FAQs

Compassion & Wellbeing in Healthcare is an eight-week course offered through Compassion Education at Stanford CCARE (CESC). The course is informed by ongoing research from the Stanford WellMD & WellPhD Center, including the Occupational Fulfillment Model, which explores the factors that help healthcare professionals thrive at work. Rooted in contemplative practice and neuroscience, this course offers evidence-based tools to cultivate self-compassion, strengthen resilience, and support professional fulfillment and well-being. Learn more here.

This course is designed for healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, psychologists, allied health professionals, hospital administrators, and other clinical and non-clinical healthcare staff.

Compassion & Wellbeing in Healthcare is designed for healthcare professionals who want to strengthen their well-being, resilience, and sense of meaning at work. If you have ever felt emotionally exhausted, disconnected, or caught between the care you want to give and the care you are able to give yourself or others, this course was built with you in mind. CHC is designed to meet you where you are. No prior experience with meditation or contemplative practice is required. This course is approved for 12 CEs for social workers, psychologists, LMFTs, and nurses.

A note for physicians and psychologists: CCARE plans to offer Compassion in Healthcare for Physicians and Psychologists in January 2027. Once confirmed, that course will offer CME credits and may be a good fit for those seeking credit or a dedicated space with peers in similar roles. Physicians who are not seeking CME credits are welcome to take Compassion & Wellbeing in Healthcare if it better fits their needs or schedule.

For non-healthcare workers: Learn more about Cultivate a Compassionate Heart. This course is approved for 14 CE credits for various health professionals.

The Compassion Education at Stanford CCARE’s Compassion in Healthcare team includes physicians and psychologists with experience teaching compassion-based practices in healthcare settings. Learn more about the instructors here.

This course is offered once a quarter. You can find the current session dates here.

No, this course is a live, online-only course held on Zoom.

The registration fee for the course is $750 and includes 12 hours of live, interactive instruction via Zoom, guided meditation recordings, printable course materials, and curated readings and videos to support continued learning and practice between sessions.

Participants are strongly encouraged to attend all sessions, as each class builds on the previous one. The course includes teachings, guided practices, interactive exercises, and group discussions that are central to the learning process. Attending consistently helps participants get the most out of the experience.

Unexpected things come up, and we understand that participants may need to miss a class. That said, each session builds on the previous one, so missing more than one class can make it harder to follow the material and get the full benefit of the course. To receive a certificate of completion from Stanford University, participants may miss no more than one class.

Classes will not be recorded.

There are no prerequisites for this course. However, enrollment is restricted to healthcare professionals. This includes clinicians, administrators, and support staff working in healthcare environments at any career level.

Yes! You may request reimbursement from your STAP funds by submitting the request through your department’s administrator or manager. Unfortunately, CCARE cannot directly charge your STAP funds.

Yes. A limited number of scholarships are available to help make the course accessible to participants who might not otherwise be able to attend. Scholarships may cover 50% to 100% of tuition, and we anticipate awarding scholarships to approximately 15% of participants. Applications are accepted until two weeks before the course start date. Learn more about and apply for a scholarship here.

If you are interested in supporting access for others, we welcome donations to our scholarship fund. As a nonprofit program, 100% of scholarship donations go directly toward helping participants who would not otherwise have the financial resources to participate. To learn more, please contact compassioneducation@stanford.edu. We are grateful for your support.

No. Classes are not recorded. One of the most valuable aspects of the course is the opportunity for participants to share openly and learn from one another. To support a confidential, trusting environment, sessions are not recorded.

No. During class, instructors will offer suggestions for applying the course material in daily life. Participants are encouraged to choose the practices that best support them, taking into account their own roles, responsibilities, and circumstances.

No. Courses offered through Compassion Education at Stanford CCARE (CESC) are continuing education and professional development programs and do not provide academic credit.

You may be eligible to earn 12 CE credits for successfully completing the Compassion & Wellbeing in Healthcare course. Please read the information here and confirm with your state licensing board before enrolling if directed to. CE credits are included in the cost of the course.