There are many professionals with specialized skills who work within Navy Medicine to include Navy Chaplains. These chaplains participate in one of three Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs that are designed specifically for clinical settings. One of these programs, The Navy’s Pastoral Care Residency (PCR) Program, is considered the cornerstone of intensive clinical formation for chaplaincy.
Each year a limited number of chaplains are selected for the competitive program, which helps prepare them to support expeditionary medical units and operational forces across the fleet.
“Many chaplains come into the Navy with pastoral experience, but not all have had training in clinical pastoral care. Through CPE they gain hands-on training every day. They meet with patients, families, and provide care directly,” said PCR program instructor Lt. William Bevins, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Portsmouth…