PORTSMOUTH, Va. (August 25, 2020) Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), in conjunction with Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Center (HVAMC) and Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (MEDLANT), conduct the annual Pastoral Care Residency (PCR) program. The PCR program is a jointly sponsored clinical pastoral education (CPE) training program between Navy Medicine and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Formed in 1984, the Hampton Roads CPE Center united the efforts of the Navy Chaplain Corps and the Veterans Health Administration’s National Chaplain Center to provide CPE for both U.S. Navy and Veteran’s Administration Chaplains.
“During the residency, chaplains initiate helping relationships, learn clinical skills and enhance pastoral skills, gain practical information, and integrate conceptual learning and their own religious heritage into their pastoral practice,” said Capt. Wayne Haddad, MEDLANT regional chaplain, NMCP command chaplain, and a member of the PCR executive board.
PCR is a one-year course, divided into four quarters. Through the residency program, students concentrate their efforts on meeting CPE Level I and II standards. The year of residency includes a minimum requirement of 1,200 hours of clinical experience, as well as 400 hours of classroom instruction and education.
CPE is an inductive educational experience that enhances professionalism through special academic projects and clinical rotations. At the completion of the PCR program, Navy chaplains are eligible for the 1440N sub-specialty code, Pastoral Care, and placement in billets requiring the skills and experience to provide intensive pastoral care and counseling in multi-disciplinary clinical and operational environments supporting the full range of military operations and naval superiority.
“The design of the program is to provide the best standards of care and outcome-oriented strategies to those we serve,” said Lt. Cmdr. Diego Londono, the PCR director. “Navy chaplains completing the program earn four units of CPE and are eligible to apply for board certification in chaplaincy.”
Senior Lieutenants or Lieutenant Commanders submit application packages to the Chaplain Corps Detailing office for the Advanced Education Programs (AEP).
“Participation in advanced education increases individual expertise and enhances professional naval chaplaincy to strengthen the force,” said Haddad. “A total of eight chaplains attend PCR; four at each facility. At times, we allow Chaplains in the fleet to attend a CPE unit if the command allows participation.”
The process is based on interpersonal, intrapersonal, and academic growth using an action-reflection-action model. The period of instruction includes interpersonal relations groups, didactic seminars, clinical presentation seminars, course reading, and individual supervision.
During PCR, chaplains work on individual research projects focusing on areas of pastoral interest. Due to the impact coronavirus disease 2019 has had on the world and our nation the team of residents considered an alternative route to their project
By working collaboratively, the team focused on a common theme: pastoral care response during a pandemic. During the research, resident chaplains researched the value and implementation of telehealth or telechaplaincy as an option to patients affected by the pandemic.
“This year, COVID-19 impacted the world and our nation, challenging care providers to bring their creativity and to think outside the box,” said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Hess, a PCR resident. “Our team of residents considered an alternative route to their project.”
The team of residents provided the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Pastoral Care Symposium with some of the latest research on pastoral care during a pandemic and created a living-type document that will continue to add new dimension to the research and development of telechaplaincy.
The participants include Lt. Cmdr. Marc C. Cook, Chaplain Corps; Lt. Cmdr. Robert M. Hess, Chaplain Corps; Lt. Yonathan M. Warren, Chaplain Corps; and Lt. Cmdr. R. McKinley Weikel, Chaplain Corps.