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Welcome to the ECS Spiritual Care & Education Center at St. Mark's Hospital


 The CPE program welcomes students from diverse backgrounds, religious traditions, denominations, cultures, and nationalities to prepare them to serve as spiritual care providers facilitating holistic health and healing. CPE students serve as chaplains learning to be caring and empathic listeners to patients, their families and staff members during end-of-life decision making, emotional and relational tensions, difficult diagnoses and other life issues that emerge in the course of a hospital stay. Wellness is more than the absence of illness, including the discovery of meaning and purpose in life, which chaplains facilitate by accompanying persons through life struggles and crises.

Our CPE students along with staff chaplains offer conversations, religious rituals, referrals and support to those of all faiths and of no faith. They create relationships with community faith leaders to respond to a patient's specific faith needs.

Chaplains are an integral part of the patient care team at St. Mark's, which is a Trauma 2 hospital, and the other hospitals we serve. CPE students learn in various contexts by attending rounds, participating in interdisciplinary team and family meetings and nursing cohorts. They serve patients in the Behavioral Health Unit, in the Acute Rehabilitation Center, parents of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as well as regular in-patient and Emergency Department patients. Our chaplains bring Arts in Health to patients and staff, participate in Clinical Ethics Committee and Ethics Consultations.

In all these ways and more, CPE students learn to bring a spiritual perspective to a patient's or hospital staff member's personal life and health.

Career Opportunities
 
ECS CPE Programs prepare students for a variety of ministry settings such as health care, hospices, senior living, corporate and military chaplaincy, care and counseling in church, synagogues, mosques, and temples as well as prison ministry. Following completion of CPE education and training, we encourage our graduates to join a spiritual care team and seek to increase the level of excellence in the growing field of spiritual care. Many CPE graduates find full-time and part-time chaplaincy positions in the Salt Lake City area.

CPE Programs
 
RESIDENCY PROGRAM Accepting applications for academic year 2023-2024
  • This year long full-time program consists of three units.
  • It requires 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, with regular weekend and evening on call shifts.
Dates: September to August
Stipend: $32,000 - $35,000
Tuition: $600 per unit
 
INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
 
Extended Spring/Summer Unit Accepting applications for Spring 2023
  • This unit is ideal for those who need a part-time flexible position.
  • Class meets once a week on a designated day for 3-4 hours.
  • Students commit to 10-15 hours of clinical time per week, which includes regular weekend and evenings on call.
Dates: March to August
Tuition: $800 per unit (new students)
 
Extended Fall/Winter Unit
  • This unit is ideal for those who need a part-time flexible position.
  • Class meets once a week on a designated day for 3-4 hours.
  • Students commit to 10-15 hours of clinical time per week, which includes regular weekend and evenings on call.
Dates: September to February
Tuition: $800 per unit (new students)
 
Summer Intensive Summer Intensive Units are on hold at this time. Please consider the Extended Units. 
  • This full-time intensive unit requires 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, which include education and clinical time.
  • Regular weekend and evening on-call shifts are required.
Dates: May/June to August (10-12 weeks)
Tuition: $800 per unit
 
CERTIFIED EDUCATOR PROGRAM Limited enrollment
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This is a rigorous 2-3 year program for qualified individuals. Openings for Certified Education Students (CES) happens occasionally.

​CES applicants need to have met (or be able to meet within a reasonable time frame) the following prerequisites:
  • Ordination/religious certification by an ecclesiastical body or other ACPE accepted organization
  • Denominational/faith/spiritual group endorsement to formation in the CES program
  • Graduation from an accredited seminary, rabbinic or divinity school, and a M.Div. degree or M.Div. equivalency as confirmed by an ACPE certification committee.
  • Successful completion of Level I CPE and distinguished progress addressing Level II outcomes, usually at least 4 units of Level II CPE
  • Successful pastoral experience in which the applicant demonstrated ability to function pastorally. It is preferred that one’s pastoral experience be in both an institutional and congregational context
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the Spiritual Care Collaborative Common Standards for Professional Chaplaincy
  • Participate in an admission interview on site and later with a committee of ACPE and ECS CPE faculty members
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Admission Requirements


To be considered for admission, applicants must:
 
Residency Program
  • Complete the ACPE CPE program application and materials
  • Complete an admission’s interview with a CPE Certified Educator and admissions committee
  • Complete at least one prior unit of ACPE CPE (preferred)
  • Submit signed copies of all previous CPE student and educator unit evaluations (if applicable)
  • Have a college degree, graduate theological education, or ordination by a ecclesiastical/spiritual organization or commission to function in spiritual care as determined by ACPE (graduate degrees, M.Div. or M.Div. equivalent preferred)
  • Demonstrate ability to learn from experience
  • Demonstrate ability to work in high stress and emotional conflict situations
 
Internship Programs
  • Complete the ACPE CPE program application and materials
  • Complete an admission’s interview with a CPE Certified Educator to assess readiness for CPE
  • Have a college degree or theological education or ordination/endorsement by an ecclesiastical/spiritual organization
  • Be ordained and/or endorsed by a faith community or commissioned to function in ministry by an appropriate religious authority (preferred)
  • Demonstrate ability to learn from experience
  • Demonstrate ability to work in high stress and emotional conflict situations
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Additional Requirements:
  • ​Students must provide proof of Green Card or Visa. Our program does not have the resources to assist with this process. 
  • All students are required to provide proof of COVID vaccination, including boosters. Additionally, students must meet clinical setting immunization requirements.