ministry affects persons.
  • To develop the skills to provide intensive and extensive pastoral care and counselling to person(s) in their crises, celebrations, and other life situations.
  • To understand and utilize the clinical method of learning (Action-Reflection-Action).
  • To utilize the support, confrontation, and clarification of the peer group for the integration of personal attributes and pastoral functions.
  • To utilize individual and group supervision for personal and professional growth and for developing the capacity to evaluate one’s ministry.
  • To develop the ability to make effective use of one’s religious/spiritual heritage, theological understanding, and knowledge of the behavioral sciences in pastoral ministry to persons and groups.
  • To become aware of how one’s attitudes, values, and assumptions, strengths and weaknesses affect one’s pastoral care ministry.
  • To become aware of the pastoral role in interdisciplinary relationships and work effectively as a pastoral member of an interdisciplinary team.
  • To become aware of how social conditions and structures affect the lives of self and others and to effectively address these issues in ministry.
  • To develop the capacity to utilize one’s pastoral and prophetic perspectives in a variety of functions such as: preaching, teaching, leadership, management, pastoral care, and as appropriate counseling.
  • Objectives of a pastoral specialty, if selected are to develop:
    • Familiarity with the theories and methods for the ministry specialty.
    • One’s own philosophy and methodology for the ministry specialty.
    • Pastoral competence in the practice of the specialty.

 

Where Will Students be Ministering?

As an accredited CPE Program, Our Lady of the Lake Health’s program exists in different settings. These include our hospitals, behavioral health facilities, children’s hospitals and nursing homes.

A Typical Day in CPE

CPE units may be full time or part time. A unit of CPE includes 300 hours of clinical ministry and 100 hours of educational time (didactics, classes, reading seminars, case conferences, individual, and group supervision). Extended (part-time) CPE units are typically 18 to 32 weeks in duration and the time commitments will be half time or less per week, depending upon the way the program is structured. Full time CPE units are 10 to 12 weeks in duration and allow for intensive engagement and immersion into the ministry setting.

Educational seminars include didactic seminars presentations by subject matter experts, reading reflection seminars, theological reflection seminars, and peer group meetings or interpersonal relations group sessions. These educational experiences allow for mutual sharing, caring, support and relationship building with their training peers. Ministry opportunities may include providing worship and memorial services, and devotionals for peers, staff, and patients or parishioners. Field trips, workshops, and clinical observations may be periodically included.

How Do I Apply?

To apply to Our Lady of the Lake's Clinical Pastoral Education Program, click here.

Applications for clinical pastoral education may be obtained from any of the ACPE accredited CPE Programs, such as Our Lady of the Lake Health CPE, from many participating seminaries, from the National ACPE office in Atlanta, Georgia, or the ACPE website. Our Program requires an application fee and a deposit. The deposit is applied to the tuition for the CPE unit if the student is accepted. An admissions interview is a part of the application process.