Education and Training

Clinical Pastoral Education

This summer, University Hospital became the sole Central New York site to offer a nationally accredited training program through the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE). Rev. Culbertson, who recently completed a rigorous, five-year ACPE supervisory program to provide this training, welcomed six seminarians and clergy. Each spent 400 hours on University Hospital units and in the classroom, learning to care for the sick and suffering patient.

If you are interested in more information about the program, visit the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education website.

To apply for the training program, download the application and return the completed form to:
Spiritual Care Services
University Hospital
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210

Clergy Day

Area clergy and members of their congregation got the latest information on a variety of pressing health issues during the 12th annual Clergy Day May 6, held at the Institute for Human Performance in Syracuse.

The day, sponsored by SUNY Upstate Medical University, informed area clergy and their guests on issues ranging from organ donation and spirituality and medicine to advanced directives and the perils of concussion. Additional topics included driver assessment for seniors, and women and heart disease. Presenters are members of the SUNY Upstate faculty and University Hospital physicians.

Clergy also had an opporunity to undergo several health screenings, including tests for pulmonary function, flexibility, body fat composition, stroke, cholesterol and blood pressure.

The program takes place each year in May. Information for Clergy Day 2005 will be posted in the spring.

Grand Rounds

Spiritual Care Grand Rounds are held the first Wednesday of each month in room 5301 Weiskotten Hall. Check the Upstate Update for topics.

Medical School Initiative

For the first time this year, 154 first-year SUNY Upstate medical students are focusing more closely on the spiritual dimension, in a Practice of Medicine curriculum requirement that culminates with each student accompanying a chaplain on institutional rounds.

“We want the medical students to recognize that faith often plays a role in the healing process,” Rev. Culbertson explains, “and to understand that faith may be the patient’s greatest strength.”

Culbertson recruited 29 volunteer chaplain-mentors for the course (which is funded by a grant from the John D. Templeton Foundation). “One of our goals,” she confides, “is to have the chaplains available as a source of support for the students, because medical school can be very stressful.”