Clinical Pastoral Education at California Pacific Medical Center

Sutter Health CPMC does not discriminate against any individual for reasons of race, ethnicity, religious or spiritual tradition, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age or disability.

Admission is determined by the following:

• Completed materials as required in the ACPE application
• Formal undergraduate degree from an accredited institution preferred (required for a Residency)
• Graduate degree from an accredited institution in a related field of study preferred
• At least one completed unit of CPE preferred for a residency
• An admissions interview

You can apply to our program here. You can find more information about ACPE programs here.

Priority is given to applications received before April 30 of each year. A rolling admissions process will take effect until all positions are filled.

For more information, please call 415-600-2830.

For years, Sutter Health CPMC has embraced the idea of being a “hospital without walls,” and that spirit extends to our Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program. Since 1965, our program has been fully accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) — the only organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit CPE programs nationwide.

We’re proud of our long-standing commitment to healthcare education and the generations of caregivers who have learned and grown here. Over the past century, Sutter Health CPMC has gone through many changes — different names, partnerships and locations — all with the goal of providing high-quality care to the San Francisco community. Today, we’re honored to be recognized by The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center, reflecting our excellence in stroke care.

Our four campuses throughout San Francisco offer a wide range of inpatient, emergency and outpatient services. These settings give chaplain students meaningful opportunities to walk alongside patients and families during their healthcare journeys, offering spiritual support across a broad spectrum of care.

The Davies Campus, located near the Castro and Upper Market neighborhoods, is an inpatient hospital for general medical treatment and surgical procedures that includes: 

• Primary Stroke Center
• CPMC Neuroscience Center
• Ray Dolby Brain Health Center
• Behavioral Health services
• Buncke Clinic for reconstructive surgery
• CPMC Regional Rehabilitation Center

The Mission Bernal Campus and Orthopedic Institute, located near the Mission and Bernal Heights neighborhoods, is an inpatient hospital for general medical treatment and surgical procedures that includes: 

• Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit
• Women's Clinic for pregnancy and gynecologic care
• Orthopedic care
• 24-hour emergency care
• Inpatient palliative care

The Van Ness Campus, located near the Pacific Heights and Tenderloin neighborhoods, is an inpatient hospital for general medical treatment and surgical procedures that includes: 

• Transplant Center
• Birth Center
• Vascular Surgery and Intervention Service
• Kanbar Cardiac Care Center

The Pacific Heights Outpatient Center, located near the Pacific Heights neighborhood, is an ambulatory center for key medical services including: 

• Dialysis
• Cancer radiation and infusion therapy
• Podiatry
• Ophthalmology
• Same-day surgeries

Sutter Health CPMC is fully accredited to offer Clinical Pastoral Education by ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care and Education, 1 Concourse Pkwy, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30328; office phone 404-320-1472.

Our current admission priorities for the residency are as follows:

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution preferred (required for a residency)
• A graduate degree from an accredited institution in a related field of study preferred (required for a residency)
• We require 2 years of active membership in good standing with a faith community. Formal religious training is recommended. Applicants in a relationship of accountability are preferred (e.g., ordination, endorsement and/or commissioning) with a faith community where applicable.
• For healthcare professionals, we encourage an affiliation with a faith community.

A prior unit of ACPE Certified CPE is recommended before applying to a residency. Students who have prior ACPE Certified CPE units will be required to commit to a full program year.

Yes, our stipend is approximately $55,000, which includes medical, vision and dental benefits for you and your family.

No, Sutter Health CPMC does not have a housing aid department. Please make sure you understand the San Francisco Bay Area housing market before applying.

Applicants will be notified within 30 days from the receipt of a completed application.

Sutter Health CPMC has an extensive library from which any student can borrow. CPE, however, is an immersive learning process. Our objective is to encourage an examination of experiences. Students develop their practice from what emerges between the self and others.

Decisions about clinical assignments are made in consultation with the certified educator and department manager.  We carefully consider a student’s preferences and learning needs. We must adhere to the requirements for chaplain services.

Our program can accommodate three to five students in each cohort. 

The peer cohort is a regular component of the program that provides essential training for relational and cultural competencies. Cohort groups are supervised in weekly sessions to constructively critique their peers in a context of support, clarification and challenge. Cohort groups are designed to enhance self-awareness, spiritual caregiving and certified competencies.

We encourage everyone to use public transportation. There are shuttles between the campuses and between the BART stations closest to each campus. Parking garages, located at all campuses, charge a per-hour rate during weekday administrative hours. A monthly parking plan is available.

Our spiritual care team provides 24/7 chaplain support across all hospital campuses. Each day, a student or staff member carries the on-call pager and responds promptly to all chaplain service requests. A designated rest area is available during on-call shifts, and students receive additional pay for each shift. Typically, students take at least one on-call shift per week.

The curriculum focuses on professional enhancement and aligns with the standard certification competency areas for chaplaincy. Our program follows the ACPE Manuals and Standards, which we encourage all applicants to review these materials

Clinical assignments will take place at Sutter Health CPMC campuses: Van Ness, Davies and Mission Bernal. Education hours are primarily observed at one campus.