2023 Sleep Medicine Examination
With the upcoming 31 January deadline for the 2023 Sleep Medicine Examination applications, we take a look back at the major examination developments over the years. Below features a press release first published in Oruen – The CNS Journal (Volume 8 Issue 2) in December 2022.
The European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) is proud to announce the certification of 114 new Expert Somnologists and 33 Expert Somnologist Technologists in 2022. Since the first examination, offered in 2012, ESRS has successfully certified more than 1100 individuals.
On the occasion of the ten-year anniversary of the European Somnologist examination, an important critical appraisal was recently published outlining the development of the examination programme and milestones achieved over the past decade while looking toward the further development of the programme in the future.
“Sleep medicine is a broad and interdisciplinary field including several highly prevalent diseases such as insomnia, sleep related breathing disorders, and sleep related movement disorders. Despite its important clinical relevance, structured education and certification has been implemented only in a few countries around the world and clinical practice is performed by many health care professionals without formalised education. In order to improve knowledge and quality of care based on internationally accepted criteria, the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) launched an examination and certification programme for sleep medicine experts – called the “European Somnologist” certification programme. Preparations started 15 years ago, and the first examination took place in 2012” (Grote et al. 2022).
Presently, the ESRS certification programme is one of only three international certification programmes. The two ESRS Certifications appeal to different levels of sleep professionals. The expert Somnologist is appropriate for Physicians, Psychologists, Sleep Scientists and Assistant Physicians (with a Master’s degree in science, e.g. biology, physics or other relevant areas) who meet the requirements for practical experience and theoretical knowledge of topics specified in the “Catalogue of Knowledge and Skills-Revision” (Penzel et al. 2021). The expert Somnologist Technologist is appropriate for technologists, nurses and other sleep professionals who have a degree in nursing or similar; RPSGT qualification or equivalent national qualification/registration as well as sufficient relevant experience.
For both examinations, the Second Edition of the Sleep Medicine Textbook (2021) is the core recommended reading. The textbook is published by the ESRS and can be ordered via the website.
For the first time in 2020, the examination was offered online and in recent years, the online examination was so well received that the ESRS has decided to continue the online only examinations for 2023. The ESRS Board is pleased to announce the 12th Examination of Certification in Sleep Medicine and the 10th Examination of Certification in Sleep Medicine for Sleep Technologists will take place as an online examination on 23 September 2023. The application period will close 31 January 2023.
In order to support eligible examinees with the examination fee, the ESRS Board will also offer 6 grants of 250 EUR each, and includes one copy of the ESRS Sleep Medicine Textbook and free shipping. Applications will also be accepted until 31 January 2023. Here are further details on the criteria and requirements for this grant.
ESRS Reminders
Upcoming ESRS Virtual Events
Registration is now open for 2 upcoming ESRS virtual events:
- On 1 Feb 2023, ESRS President Pierre-Hervé Luppi will moderate a virtual roundtable discussion on Sleep Control, Stress and Emotion with expert panellists Xiao Yu, William Wisden, Takeshi Sakurai and Emi Hasegawa. They will examine new breakthrough evidence from their recent publications.
- On 10 Feb, GEF Member Jaime Devine will host a webinar recognising the UN International Day of Women & Girls in Science. On 10 Feb 2023, Adriana Michalak, Brooke Aggarwal, Jessica Mong and Maria Hrozanova will engage in a series of short talks and panel discussions on their work examining sex differences in #SleepResearch.
2023 ESRS Grants & Fellowships
Sleep & Breathing 2023 – Registration Open
Register today.
Recent publications from ESRS members
- DelRosso et al. (2023). Effects of bupropion and SSRI antidepressants on leg movement activity and chin muscle tone during sleep in adolescents. J Clin Sleep Med.
- Nicot et al. (2023). ACTN3 genotype influences masseter muscle characteristics and self-reported bruxism. Oral Dis.
- Vinckenbosch et al. (2023). Effects of solriamfetol on on-the-road driving in participants with narcolepsy: A randomised crossover trial. Hum Psychopharmacol.
- Chu et al. (2022). Actigraphy evaluation before and after intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in three children with restless sleep disorder. J Clin Sleep Med.
- Bengtsson et al. (2022). Nasal polyposis is a risk factor for non-adherence to CPAP treatment in sleep apnea: the population-based DISCOVERY study. J Clin Sleep Med.
- Svedmyr et al. (2022). Hypertension treatment in patients with sleep apnea from the European Sleep Apnea Database (ESADA) cohort – towards precision medicine. J Sleep Res.
- Silvani et al. (2022). Putative Animal Models of Restless Legs Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Evaluation of Their Face and Construct Validity. Neurotherapeutics.
- Benz et al. (2022). How many hours do you sleep? A comparison of subjective and objective sleep duration measures in a sample of insomnia patients and good sleepers. J Sleep Res.
- Holub et al. (2022). Associations between insomnia symptoms and functional connectivity in the UK Biobank cohort (n = 29,423). J Sleep Res.
- Stokes et al. (2022). Quality-adjusted life years for digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (Sleepio): a secondary analysis. BJGP Open.