Subspecialty Careers: Sleep Medicine
The Discipline
Physicians who specialize in Sleep Medicine are trained to detect,
treat, and prevent sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep
apnea, snoring, insomnia, sleep walking, and jet lag. Sleep
Medicine was recognized as a medical subspecialty by the ACGME in
2003.
Procedures
According to the ABIM, Sleep Medicine specialists should be trained
to interpret results of polysomnography, maintenance of wakefulness
testing, multiple sleep latency testing, actigraphy, and portable
monitoring related to sleep disorders.
Training
The ACGME began accrediting Sleep Medicine fellowship training
programs in 2005, and involves one year of additional clinical
training after completion of the internal medicine residency.
Certification
Sleep Medicine's board certification exam is administered every two
years by the following institutions: American Board of Family
Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, American Board of
Otolaryngology, American Board of Pediatrics, and the American
Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. The first certification exam was
held in the fall of 2007.
Training Positions
For the 2011-2012 academic year, there are 72 ACGME-accredited
training programs with 162 trainees.
For additional information regarding the training and certification required for Sleep Medicine, please visit www.abim.org/certification/policies/imss/sleep.aspx.
Major Professional Societies
-
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)
One Westbrook Corporate Center, Ste. 920
Westchester, IL 60154
Phone: (708) 492-0930
Fax: (708) 492-0943
E-mail: aasld@aasld.org
Web site: www.aasmnet.org
Major Publications
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Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, the official publication of AASM.
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SLEEP, the official publication of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.