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Training for compassionate spiritual care
 Spiritual care and chaplaincy education

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program at Inova prepares future spiritual care professionals through immersive clinical experience, structured education and professional mentorship. 

Guided by Inova’s commitment to world-class, people-centered care, students gain the knowledge, skills and professional identity needed to provide compassionate spiritual care to people of all backgrounds. 

Whether you plan to serve in hospitals, the military, government, community agencies or faith communities, Inova provides the foundation for meaningful practice.

Program structure

Inova offers 16-week CPE internship units three times per year: 

  • Spring unit (Jan. – April) 
  • Summer unit (May – Aug.) 
  • Fall unit (Sept. – Dec.) 

Each unit includes a combination of:

  • Supervised clinical practice 
  • Didactic learning sessions 
  • Peer group reflection 
  • Individual supervision

Clinical experience

Students function as unit chaplain learners and are active members of the care team. Clinical training includes: 

  • Direct spiritual care for patients, visitors and team members 
  • Assignment to clinical units across Inova facilities 
  • Participation in interdisciplinary rounds and team meetings 
  • Mentorship from board-certified and board-eligible chaplains 
  • Participation in after-hours emergency response on-call program 

This hands-on model ensures students gain meaningful experience in real clinical environments across a diverse health system.

Learning experience

The program emphasizes growth through experience, reflection and professional development. Students participate in: 

  • Structured peer group learning 
  • Individual supervision and feedback 
  • Reflection on clinical encounters 
  • Development of professional and pastoral identity 

This approach supports the development of self-awareness, relational effectiveness and confidence in providing spiritual care.

Program outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will be prepared to: 

  • Provide compassionate and meaningful spiritual care 
  • Respond effectively to grief, loss, ethical dilemmas, crisis situations and complex clinical needs 
  • Function as members of interdisciplinary healthcare teams 
  • Demonstrate professional presence in clinical settings 

Graduates will leave equipped to offer compassionate, evidence-informed spiritual care when it matters most.

Why choose Inova

Inova ranks #3 in the nation among large health systems.

Students care for individuals from diverse cultural, religious and spiritual backgrounds while learning in one of the nation's most dynamic healthcare environments.

Students participate as respected members of interdisciplinary care teams.

Guidance from professional chaplains, providing personalized support and practical insight to help you grow.

Comprehensive educational experience designed to ensure well-rounded formation.

Cohort sizes are intentionally limited to support a high-quality, individualized learning experience.

Contact us

For more information about the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Inova, including application deadlines and cohort availability, please contact the program office at InovaCPE@Inova.org.

Apply online

Please follow the steps below to apply for Inova's Clinical Pastoral Education program.

Inova Health System, an Equal Opportunity Employer, shall not because of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or handicap, fail or refuse to hire qualified applicants.

  • I may be asked to provide documentation to verify that I am legally eligible to work / attend school in the United States.
  • I will be asked to provide the name, relationship, address, and phone number of THREE educational or professional references.
  • I will be asked to provide a college transcript and three letters of recommendation via Word or PDF format before I can submit this application.
  • I will need to submit the non-refundable $100 application fee (through a separate payment portal) so that my application can be processed.
  • I must download and electronically fill out the Standard ACPE Application Form, save it and upload it with this online form.

Please have your Word or PDF attachments saved and ready to upload.

One file only.
256 MB limit.
Allowed types: pdf doc docx.