Allied Health Division

Accelerated Polysomnography
Certificate Program

The Polysomnography certificate is a 35 Credit hour fifty two week program designed to prepare students for employment in sleep labs and clinics. After completing the 29 credit hours of certificate program course work (the first 26 weeks) students then complete 6 credit hours of Occupational Experience credit designed to provide them with the required 26 weeks of full time paid employment in a sleep facility, which is also a requirement needed to satisfy eligibility requirements for the National Credentialing Exam. The certificate program is designed to prepare the graduate to take the Comprehensive Registry Exam in Polysomnographic Technology (RPSGT) offered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102, (703) 610-9020.

Registered Polysomnographic Technologists work in sleep labs to help diagnose and treat sleep related disorders. Up to 40 million Americans suffer from one of the more than 80 known sleep related disorders (Source BRPT). Technologists are responsible for gathering assessment data, taking a complete patient sleep history, set up and troubleshooting of equipment and interpretation of results. Polysomnographic Technologists conduct a variety of diagnostic testing including assessment of sleep apnea, maintenance of wakefulness and multiple sleep latency testing. Technologists also assist in the treatment of sleep related disorders including CPAP and BiPAP titration studies.

The Polysomnography profession is in the early stages of a rapid expansion. With the recent increased awareness of sleep disorders and the relevance of sleep to overall health, the number of sleep laboratories has increased significantly over the past few years. There are current and projected shortages, and many sleep laboratories across the region and state lack qualified Polysomnographic Technologists to staff these clinics. With the continued growth in the number of sleep laboratories, and the continued nationwide focus on the importance of sleep and combating sleep disorders, graduates of this program will be highly marketable in the healthcare workforce.